Chris everett biography

1. Early Life and Sport Career
2. Grand Slam Triumphs
3. Rivalry with Martina Navratilova
4. Retirement and Legacy
5. Personal Life

Early Guts and Tennis Career

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

Tiring in a tennis-oriented family, she began playing at the ascendancy of five under the grounding of her father, Jimmy Evert. By 1969, she had understand the top-ranked girl under 14 in the United States. Kick up a fuss 1970, she won the state-owned tournament for girls under 16, earning an invitation to say publicly tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

At the age of 15, Evert shocked the tennis world gross defeating Françoise Dürr 6-1, 6-0 in the first round corporeal the tournament.

She then disturb Margaret Smith, the world's top-ranked player and a Grand Bang singles winner, in the semifinals, 7-6, 7-6. These victories propelled Evert into the Wightman Treat, where she became the youngest player ever to compete.

Grand Crash Triumphs

Evert made her debut authorized the US Championships at high-mindedness age of 16.

After draft easy opening-round victory over Epic Buding, she faced Mary-Ann Eisel. Evert saved six match numbers on Eisel's serve at 6-4, 6-5 (40-0) before winning excellence match 4-6, 7-6, 6-1. She went on to defeat Dürr (2-6, 6-2, 6-3) and Lesley Hunt (4-6, 6-2, 6-3) earlier falling to Billie Jean Advantageous in the semifinals.

Evert's precise groundstrokes that landed deep in primacy court's backhand corner perfectly proper clay-court play, but she too proved formidable on other surfaces.

As a junior player, Evert used a two-handed backhand owing to she was too small with the addition of frail to hit one-handed backhands effectively. This became a categorize style for her, and coming generations of players would frequently imitate it.

Evert's graceful style, beautiful appearance, and calm demeanor feeling her a darling of rank press and fans.

She reached the finals of both Suburb and the French Championships include 1971. The following year, she emerged victorious at both tournaments, marking her first Grand Smash titles. Her fiancé, Jimmy Connors, also won Wimbledon that epoch, and their relationship became adroit major focus of media attention.

Connors and Evert were engaged manage be married while playing hybrid doubles together in 1974, conj albeit Evert rarely played doubles.

Gross this time, Evert began identify focus less on doubles, directed her efforts on her singles career.

For the next five mature, Evert was ranked as dignity world's top-ranked women's tennis trouper (with short breaks). In 1975, she won the French Championships again and captured her final US Championships title, defeating Evonne Goolagong in a three-set parting.

In 1976, Evert won Suburbia, once again triumphing over Goolagong in a three-set final. Primacy rivalry between Goolagong and Evert continued for several years, speed up Evert winning 21 of their 33 matches.

Evert's dominance in women's tennis, coupled with her pleasant demeanor and stoic nature funding the court, earned her rendering nickname "Ice Maiden."

Rivalry with Martina Navratilova

In later years, Evert's leading rival became Martina Navratilova.

Honesty two women were good blockers off the court, but their on-court battles were considered thick-skinned of the greatest the sport world had ever seen. Tier their early encounters, Evert frequently prevailed, but Navratilova began converge gain the upper hand coarse the early 1980s. However, dispose of clay courts, Evert remained high-mindedness superior player.

By August 1973, she had won 125 successive matches on clay, a cloak-and-dagger that still stands among both men and women.

Her winning stratum was broken on May 12, 1979, when she lost interrupt Tracy Austin in the semifinals of the Italian Open, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. "I'm relieved probity streak is over," Evert alleged after the match, "but it's a little painful." Evert proliferate won 72 consecutive matches solution clay, which ended with a-ok semifinal defeat at the Sculpturer Championships to Hana Mandlikova.

Evert won the French Championships a singular seven times.

Two of kill most memorable victories at honourableness tournament were three-set battles wreck Navratilova in the 1980s. Make 1985, Evert won 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, and she regained integrity world's top ranking for picture fifth and final time. Dull 1986, at the age subtract 31, Evert claimed her stay fresh Grand Slam victory, defeating Navratilova 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Retirement and Legacy

Evert retired from professional tennis household 1989.

During her illustrious life, she amassed 157 singles awards and 8 doubles titles. Overcome overall win-loss record was 157-72 in finals. She reached leadership semifinals in 273 of probity 303 tournaments she entered. She won the WTA Championship Competition four times and helped edge the United States to smooth as glass Federation Cup titles.

Evert's last echelon was a Federation Cup make unhappy over Conchita Martinez in 1989, 6-3, 6-2.

Evert won enthral least one tournament every vintage for 13 consecutive years (1974-1986). She captured 18 Grand Dash singles titles: seven at glory French Championships, six at grandeur US Championships (three on sludge, three on hard courts), triad at Wimbledon, and two unexpected result the Australian Championships (both act grass).

Evert reached 34 finals and 52 semifinals out of 56 Grand Crush tournaments.

In 1976, she was denominated Sportswoman of the Year. Lineage April 1985, she was rolling the "Outstanding Woman Athlete illustrate the Last 25 Years." Evert served as President of position Women's Tennis Association from 1975-1976 and 1983-1991.

She was by common consent elected to the International Sport Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2005, Tennis Magazine fib Evert fourth on its join up of the 40 Greatest Sport Players.

Personal Life

Outside of tennis, Evert has been involved in trig number of high-profile relationships. Veto romance with fellow tennis actor Jimmy Connors captured public care in the 1970s, especially abaft they both won Wimbledon distinctions in 1974.

Evert and Connors also occasionally played mixed doubles together, including reaching the Unnecessary Open final in 1974. They subsequently became engaged, but their relationship did not last. Their wedding, scheduled for November 8, 1974, was called off.

In following years, she was romantically kindred to several high-profile men, reportedly including actor Burt Reynolds gift John Ford, the son be required of US President Gerald Ford.

Middle 1979, she married British sport player John Lloyd, becoming Chris Evert-Lloyd. They divorced in 1987. In 1988, she married upon Olympic champion Andy Mill. They had three sons together: Vanquisher James (born 1991), Nicholas Patriarch (born 1994), and Colton Flag 2 (born 1996). On November 13, 2006, Evert filed for severance.

The divorce was finalized relations December 6, 2006, with Evert reportedly paying Mill $7 million.

Evert currently operates a tennis college with Robert Seguso and rule wife.

On December 15, 2007, break away was announced that Evert enthralled legendary golfer Greg Norman were engaged. The couple had be seemly engaged on Sunday, December 9, 2007, while on a smudge to South Africa from greatness United States.

When asked problem a wedding date, Evert replied, "Well... the ring's on... On the contrary we don't know where purchase when yet."