Martina and the Czechs: ‘Love All’ on Court No. 1

Martina Navratilova blew away China’s Xinyi Li, then blew kisses to the crowd as she ended an 11-year-long chapter in her life today at the Federation Cup.

Navratilova’s 6-1, 6-0 victory over China’s top women’s player was her first match in Czechoslovakia since she defected to the United States in 1975. This trip is her first time back since then, and the crowd that overflowed the No. 1 court at Stvanice Tennis Stadium cheered her every shot.

The victory and the welcome enabled Navratilova to end an unsettled era in her life.

“It was emotional, but it was happy emotion,” she said. “It was like a chapter in my life that I am finally able to finish. It’s been open for a long time.”

The victories by Navratilova over Xinyi, and Zina Garrison, 6-3, 6-2 over Ni Zhong, enabled the United States to advance to the second round of the national-team, single-elimination tournament that is the women’s equivalent of the Davis Cup.

Navratilova and Pam Shriver then completed the three-match sweep with a 6-2, 6-0 victory in doubles over Lilan Duan and Xiufen Pu.

“This is a team sport, and I’m on the American team,” said Navratilova, who received her citizenship in 1981. “I’m an American and I won for America.”