The Smartina Show, Or Tennis In A Lethal Vein

Lieberman's relentless fine-tuning and the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet Haas has put Navratilova on—part of a regimen he calls Smartina, which includes 39 different blood tests once a month—have produced results. The once pudgy Navratilova, who's now so lean and sinewy that the blood vessels in her limbs stand out in high relief, is quicker than she was last year and seems eager to sweat forever. But Richards' influence is important as well. For years Navratilova ran from pro to pro in an attempt to learn a topspin backhand. "Basically, taught her mine," says Richards. "Nancy pushes her to the point where Martina is in pain. By the time Martina comes to me, my job is a piece of cake."

Before the final, Ted Tinling, consultant to the women's tour and former sequin distributor to the stars, said, "I'm just hoping for good tennis. We need to keep the commodity in the marketplace." The commodity is in a fragile state. Already this year three women's tournaments have been canceled, and three of the best young players, Tracy Austin, Andrea Jaeger and Kathy Rinaldi, keep breaking down like fillies raced too young. Women's tennis has long suffered from a lack of depth, but with Austin and Jaeger struggling—past their peaks at 20 and 17, respectively?—the problem is worse than ever. So 39-year-old Billie Jean King reached the semifinals last week, only to lose 6-1, 6-1 to Evert Lloyd. Indeed, in her three matches preceding the final, Evert Lloyd dropped just 11 games altogether. After losing the first set in her opening match, against Hana Mandlikova, Navratilova lost all of eight games in four matches. Women's tennis needs reinforcements, fast.

Even though the Slims draw consisted of the top 15 players in the world, plus wild-card entry Evonne Goolagong, most everyone figured that the only person who could make Navratilova falter was Navratilova. In other words, she might take the apple in the Apple as she had done in 1982, when she blew a 6-1, 3-1 lead against Hanika in the finals. This year Hanika distinguished herself by playing her quarterfinal match against Austin in one of the ugliest outfits ever seen on a tennis court—a navy blue top with turquoise and pink trimming and matching navy blue short shorts that served to accentuate her powerful thighs. Against Navratilova in the semis, Hanika, who ranks No. 8 on the computer and is perhaps the only woman in the game who can stay with Navratilova in the bench press, switched to white but kept the hot pants. When someone asked her about the source of her strength, she answered, "Maybe it's the shorts."

Hanika said her strategy against Navratilova would be "to make power from baseline." With her heavy topspin off both sides, she figured to keep Navratilova away from a death watch at net. No charge for dreams. On Hanika's service games, Navratilova smugly hung back, waited for a shorty from short shorts, and then chipped and came in to net. On her own service, Navratilova was untouchable, giving up only two points in the first set. At 6-1, 3-1 she faced her only break point of the match. Well aware of what had happened to her at the same juncture a year ago, Navratilova threw in a "scroogie," a first serve, sliced wide, that Hanika barely touched.

"Then I knew it was all over," Navratilova said later. These days she's pretty matter-of-fact. "I'm surprised if I make an unforced error."

Meanwhile, Evert Lloyd had arrived in New York amid rumors that her marriage was disintegrating and that John had been prepared to file for divorce. But he was at all her matches, and they apparently have reached some sort of reconciliation. In any case, Evert Lloyd breezed through her half of the draw with one eye on Navratilova. This year Evert Lloyd has chased Navratilova—which King says "is great for tennis"—instead of waiting for the more comfortable clay-court season. While quick indoor carpet is hardly Evert Lloyd's favorite surface, she pointed out, "It's not like I'm terrible on it."

Evert Lloyd defeated Zina Garrison and Bettina Bunge before beating King in the semis. King divides her time between the Slims tour and over-30 events, and Evert Lloyd played as if she didn't want King confused about her whereabouts. In the locker room after the match, Rosie Casals told King, "You bring out the best in Chris."

"That's what I need to hear," said King.

King had provided a touch of warmth by throwing a couple of logs of nostalgia on the sputtering tournament fire. She beat two players, Jaeger and Barbara Potter, whose combined ages don't equal hers. With vitamins and exercises and boundless hustle, King comes across as a guru of fitness and dedication, a combination Jack LaLanne and Pete Rose. For King, the Slims was a subway series because she lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side. One night after playing singles and doubles she wound up eating at 2:30 a.m. in a neighborhood coffee shop. "Just two tramps and Billie Jean," said fellow pro Ilana Kloss.

In the opening round. King beat a lame Jaeger 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, closing the match by winning the final 16 points as the fans wondered what was up. In the final game Jaeger hit three straight double faults. Since taking a fall during an exhibition in February, Jaeger has been hampered by a sore right Achilles tendon and a sprained right ankle. And the anti-inflammatory drug used to treat those injuries has given Jaeger an upset stomach. But her ailments aren't all physical. Less than all-out efforts from her have become disconcertingly frequent. One indication that softness is setting in among the once hard-bitten Jaeger clan was the absence of Andrea's father, Roland, last week. He eschewed the Slims to stay home and train the family's Doberman puppy. King, however, would have no talk of injuries or tanking. "Any win is great at 39," she said.