Noise, Dukes Serve Up Trouble for Navratilova

Martina Navratilova probably won’t have Newport Beach listed among her favorite places to visit. In fact, after Wednesday night’s experience at the John Wayne Tennis Club, she might not want to come back.

Navratilova began her evening by exchanging barbs with the boisterous crowd in the bar behind the grandstands. Early in the set, she shouted toward the bar, “Did you come here to watch tennis or party?”

It only got worse for Navratilova as the Dukes spanked the Atlanta Thunder, 24-16, in front of an estimated 2,400.

The Dukes, 5-0, remain tied for first place in the West Division with the Sacramento Capitals.

Navratilova’s troubles continued when she caught a rocket return off Manon Bollegraf’s racket on her jaw. Navratilova took a three-minute injury time out, but she and doubles partner Heather Ludloff went to on lose the set, 6-2.

Atlanta’s Kelly Evernden got the Thunder back in the match with a 6-4 singles victory over Rikard Bergh. But Trevor Kronemann and Bergh gave the Dukes a 16-9 lead with a 6-1 men’s doubles victory that included three duece-game victories.

Navratilova defeated Manon Bollegraf and her substitute, Katrina Adams, 6-2, in a singles match but the two games were all the Dukes needed.

Bollegraf and Kronemann then provided the clincher with an easy 6-1 victory over Casio Motta and Navratilova in mixed doubles.

Bollegraf, who leaves today for Germany to play in the Federation Cup for The Netherlands, departed on a high note. Zina Garrison-Jackson will replace Bollegraf, who has lost three of 12 sets this year. Bollegraf and Kronemann have not been beaten in mixed doubles in five sets.