Open, although Evert rarely played mixed doubles. Her fiancee at the time, Jimmy Connors, won the Wimbledon men's singles title that year and media attention surrounded the "Love Match" of tennis that summer (although the relationship proved to be short-lived).Ĭonnors and Evert were also finalists in mixed doubles at the 1974 U.S. A year later, she won both those events to claim her first Grand Slam titles and won 55 consecutive matches. Evert had a sufficient serve herself but never an overpowering one like her contemporaries Margaret Court, Virginia Wade, Steffi Graf, Billie Jean King, and Martina Navratilova.Įvert's graceful appearance, conventional good looks, quiet demeanor, outward appearance of gracious sportsmanship, and carefully manipulated sex appeal and public image made her a favorite with the media and fans.Įvert was a finalist at the French Open and Wimbledon in 1973. Evert's return-of-service was the cornerstone of her game. This became a trademark of her game and inspired generations of future players to copy her. When she first started playing as a youngster, she was too small and weak to hit backhand shots with one hand and so developed a two-handed backhand. But she quickly proved that her game had enough fortitude to excel on all surfaces. She made two further comebacks against seasoned pros Francoise Durr (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) and Lesley Hunt (4-6, 6-2, 6-3) before losing to Billie Jean King in a semifinal.Įvert's game, with precise groundstrokes delivered from the back of the court, was best suited to playing on clay. Evert saved six match points with Eisel serving at 6-4, 6-5 (40-0) in the second set before Evert went on to win 4-6, 7-6, 6-1. After an easy straight-sets win in the first round, she faced the U.S. 1 and had just won the Grand Slam in singles.Įvert made her Grand Slam debut at the 1971 U.S. In 1970, at a small clay court tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, the 15 year-old Evert served notice to the tennis world by defeating Margaret Court 7-6, 7-6 in a semifinal. 1 ranked 14-under girl in the United States. In his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century, tennis writer Steve Flink has named Evert as the third best female player of the 20th century, after Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.Įvert began taking tennis lessons when she was five years old from her father, Jimmy Evert (a professional tennis coach who had won the men's singles title at the Canadian Championships in 1947). Evert's career win-loss record in singles matches of 1,309-146 (.900) is the best of any professional player in tennis history. She also won 3 Grand Slam doubles titles. During her career, she won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 7 at the French Open. 1 woman tennis player from the United States. Christine Marie Evert (born December 21, 1954) is a former World No.
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