TENNIS ROUNDUP : Navratilova Gets 150th Title, Gives 14-Year-Old Capriati Lesson

Martina Navratilova won the battle of tennis’ old and new generations Sunday, beating eighth-grader Jennifer Capriati, 6-2, 6-4, to win the $500,000 Family Circle Cup at Hilton Head, S.C.

It was the 150th career singles victory for the 33-year-old Navratilova, who won seven of those tournaments before her 14-year-old opponent was born.

“I was nervous and excited,” Navratilova said. “I don’t think she was intimidated. It was every bit as tough as I had expected.”

Navratilova won the match at the net and by using her serve-and-volley attack on the green clay at the Sea Pines Racquet Club.

Capriati struggled with her serve and rushed her shots when Navratilova came to the net. She was playing in only her third tournament since turning pro last month. Capriati has a 13-3 record in those matches, and her loss to Navratilova, ranked second in the world, makes Capriati 3-2 against players in the top 10. A ruling of the Women’s International Tennis Assn. limits 14 year olds to 10 tournaments per year.

Despite the defeat, Capriati will be 25th when she receives her first world ranking today, having played three tournaments.

Navratilova, who won her fourth Family Circle title, earned $100,000 and a sports car. Capriati, of Wesley Chapel, Fla., earned $40,000--more than her previous earnings.

For now, Capriati seemed content to be on the same court as Navratilova.

“It was the greatest feeling of my life,” she said. “Here I was playing a legend.”

Said Navratilova: “I think I played a legend-in-the making.”

Asked if she had ever seen any player as good as Capriati is at her age, Navratilova said: “Oh, no. No. I hope I won’t again.”

Navratilova won two-thirds of the points when she came in, using her serve-and-volley attack.

“I’m not used to that type of game,” Capriati said. “I didn’t make my passing shots.”

Capriati said she was a little nervous. But she said running out of the tunnel that leads to the court before the match began had nothing to do with nerves.

“I like that seat that I was sitting in and she likes it, too,” she said. “So I got it before her. She was running behind me, so I had to go.”

Top-seeded Brad Gilbert needed only 50 minutes to defeat South Africa’s Christo van Rensburg, 6-2, 6-1, and win a $250,000 tournament at Orlando, Fla.

“I played my best match of the tournament,” Gilbert said. “I think it was just matchups. I match up well against Christo. He didn’t have a big enough serve to hurt me on the return game.”

Gilbert earned $32,400 for his second tournament championship of the year. Van Rensburg never got to break point.