Tennis Roundup : Navratilova, Shriver Win 104th in Row in Doubles

Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver posted their 104th consecutive doubles victory Sunday when they defeated Kathy Jordan and Australia’s Elizabeth Smylie, 7-5, 6-4, in the final of the rain-affected $150,000 women’s grass court championships at Eastbourne, England.

It was their fifth straight Eastbourne title.

The doubles’ final was played a day late because heavy rain curtailed Saturday’s play after Navratilova had clinched the singles’ title by beating Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia, 6-4, 6-3.

Earlier Sunday, Navratilova and Shriver finished off their doubles semifinal by beating Barbara Potter and Sharon Walsh-Pete, 6-2, 6-4.

Marty Davis beat fellow Californian Glenn Layendecker, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the final of the $105,000 West of England tournament after rain forced the semifinals and final to be moved from Bristol to an indoor site in London.

Layendecker, who began in the qualifying competition eight days ago, made a good start by taking the opening set in a big serve and volley duel.

Layendecker, two years younger than his 26-year-old opponent, lost some of his touch halfway through the second set, but came back to lead 5-4 in the third. Davis easily held his service to tie it and got a vital break in the next game.

In all-American semifinals earlier, Davis beat last year’s runnerup Brian Teacher 6-3, 7-6 and Layendecker defeated fellow-qualifier Roger Knapp 6-4, 6-3.

Chris Evert Lloyd, co-seeded No. 1 with Martina Navratilova in the Wimbledon championships, has asked that her first-round match be postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Lloyd, who won the French Open title earlier this month, said she woke up Thursday with a stiff neck. Although she said she could play, if necessary, she would prefer one more day of rest.

The 30-year-old right-hander from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hasn’t played in a tournament since winning her sixth French Open women’s singles crown.

Seventy of the world’s top tennis players have agreed to donate part of their Wimbledon prize money to famine relief in Ethiopia and the Sudan.

Ray Moore, president of the Association of Tennis Professionals, refused to name any of the players contributing, but said those that did agree to the proposal at a players meeting Saturday were prepared to donate “five per cent of their prize money to what we will call ‘Tennis Players for Africa.’ ”