| | Associated Press
Results
MADRID, Spain -- Martina Navratilova returned to pro tennis
Tuesday after a 5½-year break, winning a doubles match she hopes to
use as a tuneup for the French Open and Wimbledon.
|  | | Martina Navratilova, left, and her doubles partner Mariaan Swardt of South Arfica were all smiles during their match Tuesday. |
The 43-year-old tennis great teamed with South Africa's Mariaan
de Swardt to beat Rika Hiraki of Japan and Meghann Shaughnessy of
the United States 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the $170,000
Madrid Open.
Navratilova has won 167 singles titles, more than any man or
woman, and 165 in doubles. She has won 19 Wimbledon titles, and
another doubles title would tie Navratilova with Billie Jean King
for most championships at the All England Club.
She decided to return because she was playing tennis anyway and
was happy with the way she played with de Swardt.
"Last year and this year I feel physically fit and I have a
good partner so I thought 'why not?' " Navratilova said.
In other matches, Ai Sugiyama of Japan, seeded No. 3, beat Maria
Antonia Sanchez of Spain 7-5, 7-5; and Kristina Brandi of the
United States downed Katarina Srebotnik of Slovakia 6-4, 7-6 (5). | |
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