Navratilova Struggles to Win Tournament in Blowout : Tennis: Windy conditions and Sukova make things difficult in 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 victory.

Wind-blown sand pelted Martina Navratilova’s glasses. Tiny grains of sand stung the side of her face. But that wasn’t the worst part. That was when she swallowed.

“I found myself crunching down on some sand morsels,” Navratilova said.

On a blustery Sunday afternoon when the wind blew enough sand to envelop the mountains across the street in a yellow-brown haze, Navratilova lost a set for the first time this year, but eventually blew past Helena Sukova, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, to win the Virginia Slims of Indian Wells at Hyatt Grand Champions.

Navratilova’s 149th singles title and her third in three weeks was worth $70,000, which brought her earnings to $240,000 this year and $1.52 million in her career.

Undefeated in 14 matches this year, Navratilova maintained her winning streak although it was played out in some downright difficult conditions.

Swirling wind and gusts deposited enough sand on Stadium Court that the only thing missing was some cactus.

“I’ve played in all kinds of weather, but never in a sandstorm,” Navratilova said. “Easy shots became an adventure.”

And bad shots, well, let’s just say they became commonplace.

“Some of the shots, I think we were a little surprised at them,” said Sukova, who made 31 unforced errors in a roller-coaster performance.

After losing her serve three times in an ugly first set, Sukova fell behind, 2-5, in the second set, looked at a match point and was in danger of being sandblasted off the court.

Then Sukova suddenly started ripping in first serves as if someone had thrown a switch to turn on her game. She held for 3-5 and broke Navratilova, who was serving for the set, when Navratilova’s slice backhand caught a gust and flew long.

Sukova’s ace at 40-0 made it 5-5, she broke Navratilova at 0-40 for 6-5, fought off two break points in the next game and closed out the second set with a winning lob that dribbled off the frame of Navratilova’s racket.

Suddenly, it was one set all and Navratilova needed to regroup. She also changed her itinerary.

“At 6-2, 5-3, I was already writing my speech,” she said. “Then I started rushing my shots and stopped moving my feet.”

Navratilova called Sukova an “escape artist,” recalling that Sukova was down two match points before defeating Gretchen Magers.

Informed of this description, Sukova smiled.

“I didn’t escape completely,” she said.

Navratilova, who made 50 advances to the net in the second set, made only 15 in the third set and led, 4-0. At 5-1, 40-15, Navratilova double-faulted, but closed out the match with a slick backhand cross-court volley, which was her trademark shot all week.

Navratilova hasn’t been No. 1 since Steffi Graf took over the top spot in the computer rankings Aug. 16, 1987. But Navratilova underwent a rigorous off-season training program for the first time in 14 years, skipped the Australian Open, and worked out hard at her home in Aspen, Colo.

“I needed a vacation from my vacation,” Navratilova said.

Coached by Craig Kardon, Navratilova made a subtle change in her service motion that was first suggested by Billie Jean King.

King, who has served as something of a motivational coach for Navratilova since last May, said Navratilova is just hitting her stride. King said she has emphasized two particular areas.

“She’s always been a great physical athlete and I tell her at 33, if she wants to keep playing, she’s really going to have to improve on the emotional and mental side.”

And as for Graf, King said the idea is not to care about an opponent.

“It doesn’t matter who’s over there, unless you’re a boxer,” King said.

Navratilova said she has come to realize that she is not too old to play any more.

“Every time you lose, somebody says it’s because you’re too old,” Navratilova said. “That happens enough times, you start doubting yourself. I think I’ve made a statement these three tournaments. I can see all the work has paid off.

“I think I can still be No. 1 by the end of the year.”

Sukova was not as certain. Her record against Navratilova falling to 4-23, Sukova is the only player to have won a set from either Graf or Navratilova this year.

“I know Steffi is No. 1 and I think she deserves to be No. 1,” Sukova said. “She will have to start playing worse and (Navratilova) will have to start playing better for there to be a change.”

Tennis notes

Attendance for Sunday’s final was 6,970, just 30 short of a sellout. During the Newsweek Champions Cup, Stadium Court seating capacity at Hyatt Grand Champions is increased to 10,500. Attendance for the weekday sessions of the tournament disappointed Barbara Perry of IMG, which owns the two-year-old event. However, attendance for the week was 28,558 compared to last year’s 20,644. Perry said that a decision whether to return the tournament to Indian Wells for a third year will be made in the next few weeks.