Chris Evert

Christine Marie Evert , more known under the name of Chris Evert , is an American player of Tennis born the December 21st 1954 with Fort Lauderdale, in Florida.

His father, itself professional tennis player, very early encourages it in this sport. Under its supervision, it reaches the first national rank of less than 14 years. After one season 1971 spectacular where it gains 46 matches of at a stretch, it makes its entry on the female professional circuit the December 21st 1972.

In spite of its timidity and its discretion, its sporting exploits immediately propel it under the fire of the projectors: its semi-final with the US Open (1971), its first victory in a tournament of the Large Slam (1974), but also its lovesong with Jimmy Connors, contributes to its incipient celebrity.

Chris Evert is the first player to exceed the 1.000 victories into individual (during the Internationaux of Australia in 1984) and to be classified number one world with five recoveries (1975 with 1977, 1980 and 1981). Pionnière as regards reverse with two hands, it establishes a record in 1974 by gaining 54 matches of row (record exploded by Navrátilová ten years later), and by granting at least a tournament of the Large Slam each year during 13 consecutive years (of 1974 with 1986), better than whoever in the history of tennis.

Chris Evert gained six times the US Open between 1975 and 1982, including four after (1975 with 1978): it is the record of the tournament. Quasi-unbeatable on beaten ground, it establishes an improbable record of 125 matches gained consecutively on ground-beaten between 1973 and 1979, is six years of invincibility. It gains Roland Garros with seven recoveries (absolute records) and three times Wimbledon. Elected female Athlete of the year by Associated Press with four recoveries, it receives the title of Sportive of the year of the magazine Sports Illustrated in 1976.

In 1979, it Marie with the British tennis player John Lloyd which it divorces in 1987 to marry in 1988 with the former Olympic skier Andy Mill with which it had 3 boys.

It puts an end to its professional path after the US Open in 1989 with 1.309 victories with its meter.

Its 157 titles into simple (of which 18 in Large Slam) make of them the second most titrated tennis player of all times, men and women confused, behind its eternal rival Martina Navrátilová.

In 1995, it is elected unanimously for its entry with the International Tennis Hall off Famed.

Biography

Chris Evert was born on December 21st 1954, with Fort Lauderdale, in Florida.

It is 16 years old when it reaches the semi-finals of Forest Hills in 1971, (old place of the US Open, currently located at Flushing Meadows). 17 years, she plays the semi-finals of Wimbledon as of her first participation, exploit only renewed by Anna Kournikova in 1997.

At 18 years, it disputes the finales of Roland Garros and Wimbledon (1973).

At 19 years, it gains these two tournaments.

Until 1987, it gains always at least a tournament of the Grand Slam per annum. Finally, it takes down 18 major tournaments, including 7 with Roland Garros (absolute records).

Chris Evert is the first child prodigy of the female new generation which promises much of it. Of intermediate size (1 m 64), proportioned well but without projecting muscles like an athlete, it is nicely vêtue with its ribbon of color on the face. Its regular face posts an exemplary concentration. Chris settles at the bottom runs it to draw there, with a regularity of metronome, long balls which curl the lines. Never a player had been also specifies and regular in a world of the Tennis hitherto dominated by the players of attack (King, Court, Goolagong, Wade). Whereas the girls who play service - stolen gain the majority of their point into 3-4 blows of Raquette, the length and the regularity of the play of Chris Evert blocks them at the bottom of the court, field in which they are fragile. They are seen indeed obliged to attack the least short ball… which can arrive only at the end of the tenth exchange! If they are always there, they must go up to the net, but are exposed then to passings-shots and lobs of a diabolic precision.

Its technique is complete. It is the fruit of a teaching which started at the 6 years age with its professor of father who learns how to him to play longest possible to break the set of his adversaries: a tennis solid, academic, without fault, mechanized, automated, and repolished each lasting day of the hours. Its tennis is based on the regularity and the precision as of its basic blows of short. It is neither fastest nor most powerful of the players, but its swiftness and its coordination are extraordinary. She seeks to be based on the unfavourable weaknesses, which she manages perfectly to highlight thanks to her clearness and with her nervous qualities out-standards. His/her father always learned how to him not to reveal his emotions on a court not to give indications to his adversary.

He arises from the range of his blows: a reverse with two hands (flat or slightly covered) fatal in passing shot, a lob very precise, a deadened masked well, a stolen prepared well when it goes up to the net (what it does seldom but more often than at its beginnings). Chris Evert top spin only very seldom so much its control of the ball is important. Its closed face is the fruit of an extreme concentration which enables him to coordinate its play. To face Evert, it is to pass a true tactical test dreaded through all the players. As on rails on its basic line of short, it distributes the exchanges in rate, accelerating or slowing down indifferently.

Chrissie , its nickname, makes very few faults in any case, because its leg movement gets an excellent placement and very short make-ready times to him: it seems to play with facility. Cold, given, it posts a certain coquettery (make-up, very female behavior) which distinguishes it from its rivals. Little appreciated at its beginnings, Chris becomes nevertheless the most popular player of the modern circuit, the public supporting it outrageusement (especially with the the United States) in its legendary combat against Martina Navrátilová (which shocks puritan America of the years Reagan by posting its muscles and its Homosexualité). Navrátilová often appeared with the eyes of the public like the monster come from the communist block and which wants to bar the road of the pretty American princess , Dark Vador against Blanche Snow, dixit Martina itself.

From January to September 1971 and although meeting seniors, it accumulates the victories: 46 consecutive, which reveals its Précocité. Many players collapse against her regular play and its mental solidity. It reaches its first semi-finals in Grand Slam (US Open 1971) whereas it is not completely professional, the first of its 52 (absolute records) semi-finals in the major tournaments.

1972 : first semi-final with Wimbledon where it defies Evonne Goolagong. Their style and their temperament are diametrically opposite. The elder one carries it finally.

1973 : finalist with Roland Garros (it passes at three points of the victory) and with Wimbledon. It meets for the first time a young player, a Tchécoslovaque two years its junior, Martina Navrátilová. Chris carries it in two sets.

1974 : she makes a success of doubled the Roland Garros - Wimbledon (ground beat-grass). But Billie Jean King still gains the US Open and she is regarded by the journalists as the first world player. Chris approaches the throne however since it gains 16 tournaments in the year.

1975 : at 20 years, it republishes its victory with Roland Garros and leaves victorious to the US Open. The November 30th, it becomes officially number 1 world with the computerized classification (it will be it still in 1985). It already gained much money. What does not prevent it, the following year, after its victories with Wimbledon and Forest Hill, and to take the changing of Billie Jean King to claim the revalorization of the female prices. Chris is beaten for the first time by Martina Navrátilová in quarterfinal in Los Angeles. Moved Martina, takes sleeping pills to sleep so much its excitation is large. But, it is only one breach. With each time it is important, Chris beats Martina (finale Roland Garros 1975, 1/2 finale US Open 1975). It gains 16 tournaments and 94 matches for 6 defeats.

1976-1977 : Chris releases competition. It gains Wimbledon and the US Open. It registers its name with 12 tournaments for only 5 defeats. It beats Martina in semi-final of Wimbledon. Chris is number 1 at the end of the year, Evonne Goolagong n°2 and Martina n°3. When it gains the US Open for the 3rd consecutive time in 1977, it is with its 513e professional victory: it is not yet 23 years old, and it earns more money than Björn Borg, proof of the growing success of the female circuit, at least with the the United States. Chris is beaten with Wimbledon by Virginia Wade which succeeds in keeping the ball in the court and which especially the good taste to gain finally in the presence of the queen Elisabeth II (which is bored, it hates tennis, and will not return any more). During this same Wimbledon, Chris is confronted with a 14 years gamine with feather beds and a dress with squares, which unchains the enthusiasm of the English public. She plays like Chris, of which she seems to be the little sister. On a central court archi-roof (which at the same time would have been deserted with Roland Garros) Tracy Austin is beaten 6/1 6/1 with the 3rd turn but takes appointment with the future. Chris gains 11 tournaments in the year, that is to say 70 matches for 4 defeats. One moment been engaged to Jimmy Connors, it is thrown in the arms of the son of the president of the the United States (Gerald Ford), then in those of Burt Reynolds before marrying in April 1979 the player of British Tennis John Lloyd (which consequently will sink with the classification).

1978 : Chris is beaten for the first time in a Grand Slam by Martina Navrátilová with Wimbledon. Chris is very smiling, in spite of its defeat. It will be less the case one year later. The following day, Chris loses its place of number 1. It gains nevertheless for the 4th consecutive year the US Open (record of the tournament) and the Masters against Navrátilová. This victory is decisive for the granting of this new honorary distinction which is the championship of the world. Martina Navrátilová finishes the year in the forefront but Chris is crowned world champion. She gains 7 titles (then its less good performance), 56 matches for 3 defeats. Chris with satisfaction to have beaten Martina three times after Wimbledon (Atlanta, Colgate Championships Series, Tokyo).

1979 : after 125 consecutive victories over beaten ground (world records of consecutive victories over a surface), Tracy Austin (16 years) beats it in semi-final of Rome after more than three hours of combat. It puts an end to 2096 days of domination of Chris on beaten ground. What represents 24 tournaments gained of row since 1973 and 37 matches gained after without losing a set between 1975 and the Coupe of the Federation in 1979. It constitutes another series of 64 victories, series stopped by Hana Mandlíková into 1/2 finale of Roland Garros. What thus makes him a total of 191 matches on ground beaten since 1973, and only 2 defeats… Imposing! One believes it on the decline, even after his victory with Roland Garros, its 3rd (she had not played there since its victory in 1975), Evert (from now on called Evert-Lloyd or only Mrs Lloyd with Wimbledon) is beaten in the finales of Wimbledon by Navrátilová (as in 1978) and the US Open by Tracy Austin which thus prevents it from gaining its 5th consecutive title with New York, which appears to be a transfer of power. Austin becomes youngest gaining US Open at 16 years (it gains two years again later). She plays like Evert, but with more punch. The American press burns that which she adored the day before: one speaks about decline. Not only Martina is number 1, but Tracy approaches dangerously. Chris lost 13 matches this season, including 5 against Martina and 2 against Tracy, which had never arrived to him. It all the same gained 8 tournaments, of which Roland Garros.

1980 : one expects his fall in front of the American juniors (Andrea Jaeger which enters 10 the best at 15 years, and Tracy which is number 2). Tracy Austin inflicts 3 crushing defeats to him (6/3 6/1 - 6/3 6/0 - 6/2 6/1) and becomes number 1 world at 17 years (record of the time). Chris retrogresses even for the first time at the 3rd rank. Evert is withdrawn a few weeks. It is believed lost, it however returns. With Rome, it gains the title by losing 3 sets in 4 meetings. With Paris, it gains for the 4th time, but without convincing, the tournament being deserted by the best which is devoted to Wimbledon. It should be said that the prices granted to the players with Roland Garros are weak and that the public does not hesitate to whistle a female part which displeases to him. To note that since its first participation in the tournament, in 1973, it did not know, until there, that once the defeat, finally 1973, vis-a-vis the Australia Margaret Smith Court. With Wimbledon, after having taken its revenge on Navrátilová in semi-final, which had beaten it the two previous years, it is the senior Evonne Goolagong who it constrained to incline itself. But it is the US Open which will prove that Evert is not finished. Chris is only the 3 head of series of the tournament, behind Martina and Tracy. The drawing lot fixed its young compatriot in semi-final to him. Little imagines a victory of the former queen against the news. Their play is similar: even reverse with two hands flat, even alarming regularity which can carry out them to exceed the 45 blows of racket in an exchange, even technical and mental solidity. But Tracy, 8 years its junior has in her racket of decisive accelerations. Chris loses the first set (6/4), although playing perfectly, but it is essential finally by giving an exceptional tactical lesson to its adversary. It is a rebirth for Chris, so much Austin has made it doubt. Finally, it leaves the any young person Hana Mandlíková who beats Navrátilová in eighth of finale. The public makes a triumph with Evert (the Americans adore the stories of reconquest) which gains for the 5th time its tournament fetish. Chris Evert-Lloyd takes again its throne and it is once again world champion. She gained 8 titles (7 defeats).

1981 : Chris finally inflicts 6/0 6/0 of Amelia Island in Navrátilová. It is the only time where Martina takes such a beating! However, Mandlíková clearly dominates it in semi-final with Roland Garros, whereas Evert remained on 6 consecutive titles since the beginning of the year! It is the first time that it does not reach the final of this tournament. Evert takes a bright revenge with Wimbledon, while gaining, again, after 3 consecutive lost finales, the London title. It is its 3rd and last title with Wimbledon. With the US Open, after a new victory over Mandlíková, it is Navrátilová which leaves it at the stage the semi-finals after a superb match in which Chris led 4/2 to the 3rd set. There too, since 1975, it had always reached the finales of this tournament. Evert turns over to the Open of Australia (which was not worth almost anything any more until the return of best world in 1981), tournament which it had not disputed any more since its final lost vis-a-vis Goolagong in 1974: it is again finally that it fails and once again vis-a-vis Martina Navrátilová. Chris keeps nevertheless the place of number 1 in spite of the victory of Austin to the US Open and the Masters (Evert and Austin fought 3 hours a titanic battle 30 in hen match that Chris finally gained but two days later, it must again face it in semi-final and Tracy crushes it). It is, for the last time, promoted world champion of the season. It gains 9 tournaments for only 6 defeats.

1982 : it left in 1/2 finales Roland Garros by Andrea Jaeger which already overcame it in spring. Finally, Martina Navrátilová plays in a spectacular way its game of attack, which enchants the public. Thanks to this victory, Martina becomes again number 1 world (until June 1985). With Wimbledon, Chris loses its title against Martina with which the relations are at the time execrable. Chris gains for 6th and last time the US Open. Martina is beaten with the general surprise in quarterfinal by WFP Shriver. It evokes a curious disease transmitted by the cats to explain its against-performance. How nobody believes… whereas it was quite true! Evert finds Navrátilová finally Championnats of Australia. Chris carries it by playing a tennis of dream (82% of first balls). It goes up much more than usually, which Martina does not like. The latter, which lost only three matches in the year, is logically crowned world champion as in 1979. Chris lost 6 of them but it still hung 10 tournaments with its prize list.

1983 : its worse year with only 6 gained tournaments, 9 defeats including 6 against Martina. Although gaining Roland Garros, it fails for the first time before the stage of the semi-finals in the other tournaments of the Grand Slam: in Wimbledon (sick, it is beaten with the 3rd turn by Kathy Jordan. With the US Open, it is finally caught a beating vis-a-vis Navrátilová 6-1 6-3. Moreover, it takes only one set in the year to him. In Masters, it loses 6/2 6/0 against Martina finally. Evert finishes nevertheless 2nd with world classification, with a major title. Tracy Austin does not play any more or almost because of problems of back. Andrea Jaeger and Hana Mandlíková is inconstant.

1984 : it succeeds in the exploit to dispute the four finales of the Grand Slam, but gains only the Open of Australia vis-a-vis Helena Suková, which beat Navrátilová in half. Its defeats, she concedes them all vis-a-vis Navrátilová. Chris was crushed with Roland Garros by Martina but with Wimbledon and the US Open, it fights like a lioness. It should be said that 1984 is the great year of Navrátilová which consecutively gains 74 matches (exit the record of Chris of 1974) from January to December! Chris is avenged on the others which had believed to detect a bending of its share. It inflicts in Mandlíková the correction of its life with Wimbledon after this one had proclaimed that it was seen already finally… without mentioning the name of Chris Evert on its road!

1985 : it gains finally a match vis-a-vis its eternal Navrátilová rival, in Key Biscayne. Since the Open of Australia in 1982, Chris never had again beaten Martina. It gains vis-a-vis the same adversary the memorable final of Roland Garros (6-3 6-7 7-5 in 2 hours 51 minutes). Chris carries out 6/3 4/2 with 2 balls of 5/2, before losing the set with the decisive play! In the last sleeve, it carries out 3/1, 5/3, but it must save 3 balls of station-wagon (0/40) to 5 plays everywhere. as much to say match points since Martina is useful then. Chris is left there by a passing shot reverse placed in a handkerchief. It takes again in Martina the place of number 1 with the computer of WTA, which will be worth to him the row of head of series number 1 in Wimbledon. Martina takes its revenge finally Wimbledon and it is Hana Mandlíková which bars to him the door of the finale of the US Open. It is the first time that Mandlíková beats Evert with the US Open after 4 consecutive defeats. Hana beats Martina during an imposing final. It is the premère time that a title of the Grand Slam escapes from Chris or Martina since the victory from Tracy Austin in this same US Open four years earlier. Chris is always number 1 after the US Open and their average is identical. Only the championships of Australia definitively will decide between them for 1985. Martina gains, in 3 sets. Evert nevertheless gains this same year 9 tournaments and argument with Martina its place of leader until the end (if Chris had gained the 3rd set of the finale of the Open of Australia, it is it which would have deserved the championship of the world). Moreover, it becomes again number 1 for 6 months, which had arrived to him more since 1982.

1986 is the year of its last victory in Grand Slam (its 18th), with Roland Garros for the 7th time, vis-a-vis Navrátilová. To note that of 1974 with 1986, is 13 years, it gains at least a tournament of the Grand Slam per annum (record). Both Czechoslovakian Mandlíková and Suková are its torturers in semi-finals of Wimbledon and the US Open. It is the first time that it does not reach the final of one of the two tournaments of the Grand Slam only it disputes consecutively. It is nevertheless undeniable the n°2 world, but more for very a long time. She divorces John Lloyd.

1987 starts to sound for the American one like the beginning of the end. Moreover, she does not hesitate to speak about retirement. She does not reach any more any final in the 3 tournaments of the Grand Slam in which she takes part, beaten by Navrátilová in 1/2 finales of Roland Garros and Wimbledon. But especially, for the first time at the US Open, it is beaten in quarterfinal by a player of plane second (Lori McNeil). After 16 consecutive semi-finals, its failure sounds like a twilight. To the Masters, it left by Sylvia Hanika which had never taken to him a set at the time of the 14 preceding meetings. Added to that of the defeats against Manuela Maleeva, Kate Gompert or WFP Shriver (which had boxed 18 defeats of row before beating Chris!), much push the American one to draw its reverence. Chris Evert is descended to the 3rd world rank (Steffi Graf having become number 2 in March then number 1 in August).

In 1988 , one expects his fall, and it is with surprise that one attends his astonishing beginning of the season. Chris Evert beats Martina Navrátilová in semi-final of the Championnats of Australia in the new stage of Flinders Park, with the greatest pleasure of the public. Martina, very brilliant against Helena Suková in quarter, plays a poor match against Chris which passes perfectly. For the 6th time in 6 participations, Evert plays the final against new terror in underskirt, Steffi Graf which seized the throne of the first world on August 16th 1987 after the defeat of Martina against Chris with Los Angeles. Evert is carried out 6/1 5/1 in less than 45 minutes and passes at 2 points of the defeat. It however aligns 5 consecutive plays by taking all the risks. It rams the reverse of Graf and lance of great accelerations on its right blow. It is found at 2 points to equalize with a sleeve everywhere! But it loses finally with the decisive play. In Key Biscayne, Evert is qualified for its 4th final of row by gaining the most beautiful match of the female tournament in quarter against Helena Suková (6/7 7/5 6/4). Steffi Graf puts nearly two hours to beat Chris Evert whereas it had crushed it 12 months earlier in this same tournament. It is the proof that Chris returned on an excellent level to more than 33 years. It finally confirms it by crushing Martina Navrátilová of Houston (6/0 6/4), however victorious of 5 consecutive tournaments since the beginning of the year 1988. Martina, very emotive, cracks a little in front of the public (it had already been beaten by Chris in 1987 in this tournament). Wounded with the Achilles' heel to Roland Garros, Evert left for the first time before the 1/2 finales to Roland Garros, by Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (16 years) with the 3rd turn, during an interminable match (2 hours 30 per 2 sets) disputed on the court n°1 and took by storm by the public, come to assist, in a silence quasi-monk, with the fall of the Queen who fights courageously (6 saved match points). It is its last appearance in France. It is seized again with Wimbledon, or it is not far from beating Navrátilová in 1/2 finales (6/1 4/6 7/5). The end of match (their 78e) is very litigious and the very cold handshake. It is always in 1/2 finales (its 17th in 18 participation!), that it is fixed price, (a first in the history of the tournament at this stage of the competition), because of a gastroentérite, not being able to dispute its match vis-a-vis Steffi Graf. It is this year that it will gain its 157e and last tournament, at the Orleans News. During the summer, she marries the former skier Andy Mill, in second weddings. She remains number 3 behind Steffi and Martina. At the end of the year, it confirms that 1989 will be its last year.

In 1989 , Chris Evert loses its third place with the profit of Gabriela Sabatini in February. She plays of the very good tennis against Graf with Boca Raton (demolished in 3 sets). Especially, it disputes a new final with Key Biscayne, (its 5th in 5 participations) vis-a-vis Gabriela Sabatini. Young terror Monica Saddles, at 15 years, finally beats 19 years Chris its elder to Houston. This defeat the growth to undoubtedly declare fixed price with Roland Garros. With Wimbledon, it comes very close to catastrophe into 1/4 of finale when a famous unknown factor (of the name of Laura Golarsa) starts to play as if it were one of ten the best. Evert is led 5 plays with 2 to the last set but it is left there remarkably. It is in semi-final for the 17th time in 18 consecutive participations, its 52e semi-final in Grand Slam. Graf leaves him 3 plays. With the US Open, Evert gains its 101e match (absolute records) by crushing Monica Seles (that much saw gaining). But Zina Garrison deprives it of meeting again with emotions against Martina in half. It finishes the year while gaining with the the United States, the Fed Cup vis-a-vis the Spain and finishes with the 10th rank. It will thus have been classified among the 10 best players of the world during 19 consecutive years.

2007, Chris Evert and Andy Mill divorces.

Prize list Chris Evert (complete after 1971)

Titles into simple: 157

Final into simple: 72

Titles in double: 29

Final in double: 24

Titles in mixed double: 0

Final in mixed double: 1

Course in Large Slam

Into simple (1971 - 1989)

In double (1974 - 1989)

Cut of the Federation

Final gained: 1

Final lost: 1

detailed Course: fedcup.com

Records

18 titles of the Large Slam (Margaret Court 24, Steffi Graf 22, Helen Wills Moody 19, Martina Navrátilová 18), including at least per annum during 13 consecutive years;
154 titles into simple, is 10 less than Navrátilová (but the latter played 343 tournaments to reach this total against only 289 for Evert) and 50 of more than Graf;
262 past weeks as a first world player (3rd performance behind Graf and Navrátilová);
1.309 matches gained for 145 defeats, is 90,3% of victories (absolute records); 43 of these 145 defeats were conceded vis-a-vis Navrátilová;
of 1971 to 1988, always gained at least a tournament;
gained 125 matches consecutive on beaten ground of 1973 in May 1979 (series stopped by Tracy Austin in semi-final of the Internationaux of Italy);
played 52 semi-finals in Large Slam in 56 participations

Classifications at the end of the season (simple)

Conclusion

Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills left female tennis its ECRIN society man to make a sport with whole share of it. Maureen Connolly brought youth, and if Billie Jean King proved that one can be a woman and gain, Chris Evert as for it showed that one can gain and preserve a traditional femininity. With its basic play of short ultra-traditional, Chris very gained. Its competition with Martina Navrátilová popularized female tennis in the whole world. Without having the power or the speed of its rivals, Chris builds a monumental prize list thanks to the perfect control of its technique and nervous qualities which will remain like a model of the genre in the history of tennis. Moreover, Chris paid attention to the image of the tennis player. She tried to give a tempting image and reassuring of the tennis player, thanks to her dresses, her elegance and her gestural very female which created sensation on all the courts of tennis. She invests herself with the head of the association of the players (more than Graf for example), by defending the interest of the female circuit, in the line of Billie Jean King.

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