Navratilova Is Beaten, Hints She Might Retire : Tennis: Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere upsets U.S. Open’s second-seeded woman, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

So how big an upset was it?

In the fourth round of the U.S. Open Sunday night, Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova lost to Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere, who isn’t even the best player in her family.

Maleeva-Fragniere, ranked No. 9, two places behind sister Katerina, shocked the No. 2-ranked Navratilova, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

“It is probably what I have lived for in my tennis career,” Maleeva-Fragniere said.

Navratilova reacted differently.

“Wimbledon took so much out of me,” she said. “I wanted to be up, but I couldn’t quite kick it in gear.”

Not only was it Maleeva-Fragniere’s first victory over Navratilova in eight matches and Navratilova’s worst Open in 10 years, it also sunk Navratilova into such a depression she hinted she might retire.

“I don’t know if the desire will ever be 100%,” Navratilova said. “If I don’t feel like playing next year, I won’t. If I do, I will.

“No headlines ‘Martina Retiring Next Year,’ . . . but anything’s possible,” she said. “I had a very good chance to win this tournament and I blew it.”

No one could dispute her version. Navratilova made only 55% of her first serves, made 37 unforced errors, got passed at the net as if she were standing still and lost more than half of the points when she came to the net.

All in all, it was a thoroughly miserable performance, which Navratilova freely admitted.

“I wimped out,” said Navratilova, who managed to find a bright side: “I guess I get to see some plays here now.”

Navratilova and partner Gigi Fernandez are still alive in the doubles draw, but it’s the bottom half of the singles draw that is looking pretty sick right now.

Not only is third-seeded Monica Seles gone, so too is the second-seeded Navratilova, which leaves the bottom half open for about everybody but the favorites.

The biggest winner might be Gabriela Sabatini, seeded fifth, who will meet Leila Meskhi in the quarterfinals. Sabatini won her fourth-round match over Helena Sukova, 6-2, 6-1.

Mary Joe Fernandez, who defeated Judith Weisner, 6-3, 6-2, will play Maleeva-Fragniere in the quarterfinals.

Navratilova’s fortunes changed early. She led the first set, 4-1, 40-15, but wound up losing the set. In the third set, she was serving at 1-1, 40-15 and lost, held a break point for 2-2 and lost. Trailing 2-3 and desperately needing to break Maleeva-Fragniere, Navratilova lost at love.

“I got myself into a pretty good hole there and couldn’t get it back,” Navratilova said.

Maleeva-Fragniere served for the match at 5-2 and felt the pressure. She won two points, but Navratilova was only delaying the inevitable.

On match point, Navratilova stood flat-footed at the baseline and pushed an easy forehand that struck the top of the net, bounced back and began rolling toward her feet.

The match was over. Maleeva-Fragniere ran to the stands and hugged her husband, Francoise, while Navratilova silently packed her bags.

They had played here in last year’s quarterfinals and Navratilova won, 6-0, 6-0, in 44 minutes. However, Maleeva-Fragniere said she was not worried before her match this time.

“OK, I was thinking it’s about time I beat a good player in a Grand Slam,” she said.

Navratilova thought the percentages might have caught up with her.

“I guess I should lose to people before I go into the Open,” Navratilova said. “I’ve never lost to her before, so I guess this was a bad time to do it.”