Angry Words : Shriver Is Beaten by Navratilova, but It Takes Lloyd to Silence Her

Chris Evert Lloyd had just landed herself in the Wimbledon semifinals, routing Barbara Potter, 6-2, 6-1, when she heard the news.

Pam Shriver, after losing to Martina Navratilova Wednesday, said that her match “could end up being her (Navratilova’s) toughest.”

Lloyd, who has been eliminated before the semifinals in only one of 42 career Grand Slam appearances, was not amused.

“That was a stupid thing to say,” Lloyd said. “She must have been very upset.”

Shriver was upset. It seems in the last 2 1/2 years, Shriver has never played Lloyd. Instead, she usually draws Navratilova and usually loses.

She wants Lloyd.

And that’s fine with Chris.

“I’ve been hearing Pam complaining for two years that she never gets to play me,” Lloyd said. “I would love to play her. I’ve never lost to her (in 14 matches). You could say I have her number.

“When they make the draw, you shouldn’t complain about it. She goes on and on.”

Navratilova and Shriver, her doubles partner, provided one of the best matches in the tournament, repeatedly ending up at the net face-to-face, exchanging reflex volleys. Navratilova, seeking her fourth straight women’s title, finally won, 7-6, 6-3.

“I knew I had to play a real tight match,” Navratilova said. “Whoever wins the first set has a big edge. On grass, playing three out of five, it probably would not have made that much difference. But playing two out of three, the difference is huge.”

Shriver agreed.

“Once (I lost the 7-5 tiebreaker), I knew I was in a bit of trouble, because the key with Martina is to have her miss some volleys,” she said. “I think she only missed one volley--her forehand in the last game.”

Shriver had more to say, this about semifinalist Kathy Rinaldi:

“I haven’t seen Rinaldi play, but it is beyond my comprehension that she could get to the semis of Wimbledon.”

It was a tough day for Shriver.

“I think I had the toughest draw in the whole shebang,” she said.