On the Surface, Women’s Final Seems a Lock

Is there any suspense at all to the women’s Wimbledon semifinals?

Today’s semifinals seem straightforward enough, perhaps just one more round before Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova meet in the final.

Graf plays Zina Garrison, who hasn’t beaten Graf in five years. Graf leads the series, 5-1. She and Garrison have never met on grass, but three of Graf’s wins were on hard courts.

“I’m looking forward to playing Steffi,” Garrison said. “I’ve always wanted to play her on grass because I think this is the best surface for me to beat her.”

At 33, Navratilova has won more matches at Wimbledon than any player.

Navratilova’s opponent is Gabriela Sabatini, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals once before--in 1986, when she lost to Navratilova, their only previous match on grass.