This article appeared in the online edition of the Daily Gazette on July 15, 1999.



Electrics' lineup gets jolt 
Navratilova debuts against Explorers 

By BILL BUELL
Gazette Sportswriter

When her team opened the season with an 0-2 road trip, Schenectady County Electrics owner 
and general manager Nitty Singh was looking to Martina Navratilova as a savior for the 
season.

But after three straight wins at home, the Electrics no longer need a savior as they host 
the Kansas City Explorers in Navratilova's debut with the team tonight at 6:30 at the MVP
Stadium Court in Central Park. What they need is somebody to keep the ship on course, and 
Singh is convinced the nine-time Wimbledon singles champion is just the person she needs.

"I think having her here is going to psych up the team," said Singh, who said the Electrics 
looked a little flat in Tuesday night's 22-15 win over the winless St. Louis Aces. "We need
to pump up our team a little bit more, and having Martina is the perfect person to do that. 
She's exactly what we need."

Navratilova is scheduled to play the women's and mixed doubles tonight, moving Australian 
Louise Pleming to the sidelines, while Great Britain's Samantha Smith will continue to play 
women's singles.

Originally, Navratilova was to have made her Electrics debut on Saturday, but agreed to move 
up her stint with Schenectady County when 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna was forced to 
pull out of her one scheduled WTT appearance with the Electrics due to a tender ankle.

Navratilova is in Mahwah, N.J., where she will give a junior clinic at the Safeway Classic 
today at 2 before driving up to Central Park.

Navratilova will play four matches with the Electrics, including Saturday afternoon's home 
match against the Springfield Lasers, and next Wednesday evening's home match against the 
Delaware Smash. She also will play one road match, next Tuesday against Delaware.

Navratilova won her final WTA Tour title in 1994, the same year she lost the Wimbledon singles 
final to Conchita Martinez, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. She served as a commentator at Wimbledon for HBO 
this year, and worked out with the Electrics' Samantha Smith during her stay in England.

Although she turns 43 in October, Singh says Navratilova's game is nearly as good as when she 
left the tour five years ago. The winner of seven Grand Slam mixed doubles titles and 158 
women's doubles titles, Navratilova will be ready to play singles if she's needed.

"Sam hit with Martina at Wimbledon, and she said she's hitting the ball great," said Singh. "You 
know Martina's going to be in great shape. You don't have to worry about that with her. Right 
now, we're just planning on using her in doubles because she's still a great doubles player, but 
if we need her in singles, she'll be OK."

Singh is hopeful Navratilova's three home appearances will result in a big boost at the gate for
the Electrics. Their first home match was held indoors due to rain, while the two Central Park 
crowds, though enthusiastic, have been modest.

"I think we had pretty good crowds, and Tuesday, there were more people than Sunday," said Singh. 
"But we know Martina's going to draw a big crowd because we've been getting so many phone calls. 
She still creates huge interest in the game."

The Electrics' 3-2 record before Wednesday's action put them in a three-way tie for second place
in the league, behind 4-1 Delaware.

In sitting down Pleming, the Electrics are losing one of the hottest players in the league. She 
and Smith lead the WTT women's doubles standings with a 21-13 record (a winning percentage of 
.618), while, after losing her first mixed doubles set, 5-0, she and T.J. Middleton have 
improved their record to 18-19 by posting three consecutive wins.

In men's singles, Geoff Grant's 22-19 record puts him in fourth place in the league rankings, 
while he and Middleton are 17-22 in men's doubles, sixth best in the seven-team league.

Smith, meanwhile, is 16-24 in women's singles, putting her in seventh place.

In town tonight for 2-3 Kansas City will be Mariaan de Swardt, John-Laffnie de Jager, Liezel 
Horn and Allistair Hunt. De Swardt is the top women's singles player in the league with a 25-14 
record.

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