American tennis player Chris Evert - biography, achievement, personal life and interesting facts

Chris Evert - legendary American tennis player to win 18 Grand Slam tournaments, the first time in the history of tennis has achieved advances in thousand victorious matches. A special mark in the history of the sport has left a playful way "soil Queen," which began to copy the representative of the young generation. Huge interest is also aroused opposition on the courts of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, which lasted more than ten years.

Style of play

Today in the world women's tennis Serena Williams athletic rules, preferring the power style of play. However, tennis Chris Evert looked quite different. Low fragile girl, she preferred playing style, which does not require sudden jerks and constant movement.

Located in the far distance, Chris Evert methodically shelling rivals, accurately and precisely sending the ball under the back line. She tried not to force things and had inexhaustible patience. This monotonous rally could continue for a few minutes, then she replayed easily exhausted and bewildered opponent.

In cases where tired of the long-firing opponent went to the net, American skillfully extinguished them down his deadly accurate candles. This style of game, providing many of the rally, is the best suited to the slow clay court, and Chris Evert was a true "queen of the soil."

Of his 18 Grand Slam titles she won nine was on the clay courts of France and the United States when the US Open tournament also took place on the ground.

The daughter of a coach

Very often in the sport come in the footsteps of their parents. It happened with Chris Evert, a short biography which will be set forth below.

Born future sports legend in 1954. Jimmy Evert, her father was a tennis coach and five years old daughter taught all the tricks of aristocratic game. Tennis was a family affair for Evert, professionally engaged in the sport of her sister, Ginny, brother Jack spoke at student events. Evert memorable part of the game it became a two-handed backhand. As a little girl, little Chris just physically could not beat backhands with one hand and became the first female athlete performing the blow with both hands. Gradually this manner adopted thousands of followers Evert.

The rapid start

By 1969, the young Chris was the first US Women's racket, a year later won the national tournament in the age group up to 16 years. Because of this tennis player Chris Evert was invited to his first life in the adult tournament held in North Carolina.

She reached the semifinals, where it waiting for the first racket of the world, Margaret Smith. To the great amazement of the audience an unknown juniors in two sets beat tennis star of today and made it to the final of the tournament.

So she got an invitation to play at the US Open, where she was the youngest of athletes. At the age of sixteen years in the biography of Chris Evert appears semi-final Grand Slam tournament. Particularly impressive has turned the match with Mary Ann Eisel, where yesterday's juniors played six match points. Only Billie Jean King was able to stop the daring schoolgirl in the semifinals of the tournament.

Climbing Star

To eighteen strict mother Chris Evert would not allow her to play outside the US, so it's debut in Europe came in 1973, when she was able to reach the finals of Wimbledon and the French Open. In the same year she won eleven tournaments and quickly broke into the women's tennis elite. Graceful, slender, agreeable and seasoned, Chris Evert has become a real favorite of the public.

Even then I delineated corona American style of play, resulting in fear of rivals. According to Olga Morozova, met twice with Evert in the finals, she played with clockwork precision, sensing a second before impact Morozova, in which direction the ball will fly.

In 1974, she won her first Grand Slam by winning the French courts and added a victory at Wimbledon. Also in 1974 Chris Evert played in doubles. What is interesting, as a co-worker, she chose Olga Morozova, who played against in the finals of Wimbledon and the "Roland Garros".

Queen of soil

In the nineteen years it has become the undisputed leader in women's tennis, at some point, its winning streak on clay courts reached 80 matches. At first it seemed that it can rival the famous Australian Yvonne Goolagong, elegant and spectacular tennis player, prefers quick draws. In 1971, she was beaten by Chris seventeen, but then the pendulum swung the other way.

They first met in the final of a Grand Slam in 1975. In the last third set Evert behind by three points, then took matters into their own hands and began to methodically and aggressively attack Goolagong from the back line, that was just strangled monotonous and deadly long ball draws and lost five games in a row. The victory was the latest in a series of matches unbeaten on clay in two and a half years.

After that, she had met twice with Goolagong in the finals of major tournaments, beating Australia's surely.

Five consecutive years, Chris Evert holds the title of the first racket of the world, not allowing anyone close to him.

The confrontation with Martina Navratilova

In 1975, the American first met the young Slovakian tennis player Martina Navratilova in the final of a Grand Slam. Chris Evert was in the prime of his strength and without any problems beat future legend of women's tennis. Interestingly, at the same tournament, which was the "Roland Garros", an American with the same Martina won the title in doubles.

However, the real battle between great athletes turned in the late seventies. Martina Navratilova has matured, strengthened and became increasingly successful at Chris Evert.

The decisive moment was the final at Wimbledon in 1978. Then Martin has gained the upper hand over the rival in the most persistent three-set match. After a while, it seemed that Chris Evert glory finally faded. Especially revealing was the final of the tournament, "Virginia Slims", where in the final of tennis player from Czechoslovakia beat an American with a humiliating score of 6: 0 6: 1.

In recent years,

After the humiliating defeat Chris Evert realized that her former style of play becoming obsolete, in women's tennis it was the era of high-speed, physically strong women's tennis. Hard-working American got down to business, and in a short time, pulled their general physical training.

Its old rival Olga Morozova told that with astonishment watched as fragile, thin and Chris worked diligently worked with the heavy barbells in the gym to get a little to build muscle.

The efforts of the girls are not in vain, in her game there was notable progress, it began to act in a more rapid manner and the spirit of the time.

In the eighties she was definitely not the best athlete, but to compete with the young and hungry rivals to win. His best match Evert calls itself the finals, "Roland Garros" 1985 and 1986. Then she was able to take off his career twice beat Martina Navratilova, who at that time was considered absolutely the strongest in the world.

By 1989, Chris Evert realized that I did in tennis everything I could, and with pride and head held high completed his long career.

In the game

When finished with the participation in the competition, Chris Evert did not quit tennis. In the years 1983-1991 she performed the duties of the president of the Women's Tennis Association. However, the administrative burden to activities of an athlete, and she decided to make a career in television. Here she found herself as a tennis commentator. Chris Evert's debut took place at the tournament Family Circle Cup, which took place in 1990. Today, a living legend with his brother runs his own tennis academy.

Life

In the seventies, he attracted the public's attention the novel two tennis celebrities - Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert. Everyone was waiting for the wedding, which the date has already been scheduled, but sudden tennis star announced their break.

A bright, talented athlete attracted many men, there were rumors about her affair with actor Burt Reynolds, John Ford, the son of the president of the United States. However, in 1979, tennis player finished with his bachelor life and became known as the Chris Evert-Lloyd. Sport, which deals with the spouse, was tennis, so the couple had the opportunity to meet each other during the competition.

In 1987 they separated, after which Chris Evert married skier Andy Mila, married to whom she gave birth to three sons. The marriage lasted for a long time and broke up in 2006.