Navratilova to play singles

[tlr online]

Martina Navratilova has been awarded a wildcard to play singles at the French Open, 20 years after winning the second of her two French Open singles titles. The 47-year-old made her singles comeback at Amelia Island last month and will play singles in a grand slam event for the first time in 10 years. "She asked to play to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her last win," said tournament official Stephane Simian.

Navratilova holds the record for women's singles titles with 167. Simian said it would have been hard to turn down the request from arguably women's tennis' greatest player. "It seemed to us that given her past record and her current level of play, since she's still competitive in doubles, she deserved a wildcard," he added. "We had no hesitation. It could have been a problem if she had taken somebody else's place but it was not the case."

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40149000/jpg/_40149973_navratilova203.jpg

www.bbc.co.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk)

[Neteru]

It was sad to see her lose her attempt at a 10th Wimbledon title, so long ago it seems now. Sadly, I think this effort will likely produce the same embarrassment.

[Scottlee]

Funnily enough, she's probably still good enough to win a few matches at Wimbledon (resulting in a 3rd or 4th rd exit). However, the French is too gruelling a surface for a women that age. It's the biggest stamina tournament on the circuit. Expect a 2nd round appearance at BEST.

[Gabriel]

Martina prepares for her first round match... http://www.tombraiderforums.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

http://www.ncaop.ie/schools/youngandold/en/GRAPHICS/PHOTOS/goowomantennis2.jpg

[Scottlee]

LMAO!! nice one

[ELEN]

LOL Gabriel :D http://www.tombraiderforums.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Neteru]

LOL

[Celli]

Sticking with the tennis theme, some European sports writer is claiming that following an injury in Berlin last week, Venus Williams's career as a professional tennis player is over. :rolleyes:

[bumb1ebee]

Huh? That would be so sad if Venus's career is over so early! I hope that news is from unreliable sources.

I haven't kept up in the tennis world for about a year now. Is Venus and Serena (well, mostly Serena) still basically untouchable?

[Celli]

Short answer, no. Both had been on injury leave after Wimbledon last year. Serena is now #7 in the world, and Venus is #8 after having fallen all the way down to #16. Although Venus lately had been having more success than Serena. She was on a 15 match winning streak until her injury in Berlin, and consecutive titles in Charleston and Warsaw.

Until her win in Charleston, Venus had been able to get only as far as the Quarterfinals of any tournament. I'm not sure how this stands after her injury, but Venus is/was the favorite to win the French Open this year. She undoubtly has been dominating the clay season.

Serena on the other hand came straight off injury leave to win the title at Indian Wells. But the following week she had an early exit at Amelia Island. Now she'll have to face Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Quarterfinals in Rome tomorrow.

And the commentator who made the comment about Venus was from Eurosport, a British commentator named Simon something...

[ 14. May 2004, 02:33: Message edited by: Celli ]