Navratilova / Raymond Score Entertaining Victory

They laughed, they joked around, they played for the crowd and in the end, the American team of Lisa Raymond and tennis legend Martina Navratilova defeated the Argentine duo of Gisela Dulko and Patricia Tarabini, 6-3, 6-4 in a first-round doubles match on Stadium Court.

Nearly all of the fans that watched Lindsay Davenport’s victory earlier in the evening stayed to watch the doubles and they weren’t disappointed as they were entertained from beginning to end.

All players took turns at hitting a variety of angle volleys, drop shots and overhead smashes which delighted the crowd during the one-hour and 24 minute match.

After Lisa Raymond served out the match, fans gave the players a well-deserved ovation to close Wednesday’s play at the La Costa Resort and Spa.

This year will most likely be Navratilova’s last Acura Classic as she has indicated that this will be her last year on the tour.

• The fourth-seeded team of Navratilova and Raymond advance to the doubles quarterfinals where they will face eighth-seeded Eleni Daniilidou and Liezel Huber.
• Navratilova and Raymond will play doubles for the United States Olympic Team in Athens next month.
• Dulko and Tarabini will join compatriot Paola Suarez in representing Argentina in the Summer Olympic Games in Athens.
• Dulko defeated Navratilova in singles this year at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
• Dulko will play sixth-seed Maria Sharapova of Russia in a third-round singles match on Thursday afternoon.
  

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