MARTINA NAVRATILOVA'S contribution to this year's Wimbledon was expected to be minimal. But her spat with the champion Steffi Graf brought a frisson, a flash flood of controversy, to the women's game yesterday.
Nobody seemed interested in Graf's demolition of 15 year old wunderkind Martina Hingis, who was dispatched in just 50 minutes, 6-1, 6-4. Instead everyone wanted to talk about the other Martina, the monarch of these lawns, who had said something nasty about Steffi on the HBO cable network in the United States.
Referring to the German's knee injury, Navratilova, who is competing in the mixed doubles this year, said scornfully: "Steffi could run in the quarter mile at the Olympics. The knee injury is just an excuse ahead of time in case she needs it. If you read the newspapers you'd think she belongs in the hospital. If you look at her today she's running like a gazelle."
Yesterday Graf ran more like a cheetah and the white plaster on her left knee looked increasingly like a botch by the make up department.
After the match she said of "Navratilova: "I wish what she said was true. She's lucky she doesn't have to live with them. I think she should know better than to say these things and actually we saw each other in the locker room two days ago and she said she was sorry the way it was put."
The Graf camp has also pointed out that Navratilova has not yet congratulated her great rival on her achievement of overhauling her total of 18 Grand Slam singles titles by winning the French open three weeks ago. In contrast Chris Evert sent Graf a hand written note of praise.
There is, as they say, history. The two used to bash away at each other like Maureen Connolly and Doris Hart, or Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Navratilova is the greatest woman player these verdant lawns have ever seen. But Graf has done more than succeed her she is now threatening to nudge her to one side in the pantheon.
They have met in three Wimbledon finals. Navratilova won in straight sets in 1987 but Graf won in 1988 and 1989.
Then there was last year when the two were meant to play in the doubles in Navratilova's Holy Grail quest to beat King's record of 20 Wimbledon titles. Graf withdrew, injured, leaving Martina looking as sad and solitary as Mrs. Haversham in her dowdy old wedding dress.
If Graf wins this title she will be only two behind Navratilova's nine singles titles at Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, a small incendiary device could go off in the next day or two. Graf and Navratilova could oppose each other in the mixed doubles semi finals, with rackets raised and daggers drawn.
