Word: navratilova
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...Navratilova and Lendl both bypassed June's French Open, one of the sport's four Grand Slam events and a pivotal factor in determining the No. 1 ranking that Lendl has and that Navratilova aches to regain from Steffi Graf. They / stayed away because the slow brick-dust surface in Paris rewards tactics that are entirely different from what works on the fast and often bumpy grass at Wimbledon. With only two weeks between the tournaments, there was too little time to shift gears. Clay-court players typically stay back near the baseline and trade shots until an opponent makes...
This week Navratilova, 33, begins what seems to be her last plausible quest to win the 106-year-old Wimbledon ladies' title for a record ninth time. If she does so, or if she loses in a fashion that convinces her that another victory is an impossible dream, many of her peers expect her to retire. Perhaps she will linger a season or so to surpass her longtime rival Chris Evert's record total victories in matches (1,309) and tournaments (157). But in 1985, after winning Wimbledon over Evert, Navratilova said, "Whenever she retires, I'm sure...
...Navratilova was voted by U.S. newspaper editors as the outstanding woman in any sport of the '80s, and her record 74 consecutive victories in singles and 109 straight in doubles ensure a place in history. She has earned tens of millions of dollars in endorsements, appearance fees at tournaments and exhibition matches, and prizes. What drives her is the desire to be the winningest ever at Wimbledon: "It is the thing I want to win more than anything else in the world. It has nothing to do with money. It's the best tournament...
...younger and the hottest players are from twelve to nearly 20 years her junior. Her main worry, Graf, has become almost an obsession. Since Graf wrested away the No. 1 ranking three years ago, they have met only five times, and Graf has won the last four. Twice Navratilova was within shouting distance of victory only to lose through what looked like sheer nerves. If she can couple a Wimbledon victory with a vindicating triumph over Graf, the temptation to do what almost no athlete ever does -- win the last one and depart -- may prove irresistible...
...first time since her own teens, however, Navratilova faces not just one but an abundance of worrisome competitors -- several young enough to be her daughters. Says Patrice Clerc, director of the French Open: "Tennis is getting to be a younger and younger sport. We've seen something similar in gymnastics and swimming, and now we're seeing it here." The fastest-rising women are actually girls. Monica Seles, 16, beat Navratilova in the finals of the Italian Open in May, then won her next two tournament finals against Graf, including the French Open, where she became the youngest winner...