In Search Of A Net Gain

Two days later, Zvereva and Larisa Savchenko defeated Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver to win the doubles title. The victory was especially sweet because it came on Zvereva's 18th birthday. Her present was a check for $10,650. During the awards ceremony, the spectators sang Happy Birthday. Tournament officials gave her a cake and a bouquet of balloons, which Zvereva gave to a fan to release into the sky.

When Zvereva arrived in Largo, the press was waiting. At first she held her own, patiently stating her case to NBC Nightly News and The New York Times after a 6-3, 6-2 opening-round victory over Kate Gompert. However, after granting an interview to Good Morning America the next day, she appeared drained and overwhelmed. Finally, when it came time that afternoon for a photo session with SI, Zvereva broke into tears and walked away. A tour official consoled her with small talk of rock music and Disney World. Zvereva eventually regained her grip and consented to pose briefly.

The pressure was still mounting by Thursday's second-round match. Zvereva, seeded second, looked shaky from the start and lost 6-4, 6-1 to Petra Langrova, a qualifier. Afterward, Zvereva said, "I knew I was going to lose. It's been a pretty tough week."

The subplot in this play-for-pay showdown is an escalating cold war between ProServ and its archrival, the International Management Group. ProServ represented Sovintersport and the Soviet Tennis Federation for three years. But in March the Soviets switched to IMG, giving it the right to manage all its tennis players.

IMG insists that its contract with the tennis federation gives it exclusive rights to all players from the U.S.S.R., including Zvereva. "The Soviets told us that our contract stands as far as they're concerned," says Stephanie Tolleson, IMG's vice-president for tennis. "That contract says specifically that we manage all Soviet tennis players, men and women, outside the Soviet Union. They're saying Zvereva was outside of her rights in signing with ProServ."

But Sara Fornaciari, Zvereva's agent at ProServ, has a different legal opinion. She maintains that under U.S. and international law, an individual has the right to make his or her own contract. "Our position and Natalia's position is that she didn't consent to be included in that group," says Fornaciari.

The federation will have the final say. If it enforces the IMG contract or forbids Zvereva from keeping her prize money, there may not be much left for ProServ to dispute. Zvereva has said that if an agreement can't be reached with Soviet officials, she'll quit tennis and earn a living elsewhere.

Last week, she seemed optimistic. First Olga Morozova, the Soviet women's coach, phoned from the U.S.S.R. to give her the green light to enter the European Open in Geneva on May 22 and the French Open one week later. Then came a call from someone with the federation. Zvereva suggested that the official had said her situation could be worked out, but she refused to be specific. "It will be very difficult, but there's a chance," said Zvereva.

How much of her winnings does she think she will be allowed to keep?

"I believe it will be more than a half," she said.