Navratilova fights off strong challenge

Press, 12 April 1988, Page 36

Navratilova fights off strong challenge

NZPA-ReuterHilton Head Island

The top seed, Martina Navratilova, fought off a strong challenge to beat the second seed, Gabriela Sabatini, of Argentina, at a SUS3OO,OOO ($NZ456,284) tennis tournament for her first clay-court title since 1985.

The world No. 2 has now won four -of five tournaments this year and begins her sixth today at Amelia Island, where she will undoubtably be seeded to face the topranked Steffi Graf, (of West Germany, in the final. Navratilova, who beat Sabatini 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, said she entered the match determined to win a claycourt event.

“I don’t think people expected me to win,” she said. “I said to myself that

I was just going to stay out there and hit balls for as long as it took.”

Navratilova dominated the first set, dropping only two points in three service games. The 3.1-year-old American took advantage of Sabatini’s weak second serve and broke the Argentine three of four times she served. ,|

Sabatini, No. 5 in I the world, gathered some momentum in the second set, breaking Navratilova in the first and third games to take a 3-0 lead with a topspin passing shot each time. j She dropped ■ serve! in the forth game but broke Navratilova again for 5-1 on a double-fault. I Navratilova rallied to 45 and held off a set point at 40-30 on Sabatini’s serve with a winning volley. But at deuce an overruled call went Sabatini’s

way to give her a second set point, which! she won when Navratilova netted a backhand. 1 I After trading breaks twice in (he first six games of the third set, Navratilova) held serve convincingly with an ace in the seventh and then broke Sabatini to go up 53. Sabatini broke back at love, but Navratilova came back in the next game, closing out the victory with a [backhand volley winner.) “I was not happy with the way I (played,” said Sabatini, who had beaten Navratilova two of the last four times they played. “I did not serve very well, and I )vas a little bit slow in the I first set.” But Sabatini added: "I think she has improved a lot on clay.!’