Tennis Roundup : Navratilova Overpowers Evert in Chicago Final

These days Chris Evert has to play her best to beat Martina Navratilova.

On the 80th meeting of the rivals, Evert wasn’t close, managing only 4 points on Navratilova’s serve in the first set of a 6-2, 6-2 loss in Virginia Slims of Chicago tennis tournament Sunday.

“I enjoyed winning, but I know Chris was not playing as well as she could,” said Navratilova after gaining her 43rd victory of the rivalry. “I don’t know how much I had to do with it or how much she had to do with it. It really wasn’t a thrilling match.”

Evert concurred but shifted part of the blame to the carpeted surface: “Her serve was a real weapon on a court this fast. I don’t have a weapon like that. I’d have to do everything perfect to beat her on this kind of surface.”

The closest Evert, seeded second behind Navratilova, came to a service break was in the first game of the second set when she came to net three times, reaching the ad point after Navratilova’s defensive lob was long.

But Navratilova, a nine-time champion in this tournament, responded with a service winner to reach deuce, passed Evert with a backhand and rolled out a forehand winner to gain the game.

Jacob Hlasek of Switzerland, who turned 24 Saturday, rallied from two sets down to beat Jonas Svensson, 6-7, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, 7-5, in the final of the $450,000 Benson and Hedges championships at Wembley, England.

Czechoslovakia’s Miloslav Mecir defeated Andres Gomez, 6-3, 6-2, to win the $350,000 men’s invitational at Stuttgart, West Germany.