Sukova such a talented player to never won a Gran Slam 4 finals… I love her game, nice flat Game like most of the Czech players, coming to the net.

Against Evonne in first set and a half of their W final 1980, 77 vs Wade, 79 vs Martina , h er e from 5-2 down Chris runs into an opponent who hits a purple patch . Nothing Chris could do .

Love Virginia’s take on Catarina missing 4/3 -30-15. “ as ll I gotta do on the short ball is hit it where they ain’t” instead Catarina makes a mess of things

One day would love to see 3rd round Evonne played Betty Stove, and the QF against Turnbull

Hana was cruising at 7-6, 3-1 then the more experienced Mrs Cawley came back strong!

=

Hana had just finished beating Evert in the semis on slow red clay a month before. Do you know how few women had the tools to beat 4 time RG champion to get to that fina,l and then 2 time Wimbledon champion to get to this one? Its an incredible feat.

압도적이야… hana

I was only 8 when this match took place. Too young to appreciate it then, but this was next-level stuff. The shot making here is unbelievable. I prefer this kind of tennis to today's "bang-bang" baseline game. It's so much more aesthetically pleasing.

In a nutshell, the most beautiful style in women’s history against the butt uggkiest one

What did the crazy guy with the plastic bag and flowers wanted ? LOL drunken ?

Hana looks like she is foot faulting with her back foot on the deuce side.

Finesse

Chris learned to wallop short drop shots to her two handed backhand . Evonne used to employ this tactic and it wasn’t until Chris learned to hit this shot that Chris could beat Evonne on grass and faster surfaces ( cement and carpet) more consistently. Every two handed backhand baseliner needs to learn that shot so that their opponent doesn’t draw them in to net then pass them. Andrea lost 4 points in this tie break because of this tactic. When score is tight , hitting off of very short balls becomes nerve racking.

Evonne was such a treat to watch and what an accomplishment as a new mother and Aboriginal woman beating her North American rival.

This was shrivers chance Hana eliminated Austin,, shriver eliminated Navratilova. Hana had just that much more variety and when she was on could beat any one. Shriver had a ceiling, she couldn’t beat Evert, Tracy presented problems for Pam on a cement court. Had Pam made it to the final, I believe Chris would eve won by same score as she had had against Hana in the final 6-3,6-1.Chris dominated the open 75-82, Martina 83-87 with Tracy coming through in 79,81 and Hana coming through85. Only twice did the Martina Chris both get beaten in slam 79 Open., 85 Open.

Steffi lost the match as she was clearly impatient. She did too many errors. Great match from Hana but I guess it was her last victory agst Steffi.

Hana ot the end of a streak here from August 1980 to July 1981 that saw her win 4 out 5 matches against Martina, including this match and a 4th round at the US Open 7-6, 6-4

When Hana is firing on ALL cylinders, the tennis world is a happier place. As often the case, Hana can be her own worst enemy, but on days when her mind and body meet at the perfect place, THIS is the kind of tennis she can produce. Words can do no justice, you just sit back and enjoy the beauty of her game 🎉

Hana was like Federer: a magician with the racquet and ball. Bursting with talent and athleticism. What made her inconsistent, from what I remember, was her confidence going up and down. She was also competing against the big two, Navratilova and Evert, which would not have been easy at all.

For you young ones accustomed to higher velocity game, these ladies are playing with 10 pound racket ok...

Is HM using a Wilson Ultra?

Cameraman choosing TV editor's brain "they are about to meet at the net at the end of the match. I know, I'll cut cut to some random old people in the crowd so millions of TV viewers won't see if there is friendship or hostility between the two". I hope he was sacked

I had a crush on Pam. Always liked my women with a little attitude.

Mandlikova, Graf & Goolagong all beautiful players to watch

Hana Mandlikova had the Best legs in tennis unti Steffi Graf came along

Hana plays exceptionally well. She is a legend.

Tracy reversing the line call on Hana serve called out but Tracy saw it in and walked to deuce court. Very fair. Speaks to her standards as a good , fair person. Especially with the score.

Hana won 4 slam titles, appeared in two open finals , two Wimbledon finals as runner up. She had twice the career in tennis as Tracy and more.

Tracy is just getting to the ball , barely and taking a stroke bestbshe can, the length, spin, and pace are not under her control. It’s clear her injury has kept her off the practice court and by sheer determ8nation she is extending this match.

Hana only won a handful of matches bs Navratilova but she won their USOpen and AO finals. She won this 81 Wimbledon but Martina won their 86 final. Hana also beat Martina at the 80 Open QF.

i feel bad for hana. that bad line call overule cost her this match, that bad overrule cost her going up 4-1 in the 3rd set because hana won the next point which would have been break point.

Tracy fought hard but she can barely move to the ball. She reaching and so rigid. She would’ve never beaten Hana as long as Hana was 75 percent on the day.

Omg the bad haircuts

Diane was a great striker of the ball, often curiously over hitting the forehand had very crisp strokes. Diane had more close loses against top ranked players than any other player ranked out of the top 5 . Her game presented many problems for players in that Diane made bold shot choices but were predictable. Diane left no doubt as to where she was aiming her shots.

Back when women's tennis had grace and style and different styles of play, not the one hundred percent clones that we see today.

Martina was so strong in 83 and up till 84 AO that Martina expected to win, losing just one match in 83, Martina would hit a great volley then stop as if the point was won. Chris and Hana improved their mobility to get to balls and improve their fitness to give Martina a better match. What was Martina’s response “ get set of glasses” as if that was the answer. Then when she lost 86-89 later said Martina was in a funk from too much playing. Truth is graf came on strong and Chris and Hana improved their game. Martina still dominated Chris Hana and Graf until 87FRENCH AND all of 88 onward.

Martina making a point at the end that is now largely forgotten. Until 1986, the tennis year ran from March to March, with the tour finals being held in March each year. In 1986 they moved to the January - December year. The Australian Open moved from December to January and as a result wasn't held at all in 1986, but there were two tour finals: one in March 1986 to end the old March 1985 - March 1986 season, and another one in November 1986 to end the new January to December season.

Hana, Chris, and Tracy clinging to the wood in late 1982 is a bit of a choice.

I still think evert would’ve beaten graf on red clay in 86 due to her experience on red clay. Red clay requires a patience that graf didn’t quite have . Now not much separated Hana and Graf in that second set. It could’ve gone either way. Evert made short work of Hana playing one of the best matches of Everts life. I believe Evert saw the 86 French as her last real chance with Graf improving by the week . 86 French was the 13 consecutive year Evert won at lest one slam title . By 87 Chris was coming off having 4-5 months off due to a bad knee from 86 open loss till March of 87. She was then having off and on days brought about from layoff. Winning is a habit and she wasn’t match tough in 87 plus Martina played an excellent match. Cheers to Hana for hanging in there and grinding this win out something new to Hana , she was mentally tough , tough as a champion from winning the Open in 85.

It took Graf more experience on red clay before she could claim her titles. Even evert beat court at age 15 on clay but on green clay which plays differently than red clay ( crushed up bricks) the ball has a harder bounce and absorbs power and you really have to strike the ball for it to go anywhere when compared to green clay. It is not as slippery as green clay. Evert at 18 lost to Court at 73 French final to court. Just barely though with a lead of 5-3 serving for the match in the third. She had a chance in second set to win too but Courts experience with the heavy balls everts lobs came up short. It’s harder without topspin witha wood racket on red clay to hit lobs and Margaret smashed them away to win . Evert lobbed to much but perhaps she dint because it took more strength to pass on red clay. At W 73 evert beat court on grass lobbing with uncanny ability, much easier to lob on grass. The ball is much lighter to lob.

1985 seems to have been when Hana and Chris's rivalry started to even out. After winning only 2 of 16 matches 1980-1984, Hana then won 5 of their remaining 10 matches.

From Tracy’s body language on court I can tell she hasn’t or wasn’t able to practice enough ( due to injury healing for past 4 months, Hana here is also coming back from an injury but is much stronger. ) Tracy is trying to play partially from memory. . Very brave .. I admire her dedication and willing to give it her best try.

Hana is dictating the pace. I’m surprised Tracy’s ball isn’t heavy hit as in her typical form. I swear Tracy grew an inch from the 81 open win 9 months before this match. Hana seems much stronger, but I admire Tracy’s effort . She prepares to win each point, her concentration is intense.Up a set and serving at 4-3 Hana had no business losing the second set.Hana is not processing the fact that when she stretches out Tracy she wins the point . At 4-3 Hana starts hitting the ball right to Tracy and loses 3 straight games and the second set.

1988 being the year of Switch to Flinders Park, i assume it’s because of limited space and accommodations in Kooyong

Czech vs Czech. Check.

Both look like Bjørn Borg 😅

Just like Evonne, Hana was so unpredictable that it was difficult to get any rhythm against her.

Say whatever you want about some parts of Shriver's game. She had textbook volleys.

"She'll be able to write in her diary about breaking Martina's serve" - Novotna did more than that when she knocked navratilova out of wimbedon a few years later