People always underestimated Chris's net game.

Evert is the ultimate GOAT

Chris Evert is the GOAT, undoubtedly

They are greatest rivals & friends too

this is tennis. no smashing of rackets. no kicking the umpire's stand. no middle fingers to the crowd. just tennis...pure. so great to watch.

I great barometer of how good Evert was in the back of the court.

We all hated Graf

People talk smack about how soft they hit the ball back in the day. There's nothing soft about these shots. Chris had some real pop on her strokes. I'd much rather watch this than girls hitting the ball 3 feet out every other point like they do now.....and screaming their heads off while they do it.

What I've always found interesting is that Pam has never beaten Chrissie, but she has beaten Martina before.

When I was growing up, back then, we were all a little spoiled because it seems like there were tennis matches on TV all the time. There was no ESPN which was good. They had Virginia Slims matches and other matches, It was more than just the four Majors. I was able to watch quite a few Chris and Martina shows, and I wrote a composition in college about their contrasting ways of tennis.

It was nice seeing Andy Mill in there! He's a VGL guy. I think I saw Jimmy and Colette, Chrissie's parents, there

I just Loved Chrissie! She kept going for the lines. I think I heard her say in an interview years ago that her father told her to go for the lines! She held her own against Steffi. Steffi didn't like Loopy type balls that came her way because she liked pace.

Evert not switching to a graphite racket earlier really hurt her. While Martina obviously got fitter and stronger, her game instantly became 20% better just from the better racket alone. Once Evert switched, her game did the same. Her serve and groundstrokes are consistently deeper and more powerful.

Massive difference in Chris play from 1979 final. She is just better than Tracy in every area.

For those who don’t think Evert was a “hard hitter,” think again. In her heyday, given the equipment (strings, wood racquets, early + heavy graphite models) she hit a big, dangerous ball off the ground. Take the words of Martina’s great coach Renee Richards to heart: “Let no one think Chris Evert played pitty-pat tennis. Chrissie hit bombs.” Moreover, Chris’s “bombs” were hit with such consistent power, precision, and depth that her opponents likened playing against her to “struggling against a rip current” that kept pushing them back, back, back relentlessly, until they felt “suffocated” or Chris hit a winner and ended the misery. She had the power and precision of a machine, a machine set to deliver big strokes within a foot of the baseline without making a single mistake. It was an overwhelming experience for her opponents, many of whom might be able to hit a bigger forehand or serve harder than Chris. But not with Chris’s smothering wave of unerring ground depth and placement. Of course, as younger, taller players like Steffi and Monica came into the picture, we see a generational difference that affected both Chris and Martina. But that’s the progression of the game, training, equipment, opportunity for more athletes to succeed, etc. For example, Sue Barker hit a much bigger forehand than Chris or anyone on the old tour … but even though it was a weapon, she couldn’t hit it without errors. That’s the greatness of Chris, Martina, and also Steffi and Monica. Obviously Serena and Venus and the new greats. They had power relative to their respective times with the added gift of control and killer instinct. Chris’s shots meant trouble with every stroke. Here, we get to see her bridging a true generational gap and challenging Steffi at her very Golden Slam best. Great match. Steffi was a stunning wonder, just like Chris, Martina, Monica, etc.

That female announcer is annoying.

Martina seems to be out of sorts in this match, she's either a half step too slow or her shots are landing short. Chris on the other hand is sharp as a knife, playing this like it's on grass, she's super aggressive and taking the net away with volleys and smashes. Martina never had a chance

On the eve of this tide-turning match, Chris with husband at the time, John Lloyd, spent the evening with Wonder Woman Lynda Carter and her husband at the time, Hollywood agent Ron Samuels, where they cajoled, cheered and gave some "tough love" to inspire the doubtful Evert making her believe she could beat Tracy. It took a few games here, but by the time Chris BELIEVED she could beat Tracy, the match started to turn. In fairness to Tracy, all the pressure was on her this time, she was defending champion and ranked #1. She did not respond well to the pressure, playing well below her standards from the previous Open final. Tracy also didn't expect Chris to bring a new game plan --- throwing drop shots, lobs, moonballs, volleys, overhead smashes --- everything to disrupt her rhythm. I dare to say this was the MOST important match of Evert's career up to that point and she commandered the occasion beautifully

It is music to hear the sound of the pop from the old school rackets strung with gut at high tensions!

I remember starting with wooden moving to aluminum and eventually graphite. The racquets these days are awesome.

Chris Evert is the GOAT. I remember watching this match as a kid. At the time I had always heard that she excelled on clay but struggled on grass. This match proved that theory wrong. I remember being awestruck at how many great passing shots she fired off in this match. She was always my favorite player

You knew things were coming to an end. Chris had to put in 1000% effort to just match Steffi while Steffi didn't need to play her best to win. Chris could not do this day in and day out anymore.

This loss for Martina made Navratilova more focused on the Wimbledon final. She didn’t want to be erased and lose twice in 3 weeks to Chris as all players know Wimbledon goes a long way in being number one for the year.Chris was number one the hard way, winning Wimbledon 74,76 with attaining world number one 75,77,(78- by ITF) and 1980 being ranked number one by winning most of the tournaments other than Wimbledon( Chris was beaten at Wimbledon 75,77,78,79,80,82,84,85. Chris’s record at Open was stellar in the way Martina was at Wimbledon.

Honestly, Chris was going to win... but it was great seeing how someone could get under the skin of Chris. I would try to do that and if I did, that would be a GREATER success than actually defeating her LOL

I have this match in its entirety. The first two games sets the ton with Chris eager and delighted to batte Tracy in most f ther matches Chrisvis dreading te match the thought f song to a younger, harder hitter, more eager baseline player that plays the same way asChris bothered Chris . Tracy crawled into the Evert psyche and made Chris doubt herself especially after her 79 Open loss. Down 4-0 in their 80 SF , Chris took on the challenge and produced her finest match of her career in beating Tracy 4-6, 6-1,6-1. Chris won 16 of the remaining 20 games. Chris changed her strategy , moving Tracy up and back, drop shooting, dictating the pace. Whomever dictated the pace won and Chris thought by playing steady and carefully Tracy would create errors. The only way to beat Tracy is to move her out of position to hit her favorite shots.

Joann came off like someone she wasn’t. On TV she seemed impartial but was definite about who she wanted to win when commentating on the Evert /Navratilova matches . On court she improved her ground strokes and approached the game analytically to improve her chances to win But was a natural athlete. She seemed like a lesbian but wasn’t. When tentative , Joann went for too much while Chris plays too conservatively when nervous. Joanne was excellent at knowing what shot to play, studied the game and Chris’s game . Mentally no one has ever come close to Chris except a few players for a very short time sometimes just for one match.

He said it perfectly. She is a Queen of tennis. Not Serena. Chris Evert is the GOAT

One of the Very best videos of great ground strokes on you tube. Both of these Legends are the very very best the game of tennis has ever seen. To think that they hit the ball this well with a wooden racket is amazing.

Austin is a great striker of the ball but was not.. as accurate as far as ball placement. Austin hit the ball hard but it’s where it lands was Everts specialty. If Chris wasn’t inspired her shots landed short without purpose which rarely occurred.

Chris was razor sharp, so eager to win every point. I think she saw this tourney as her big chance to win her slam. It had been since the 84 AO since she won her last slam and had been beaten 83 open, 84- French, Wimbledon, Open, had won 84 AO and wanted to beat Martina in This Slam. And Did.

Amazing how the court coverage with lens near the court show how each step they took are a culminating life long rhythm of playing excellent tennis up to this point. Evert is hitting everything on the rise and this being an exhibition felt fearless. Usual uprightness was a scent.

When you look at Everts game here in Jan 1988 and then look at Graf vs Evert SF Wimbledon 1989 one can tell Chris was not match tough and low in desire playing . Evert had had a ear infection and had to withdrawal from her match at tourney before W in 89. At 34.5 Evert got her game together to beat Martinez in Fed cup in her last match of her career. No other baseline player sustained that desire like Chrissie.

Chris was Greg sick of Martina walloping her, other players witnessed these beatings and suddenly felt Chris was vulnerable so they felt they hold too. This irked Chris as her competitive spirit - which waned in 83 - started to return here toward the end of 1984. A few months later chris had cut her hair, got a new graphite racket , and had a much more aggressive temperament to challenge Martina better. Her fist tourney with new racket was the US Indoor and took Martina7-6 in second set. This was improved as she layer against Martina throughout 1984, culminating at Open barely losing. At beginning of 1985 Chris beat MArtina twice- slims of Florida, French Open.

Chris was fortunate to get it together in this big final. Otherwise, it could have been a repeat of her 1980 Wimbledon, wherein she scored the huge emotional SF win over Navratilova and came out flat and spent against Goolagong in the final. Here, she had beaten the Tracy Austin gadfly in the SF and came out tentative against Hana. Well done, Chris.

Navratilova was unbeatable during this period, but Evert was better on clay courts.

The basics, fundamentals are still the key to learn for most of rec players. Very well demonstrated. ❤💯

A close match like this when Chris realizing she won was very calm , her first thought was for Martina shaking her hand and consoling her. Chris had just lost family circle cup 7-6 in third set the tourney before Houston so Chris knew how it felt. Martina’s first win over Chris was sixth time they met with Martina winning 7-6 in third set during a 9 point tie break with 4-4 with Martina serving the last point hitting an ace to win . 12 point tie break gives each player same number of serves and one must win by two points .

Her recovery footwork after contact is the best part of this video

タバコ吸いながら試合観戦😅🚭️ 現在ではあり得ない😅

Christopher Miami Florida 🪅

Margaret Court always looked sour and disinterested after losing a point.

She's hot

Chris is quite the comedian here, she’s so relaxed . Chris played a handful of matches after her 86 French Open win where she concentrated fully like 70-86. This is one of them. She moved incredibly well here and gabby was noticeably tired., she couldn’t put her usual topspin to her shots to her normal degree. This allowed Chris the time to set up

Many Evert skills displayed: drop shots (the best ever IMO) incredible footwork (cat like) strategy (soo important) lobs (the best ever IMO) and consistency (need to be consistent in execution to be a top player, really you cant miss .) Can you tell Chris Evert is my favorite player ever? Loved this match with Sabatini whose game is soo incredible to watch. But I would say Sabatini lacked strategy overall and relied on her execution of her strokes and her athleticism to get her through matches. But Chris here outplayed the very talented Sabatini.

I remember being glued to this. Great match and so much more interesting before the bazooka racquets.

class act, unlike the tack of today, best id seen Evert play

Evert is coming off of her two tournament loss ( Eastborne and Wimbledon losing late in the third set twice to Martina ) eager and concentrating on getting fir, losing weight,,for the upcoming USOpen in which she won. Evert didn’t lose a match after her loss at Wimbledon , beating Martina 3 times , one of which was Colgate final ( the fifth slam ) .in the Colgate final at end of the year , the tournament had a double elimination format. Fromholtz beat Chris in opening round which was Chris’s only loss after her Wimbledon final but held on to win all of her other matches beating Martina 6-3,6-3 to claim her third win against Martina which ITF ranked Evert number one for 1978. I believe the score of Fromholtz match was 6-4,6-4. WTT results are not counted on computer since matches are one set only. Russel played so well here and played Chris actually very well considering other players were at a total loss as to how to win points vs Evert,

Sabatini played a finished a third set against Shriver that morning and then played Maleeva and won in two sets. Evert played Graf that morning as well and played two sets. The announcers make it sound as if Sabatini had to play two full matches-that is not the case. If memory serves, Evert was still playing doubles each day as well and lost in the finals later the day of the singles final.

Love BJK commentary, she’s the best.Hana is so gifted. Chrissie plays her best tennis of the tournament here against Hana. Wins 80, 81,82,83 Hana was primes to win in 85. Hana was too gifted Not to win the Open beating Chris and Martina to win the Open.

This was Chris second excellent played match in 1983, a year in which Chrissie was falling behind her usual standard. 1984 would be much different. In 1983 Chris lost her focus and was the weakest year since 79 during the time Evert was either number one or two in the world.