| | Associated Press
Results
MADRID, Spain -- Martina Navratilova stumbled Thursday in
her doubles comeback as she and partner Mariaan de Swardt lost to
Spaniards Gala Leon and Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 6-3, 7-6 (5)
in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open.
Navratilova, 43, playing professionally for the first time in
since retiring 5 1/2 years ago, played hard but appeared to lack
physical conditioning as she and Swardt fell to the Spaniards.
After dropping the first set, she and de Swardt managed to win
three straight games in the second set to take the score to 6-5.
The duo, however, failed to clinch the set before losing in the
tiebreak.
The Madrid Open was Navratilova's first preparation for a return
to Wimbledon, where she has won 19 titles, one shy of the record.
She also is scheduled to play doubles at the French Open next week,
then in a grass-court tournament in Eastbourne, England.
In a career that began in 1973, Navratilova won 167 singles
titles and 165 doubles crowns. She is being inducted into the
International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., on July
15, one week after the women's singles final at Wimbledon.
A victory in the doubles at Wimbledon this year would tie
Navratilova with Billie Jean King for most championships won at the
All England Club.
In singles action at the Madrid Open, Virginia Ruano of Spain
defeated Nicole Pratt of Australia 6-3, 1-6 and 6-2, while Spaniard
Gala Leon beat fellow Spaniard Angeles Montolio 6-4, 6-3.
Croatia's Iva Majoli downed Germana DiNatale of Italy 6-1, 1-0
(forfeit) and Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia defeated Asa Carlsson of
Sweden 6-2, 6-4.
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