1991 Tennis Leila Meskhi Martina Navratilova

aova the top seat is within four points of defeat all Leila meski has to do the woman on the right the Soviet is serve hold serve in this game and she has the greatest Triumph of her career Chrissy what is it like well I think first of all that um this really favors Martina I mean yesterday favors the receiver favors Martina I think the rain delay favors yesterday when they quit Martina was struggling she was frustrated she could not find her form in the third set and I think that really Lea had the momentum going for her the whole time so you know Martin had time to think about it and she's had time to to really talk to her coaches Billy Jee and Craig Harden and regroup so you feel the rain saved Martina let's go to Gail Gardner who has talked Billy jeene King okay but I spoke with Billy Jean and with Craig Cardon and what they told me was that although it wasn't really made public yesterday Martina was not feeling very well she was just very flat physically and I say she's feeling much better today bud so pleas the proposition Lea meski 17 in the world and if she can hold serve she eliminates Martina [Music] naala nothing like this has happened in either [Music] career w [Applause] this could last one game it could last a maximum of four games [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] Martina attacked the forehand one of the few times she's done that in the entire match well this is a different Martina naov she's really pumped up she's in a better frame of mind you know yesterday was not a good day for her Not only was she not feeling well she broke a racket in practice she was in a foul mood so so it's it's really good the rain delays helped her well we remember this woman meski beating Jennifer capriotti on Thursday and was down love 30 in a critical game in the third set and pulled it out [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Martina lost his point but look at this get she is so quick to get to this lob beautiful backhand shot and meski could have lost the point there did not take advantage of the meski has hit three winning lobs over naala earlier in the match she has lobed superbly only one of which Martina was able to smash away but here it is 1530 meski three points from Victory Martina two points from keeping it going oh my word that [Applause] [Music] hurt oh mhi must have loved to see that ball that was an unforced air and and mashki has not been broken in this set she only broke Martina in the fifth game first and has not faced a break point she did not lose her serve in the first set of the match lost it four times in the second 30 all [Music] and here is the first St point of the set against M and that's one of the things that Billy je King told her before the match was when you come into the net net make a commitment and go for your shots and she's excited about that shot break [Music] point it is good and meski saves It Martina hesitated oh I don't think you left that ball go by she thought it was going out she could have reached that ball and she was hoping and praying that the shot would go out oh hoping too much Chris it is Deuce the terrible twos here meshki two points from Victory Martina two points from Staying [Music] Alive hit the line oh and it's match point for Leila meski and Mara once again coming into the net [Music] trying to put pressure on Lila and Lila Just Hits such a beautiful down the line backand Mart did not anticipate it and that has been the story of this match a deadly backhand from this 23-year-old from toi a Georgian Sweet Georgia Leela with match point [Music] [Music] he hit the line [Music] Oh What A Brave shot that's the shot she was missing so much of yesterday that forehand approach shot Lea meski with the match in her grasp sees the ball kid off the tape she beat capprotti the six seed here we are in the third set and that was her first win ever over a top 10 player but this would be the Pinnacle for [Music] [Music] meski neski is a retriever but one with accuracy and a good volley from Martino but Lela is just so quick to get to that Ball Match Point number two mashki winning Nashville a couple of years ago the first Soviet woman to win a circuit tournament since Olga Marosa in 1974 now on the verge oh little bit shaky I was just going to say both players not holding back this game coming up with winners but that was a nervous shot a match point [Music] shot so this is the longest game of the match three deuces [Music] ow head is out match point three for [Music] mki Billy Jean [Music] King to told Martina to live in the now that is her Battle Cry live in the now moment anything before is banished now Martinez she says and don't look ahead [Music] better hanging by a thread Martina na toova Deuce four she has wiped three match [Music] points leeski who came close to beating Stephie grath in the 1988 Olympics when she represented the Soviet [Music] Union oh whoa and neski claims the ball was out but it looked as though it was on the line from here and here is another great Point very close call I thought it hit the line I really I heard tape right and there was no Mark and Lila knew that here's a break point it's the second of the game as meski so close to Victory and will Martina jump on this second [Music] ball W both players when they're down coming up with great shots Brave tennis that was a good move on Martinez part but it was Lela strength that cross backand five times that Deuce Lea meski just two points away from a semi-final against her countrywoman Natasha Ziva for sure Lea really wants to get her first serve in and keep Martin in the back court [Music] well she's putting it into the mouth of the cannon it's too good you know her best shot is that cross cour backand but she's coming up with some beautiful down thee line shots and Martina is just confused where she's going to hit the ball Match Point fourth [Music] one mes who has dreamed of such a moment [Music] there it goes [Applause] [Music] Leela meski has done what most would consider the unthinkable in recording a stunning victory in having to sleep on this game and finally 64 in the third set has eliminated the champion just tremendous for Lea meski to come out here look Martina Nava in the eye be down love 30 be down break points and still seize that game and March into the semi-finals what did you think about that well I picked Martina to win the match you know I thought that the rain delay would help her she'd get some advice and coaching from Craig and Billy Jean and she looked like she was in a better frame of mind today she wasn't as moody she played attacking tennis but Leila came up with some unbelievable shots later on Martina told Gail Gardner however that she really lost the match yesterday that she blew her wimon Champion retired eight years ago at age 26 since then he has endured problems in his personal life and an icy relationship with the Swedish media but 10 days ago Borg appeared on the BBC and vowed his comeback would succeed first of all I was never away for TAS I always been playing during those eight years uh and another thing is too uh I've been working very hard now here in London for8 month I've been working with my physical trainer Professor honai who is here tonight with me and we've been working really hard uh on the tennis court and off the tennis court it's been a lot of things written in the newspaper the thing is that all these things has been written in the paper came from the Swedish press and why did the Swedish press hate you they haven't all in fact they never liked you did they well um it's very difficult to say I'm never liked me maybe they liked me but they were always interesting to publicide a lot of bad things about me they even paid a lot of people to say a lot of bad things about me and then you have a lot of international media who pick up all the Press from Sweden because I'm famous and uh likely all over the world time permitting we'll hear more from the 34y old Borg after tomorrow's final from Hilton Head coverage on NBC begins at 10000 p.m. eastern time now when we return we will hear from triple Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans that's right after these messages from your local