Somehow, Navratilova Finds Way

She can grow older, she can retire, she can be forced out of tournaments, but invariably it seems like Martina Navratilova has a chance to win a Wimbledon championship.

Friday, Navratilova and her mixed doubles partner, Jonathan Stark, finished their match against Mary Joe Fernandez and Sandon Stolle that was suspended at dark Thursday, then beat Larisa Neiland and Mark Woodforde, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the final.

Navratilova has a chance to pick up her 19th Wimbledon title, one shy of Billie Jean King’s record.

Navratilova and Stark face Gigi Fernandez and Syril Suk, who won 7-5, 6-2 over Grant Connell and Lindsay Davenport. Fernandez is also in the women’s doubles final, with Natasha Zvereva against Neiland and Meredith McGrath.

Navratilova had entered women’s doubles with Steffi Graf, but Graf backed out, opting to rest her back.