In the 1970s and early 1980s, Chris Evert dominated the world of tennis. She was the first player—female or male—to win 1,000 singles matches. Over her career she would go on to win six U.S. Opens and seven French Opens, and owns the best winning percentage in history. Known as “The Ice Maiden” on the court, she has a reputation for being calm and stoic during the pressure of competition.
Evert was trained in South Florida by her father who was a professional tennis coach. Even with tennis in her genes, she had to work hard to make it big in the sport, and at first, she wasn’t even able to hit a one-handed backhand. She had to improvise and started using two hands, and this unconventional stroke at the time was also the most powerful and accurate. At 16 years old she made her major tournament debut at the U.S. Open in 1971. She went on to win four matches before being eliminated by the eventual winner, the famous Billie Jean King. Evert still made history at that event, becoming the youngest semifinalist in U.S. Open history.
A year later, a new reputation would start for a 17-year-old tennis star when she started dating professional tennis player Jimmy Connors. Their love affair was tabloid fodder, as the two were set to marry before the wedding was called off. Connors publicly shared very personal details of their relationship that added fuel to the public’s infatuation with the two Wimbledon winners.
Evert’s champion-level career was spread across the infancy of Open tennis, as it merged into the modern era of the sport that we are familiar with today. She was ranked #1 in the world from 1974 through 1981 except for 1979, and she reached the final round of 34 Grand Slam singles finals which was more than any other player in history. Beyond her wins, she is also known for her revolutionary play style, as one of the first players to play exclusively from the baseline. Through all of her matches, her style was characterized by speed, consistency, and detailed footwork.
Now, after her career as a player, Evert seeks to pass on her skills to the next generation of athletes. She is the owner of the Evert Tennis Academy with her brother, she teaches tennis at the Saint Andrew’s School, and is a publisher and contributor at Tennis magazine. With her legacy in the sport, all those she reaches will benefit from her knowledge, skill, and determination.