Chris Evert thinks Iga Swiatek could surpass her record of 7 French Open titles
Chris Evert said, “Iga Swiatek could surpass her record of 7 French Open titles”
Chris Evert (born Dec. 21, 1954, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., U.S.) is an outstanding American tennis player who dominated the sport in the mid- and late 1970s and remained a major competitor into the late 1980s. She was noted for her consistency, precision, poise, and grace and for popularizing the two-handed backhand stroke.
Evert, the daughter of a noted tennis player, early began taking tennis lessons from her father. Her style evolved rapidly to feature a powerful two-handed backhand and a degree of concentration that often unnerved opponents. At age 15 she beat top-ranked Margaret Smith Court.
In 1971 she became the youngest player to reach the semifinals of the U.S. championship. The following year she advanced to the semifinal round of her first Wimbledon tournament and won the Virginia Slims tournament.
In December 1972 Evert turned professional; she won her first professional tournament in March 1973 and graduated from high school soon after. Victories in the 1974 French and Italian championships and at Wimbledon highlighted a remarkable 56-match winning streak.
Following her marriage to tennis player John Lloyd in 1979, she adopted the name Evert Lloyd (the couple divorced in 1987). She added to her success with victories at the U.S. Open (1980 and 1982), Wimbledon (1981), the Virginia Slims (1987), the French Open (1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, and 1986), and the Australian Open (1982 and 1984).
She retired from professional tennis in 1989 and became a television commentator, a special adviser to the United States National Tennis Team, and president of the Women’s Tennis Association (1982–91).
