European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 3, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday july 3, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary Nof Many champions like Evert she stood at the Baseline hoping for some kind of intervention divine or otherwise to prolong her match against her old rival. Even when she saw the Linesman at the opposite end of the court extend his hand she wanted to grasp the moment and hang out a Little longer at Centre court. But Chris Evert knew it was time to shake hands and get off the court which she did thursday with characteristically minimal self pity after los ing to Martina Navratilova 1-6, 6-4, 5-7, on a final Ball that either did or did not Drift past the Baseline. It is not easy to be a Champion particularly in the individual sports. Boxers golfers track and Field ath letes and Tennis players know it is not easy to stand out there unable to say my teammates weren t giving me the Ball or you can t win without  if they need a Quick trip to the Loo or suffer muscle cramps both of which happened to Ivan Lendl this week they must scamper off the court on their lonesome. Not everybody savors feeling like a Champion former or current but two of them Felt that Way on Centre court. Chris Evert has not won a grand slam Tennis tournament since the 1986 French open but she still carries herself like a Champion. Martina Navratilova who was to play Steffi Graf on saturday for a record setting ninth Wimbledon title knows she is a Champion too. There is not that much of a Gap Between the currently retired Mike Tyson and Chris Evert who made no promises about being Back Here next year. Long before Navratilova and sugar Ray Leonard discovered they were Kindred souls playing fun Dou Bles on the sunday after her eighth championship last year boxers and Tennis players had a Good Deal in com Mon. In Tennis barring a malicious Volley at the net dominance comes insidiously on opposite sides of the net. In boxing stupefaction can be induced in 91 seconds As Tyson did to Michael Spinks last monday. As viewed from across the Ocean Tyson s alleged abdication has More to do with Legal and pers9nal struggles than with the brutal business he does so Well within the ring. In trying to shake free from his manager Bill Cay ton Tyson is discovering the judgments he must make at such an Early age. Tyson also seems to be discovering another traditional aspect of being a boxing Champion women Are Auto Matic drains on the Energy direction and Money. The suspicion of Tyson s wife and Mother in Law among boxing people and even in much of the Box ing press has a touch of misogyny to it. Perhaps the Chris Evert at Wimbledon two women Are Sharp but How do they compare to the dear male pals who bled past boxing champions or kindly Don King twirling his Gold watch Chain outside Tyson s door no wonder the poor Young fellow is talking about retiring to his multimillion Dollar mansion and hold ing a family reunion. Because of Tennis s roots among the affluent or in highly subsidized National Tennis programs most Tennis players seem to have a clue about self Protection. But that does not help them from becoming introverted paranoid lonely insecure after a few years of standing by themselves. In the old Days when nobody made any Money they shared cars and hotel rooms and bottles of wine at modest group sup pers. Chris and Martina shared bagels brought by Martina during a Long delay at the . Open a few years Back but that s about As close As it comes to camaraderie these Days. Success does not seem to make it easier. As soon As he climbed Back Down from his Impromptu embrace with his rooting Section Here last july Pat Cash began to feel the pressure of being Wimb Ledon Champion. They handed him the silverware and told him he now had the privileges of the members washroom but by the time he came to the . Open last summer he was already grousing about the pressures. He has not won a grand slam event since. The four male semifinalists show Dif Ferent attitudes toward being Champion. Ivan Lendl seems to want it mostly As a missing piece in a collection but he makes no secret of his Herb phobia. Becker admirably admits he did not like being separated from the title Early in last year s Wimbledon. He is even willing to put up with being the current focus of the scan dal mongering tabloids in London. Stefan Edberg who lives in the London Borough of Kensington does not seem sure he wants to be Champion if it Means being recognized As he takes a stroll Down Kensington High Street. Miloslav Mccier is on record that he would always rather be fishing than playing Tennis in Urban centers like London and new York but he does what the commissars Tell him. All of which should make us rejoice in the Chris and Martina show which played its 78th time and one of its finer performances thursday. They did it on a Day their entire sport was trashed by David Miller in the times of London Martina for being too athletic Chris for becoming out of breath if she goes once to the net. Chris did not stray to the net much thursday but she played More than two hours of Tennis with her old foe without puffing visibly and left the court Only when her regal self image told her the Callas going to stick. Martina will be Back and one can Only Hope that Chris s impending marriage and career decisions just might leave room for another meeting same time same place a year from now. There Aren t Many like her. Never were. The new York times men s final a serve and Volley showdown by Andrew Warsha Wimbledon England a Boris Becker has been there twice before. Stef Nedberg will be feeling its pressure for the first  men s championship match at Wimbledon sunday pits two of the bes serve and vol Leyers in the game for the $272,250 first , Champion in 198s and 1986, is going for his third title in four years at the place where he says he was born As a Tennis player. The 20-year-old West German beat Kevin Curren for his first title and the following year hammered Ivan Lendl i straight sets. Lendl 28, was the Only player to take a set from Becker this year at Wimbledon doing it in the semifinals. The czechoslovak the world s top ranked player save three match Points Friday before winning a third set tiebreaker that sent the match into second Day. Lendl runner up the last two years failed to make further headway saturday amid intermittent showers and several stoppages despite saving another five match Points. Becker finally won 6-4, 6-3,6-7,6-4. Edberg the world s third ranked player and seeded three places above Becker at no. 3., has had a far tougher route to the final than his opponent. Only once in the fourth round has Edberg come through any of his matches in straight sets. But he gained a huge Confidence Booster in the semifinals when he was on the Brink of defeat against Miloslav Mecir and staged a remarkable comeback to win 4-6,2-6,6-4,6-3,6-4. In that match Edberg Shook off his reputation As a big Point Choker at Wimble Don staving off a succession of break Points to reach his first championship match. Like Becker Edberg has won two grand slam titles the 1985 and 1987 australian open. He is the first swedish player since Bjorn Borg seven years ago to reach a Wimbledon final. The West German leads 9-4 in their head to head meetings including their Only meeting on grass. That came last month at the pre Wimb Ledon Warmup event at Queens club in West London when Becker won 6-1, 3-6, 6 3 after playing what he described As the Best set of my life at the Start of the match. Becker said Edberg s comeback against Mecir will give the swede extra Confidence for sunday. It will pump him up and help him psychologically Becker said. But i be beaten defending Champion Pat Cash and Lendl quite easily this week and hopefully Stefan will remember  Becker also said he had More big match experience than his opponent. I be played Stefan in two finals this year and have beaten him both times. I think i m mentally a bit stronger than he