Well, after playing around on the official site for Birmingham....I discovered that Navratilova has won the first set of her singles match 6-1. Very interesting....

Sorry....not Birmingham.....Eastbourne. Anyhoo the site is http://www.britannicasset.com/LTA/Home.htm

Panova took the second set, 6-4

Come on Martina. Do it girl!!!

Martina Navratilova wins the third set 6-2!!!

WOO!!!!!! HOO!!!!

I didn't see any of this match, but I'll betcha Panova was unnerved just seeing Navratilova across the net.

Great job, Martina.

Yeah, you've got to figure that little old Panova was a bit freaked to see a legend across the net from her. I wonder how Daniela's nerves will hold up. Too bad Martina's not in singles at Wimby - imagine if she was drawn to play one of the top girls in the early rounds..!

Ah Martina, my hero(ine).

From the BBC...

A series of long rallies tested the 45-year-old's stamina, but she showed she still possesses a serve-and-volley game to test the best.

"She went to the net all the time and that was very hard for me," said Panova.

"I was thinking, 'she's 45 and I'm losing,' but she played very well. She really wants to win, I felt that."

Navratilova will face a more searching examination when she plays third seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the last 16.


I would have loved to have seen her volley again.

Meanwhile at Eastbourne, Kournikova just lost to that other grass court legend, Rita Grande. This means that Martina Navratilova has won a WTA singles match more recently than Special K.

Ouch!

For Panova to be ranked #22, this is pretty amazing. Panova even stated that she felt grass is her best surface. Martina also has stated this week that she would like to adopt someday.

Way to go, Mar! Take it all the way!

I feel kind of sorry for Panova. It must have been a very psychologically difficult match for her. Not only are you playing a legend, but it's your first match on a curious surface, and against a true serve & volleyer--something you hardly ever have to face in women's tennis now.

Now that Nathalie Tauziat is gone, who would be the best serve & volleyer in women's tennis now? Lisa Raymond?

Well, Tauziat is playing Wimby in doubles - maybe we'll get to see her and Martina N. face off? I think Lisa Raymond is certainly the closest thing to a serve and volleyer around, and she'll probably do okay at Wimby. Of course, Zvereva is playing singles at Wimby as well, and she's certainly a classic serve and volleyer..and may just have the ability to score some upsets..she's certainly done it before at Wimby.

[quote]Originally posted by jordan:
[QB]Meanwhile at Eastbourne, Kournikova just lost to that other grass court legend, Rita Grande. This means that Martina Navratilova has won a WTA singles match more recently than Special K.QB]

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LOL! Poor Anna. I don't think that girl is ever going to win a tournament. Maybe if she spent more time on her tennis than marketing herself, she might actually be able to WIN matches!

Ah well, Martina's run came to an end. But Hantuchova needed three sets to beat her. I hope Martina gets to play more doubles at Wimbledon than she did this time.

Great column in today's NY Times on the Martina/Panova match:

NY Times article on Martina's first singles match in 8 years