Evert Goes With Graf on Grass

Martina Navratilova is determined to win her ninth singles title at Wimbledon, but Chris Evert says the tournament is Steffi Graf’s for the taking.

“I’m just glad I’m not in her half of the draw,” Evert told USA Today. “I can’t see Graf losing. I’m 100% sure Steffi will get to the final, and I can’t say that about Martina. She’s in my bracket and I think I have a good chance of beating her.”

Of Graf’s game, Evert said, “Her serve now matches Martina’s. And she moves better. She’s ironed out all her weaknesses and gotten muscular. She’s developed into a wonderful athlete.

“Gee, she could hire me as her public relations person.”

Add Wimbledon: Peter Alfano of the New York Times said when John McEnroe failed to come up with any headline-making quotes after his first-round match, an Australian journalist grumbled, “There’s nothing worse than a reformed brat.”

Now-it-can-be-told dept.: Alan Strange forgot his pass for the U.S. Open playoff, but he walked through the gate with no questions asked. The guard thought he was Curtis Strange, which is understandable. They are twins.

Add Open: It was a sad week for Greg Norman. Not only did he get knocked out of the tournament with a hand injury, but good friend Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics didn’t make it to the National Basketball Assn. Finals. Norman had planned to catch a game at nearby Boston Garden.

Said Norman when asked what happened to the Celtics: “K.C. didn’t use his bench enough.”

Trivia Time: Who has coached the Lakers to the most NBA titles? (Answer to follow.)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, asked if the season is too long, put it this way: “I don’t think we should be competing with Wimbledon.”

Oliver McCall, sparring partner for Mike Tyson, asked about the turmoil engulfing the champion, told Wallace Matthews of Newsday: “Mike seemed like something was on his mind yesterday. Not just hitting me low--he does that every day--but the way he went after Mike Hunter. He had a look on his face, like he wanted to kill him.

“I think he’s going to shrug all this off, but I wouldn’t be surprised if after the fight, Mike retires. Not for good, for six months or a year or so, just to get away from all this.”

Add Tyson: From Phil Berger of the New York Times: “Following published reports that Tyson’s wife, Robin Givens, did not attend Harvard Medical School, as she had said, information surfaced that brought into question her version of how she and Tyson came to be married. According to sources close to Tyson, what accelerated the marriage was a phone call that Tyson’s co-manager, Jimmy Jacobs, received from Ruth Roper, Givens’ mother, saying her daughter was 3 1/2 months pregnant.”

25 Years Ago Today: Jimmy Piersall of the New York Mets hit his 100th career home run against Philadelphia and celebrated by running around the bases backward. Pitching for the Phillies was Dallas Green.

On this date in 1973, pitcher Ken Brett of the Phillies hit a home run in the fourth consecutive game that he pitched in June. He beat Montreal, 7-2.

Trivia Answer: John Kundla coached the Minneapolis Lakers to five NBA titles.

Quotebook

Pittsburgh outfielder Andy Van Slyke, on failing to hit the ball out of the infield during a slump: “They’re writing a movie about me. It’s called ‘The Summer of 4-to-3’ ”