Martina Navrátilová v. Chris Evert | 1985 Roland Garros Final | Old School Match |

[@richardromagnolo9047]

I truly miss this match-up. The best rivalry in sports history. They remain great friends . Pure class❤

[@jaykraft9523]

"pure class" in the same sentence as Evert ? pah-lease. man eater

[@tomogden9503]

For me, not “one of the best’ but THE best women’s match of all time 🤩 Chris had lost 15 of their last 16 matches, including 13 in a row at one point - also including the previous year’s FO final when she got well and truly shellacked. This match and the following year’s contest, capped the greatest rivalry in all sports, not just tennis. Thank you for posting!

[@johniii8147]

Martina got in her head for a couple of years. Chris finally got over that after that very close US Open match a few months before. Chris lost her confidence and gained it back even though she lost that US match.

[@jm7804]

This match also greatly contributed to Chris reclaiming the number one ranking for nearly the remainder of the year.

[@johniii8147]

@@jm7804 That and winning the 84 Australian. She won two grand slams in a row.

[@jeffreyturner7678]

uso 1984 and wimby 1985..she should have won.

[@TheVerbalVolley]

I think that the best women's Grand Slam final was the 1974 US Open championship match between BJK and Evonne Goolagong. I have a DVD of the match, and it is truly incredible. Many of the points, especially in the final set, were absolutely breathtaking. BJK beat Evonne 3/6,6/3,7/5 in a true nail biter.

[@whitestar655]

The most exciting women's match I ever had the pleasure to witness. Pure drama from beginning to end, in a match which ebbed and flowed, til Chrissie emerged - finally - a deserved winner! Great quality upload too. 👌 👍 😎

[@johniii8147]

Chris decided she was going to win that match.

[@gegaoli]

I miss these two. They were awesome!

[@charleskristiansson1296]

Textbook tennis played to perfection: style, grace, elegance and such contrasting styles. No tantrums, no grunting either.

[@patrickben9286]

They play so slow and soft. Like ping pong. The best it is not 😂😂😂

[@waynedaves5089]

The sport is being changed to promote size and strength, whereas with wood racquets, a perfect sort of balance had been achieved, where smaller players (Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg) could compete easily with the less-mobile taller players. You could be overpowered, but it wasn't easy. But power players still prevailed @@patrickben9286

[@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegeten]

If you actually listened you would hear that they are in fact grunting on serve.

[@andrea_rita007]

​Pues a hora son puro lloricas ambos circuitos, antes el tenis era elegancia y tecnica.. ​@@patrickben9286

[@tomgutierrez]

This is the very reason that modern tennis is more exciting and intense. They threw the textbook away!

[@andrewromero5008]

I was so happy for Chris. She came so close at USO84 finals. The losing streak had truly been broken! She looked so lean and fit here. She earned this win.

[@lenwelch2195]

She sure did, most players after losing ten times in a row after being number one for 7 yrs would’ve hung it up at 30 and a half yrs old. That was old for a tennis player then.

[@johniii8147]

These two always had so much respect and admiration for each other. That's why it turned into such the best rivalry ever in sports.

[@chrisnoneyabiz4072]

This is when tennis was exciting and got people interested in not only watching but also learning how to play. These 2 were incredible. Notice how they play with finesse, style and class. There's no one on the court swinging as hard as they can at every ball like its baseball.There's also no one on the court screaming when they swing and looking like a Gorilla on steroids. No thanks to the players today.

[@rivaridge7211]

Wow, I fully recall watching this match in San Francisco, where I lived at the time. Because of the time difference, my cable channel aired this match hours after the match had been completed. I (at the time) fully felt that Chris could break the strangle-hold that Martina held over her for their last many matches. I very purposely ignored any news broadcasts of the outcome. I wanted to watch this match without knowing the final score. It was very exciting to say the least. Cheers to two wonderful champions!

[@rivaridge7211]

@Cjjjj902 Would you have me any other way, young Master Buckwheat?

[@rivaridge7211]

@Cjjjj902 Leave a stupid comment and get a like reply. Grow up and run along silly child - I will not respond to you again.

[@AngelaCadnum-ue8ic]

Great Champions to see how marbles they play with Respect of each other!! You don’t see that in our timeline!!! Thanks!!❤🙃

[@cedricdecharme]

Best final ever🤩

[@waynedaves5089]

Best visibility of the play, a match I missed for work and because at the time it was almost a given that Navratilova would win. And she nearly did. A coworker took an extra long lunch, and when he got back to the site said he had just seen the best tennis match he'd ever seen. I asked who won, and will never forget the thrill of knowing and seeing that final point. The only negative is it is not included somehow, in this otherwise comprehensive and excellent coverage. The next year, I refused to not watch the match and that same coworker was forced to cover the shift while I sat in a small trailer on the property, watching closely ona very small tv as Evert won her 18th grand slam. This baseliner, as they liked to call her, won the match very largely because of her excellent net play, and let it be remembered, she won her last grand slam title with a winning forehand drop volley, a shot she mastered in that 1986 repeat win. The greatest winning percentage in tennis. And she did not shy away from competition.

[@julianmallach348]

Pure classic, remember watching this game as a child. Two great champions. Love how every time Martina makes an emphatic winner Chrissie acknowledges it with a "yeah". Such respect and admiration between the two of them, one of the greatest sporting rivalries ever. When you watch this, look at the talent, the pure class, and then think of Steffie aswell, sorry - nobody is ever going to convince me that Serena is the GOAT. There is more to it than just counting grand slams.

[@nursondewind6227]

you included Steffi... and you want people to take you seriously?

[@stef1074]

What a match that was. One of the best matches ever in tennis history, and certainly the most amazing GS final between both ! The level of play was so high, with some outstanding rallies, and many twists throughout the match. First, u thought Chris would have won easily, and then she lost the second set u don't know how. Great and heartbreaking suspense in the third set, with Chris eventually winning by the slightest margin. I remember well that backand passing shot down the line which gives her the match. And I love how they congratulate each other after handshake. The GOAT match ? Not far in any case...

[@andyroo9381]

This was a dramatic match! I was in high school when this all went down. I was so happy for Chris! Great quality video. All other videos, of this particular match, are so grainy and fuzzy that you can't see the ball. Nice job.

[@darrenbrown9126]

I have the dvd of the NBC broadcast of this match and you are so right. This video is so much better than the dvd one. Job well done by the publisher.

[@zeddeka]

Chris said some years later that she had worked out a plan with her coach and her husband for this match. They'd looked closely at Martina's game and realised that Martina's forehand was in many ways her weaker shot. Whereas Chris would have hit almost totally to Martina's backhand, she worked with her then husband (John Lloyd) to add some topspin to her shots and to hit higher to Martina's forehand to keep her back.

[@BTURNER1961]

Evert's backhand was devastating throughout this match. I am surprised that Martina did not make more of an effort to play the forehand more .

[@stevena.2306]

So cosistent, moved great, moved Martina around well. Played smart and WON !

[@beaglesrfun5896]

Martina's backhand drop shots were brutal.

[@johniii8147]

She was making great forehand shots too. Chris was just no longer intimidated by Martina after raising her game

[@BTURNER1961]

@@johniii8147 I have always felt that the single most improved stroke of Chris, after adjusting to graphite was not her serve, backhand or volley but her forehand. She was able to generate more power off that wing than ever before and as the years went by, she started to really learn how to exploit that graphite to impart a lot more topspin off that wing for some extra control, and more offensive lobbing. It gets real obvious by 1986 RG.

[@johniii8147]

@@BTURNER1961 Agreed. She was late to switch to new racket which is one of the reasons the her record against Martina got so lop sided against her for a couple of years.

[@zeddeka]

This match really marking the end of the super, hyper dominant streak that Martina had had. It was the first time she's lost in two consecutive grand slams since the Australian Open of 82 and French Open of 83 (The Australian Open then played in December). She lost the world #1 ranking to Chris for a period, and then also lost the 1985 US Open final to Hana Mandlikova. She had an excellent year in 1986 but said years later that with hindsight, she was burnt out from Tennis from the end of 1986 until mid 1989. 1987 was an odd year for her - not winning a single tournament until Wimbledon in July and losing the #1 ranking permanently, to Graf.

[@DrRockerful]

15 min 20 seconds. Amazing ... I love Chris.

[@kosta88816]

Love This Match 😊

[@jonathankieranwriter]

Chris was indeed humble after the end of this legendary encounter. Too humble. With this very win, Chris knocked Martina from atop her perch and regained the No. 1 ranking for herself, and held that No. 1 for much of the rest of the year until she played a rather flat and nervy match at the Australian to determine the top spot for 1985. She took a set from Martina in that confrontation but could not raise her game in the decider. A win would have solidified Chris’s year-end status as undisputed No. 1 - but this win was spectacularly sweet and triumphant.

[@georgepeterson841]

We've always marveled at Chris's backhand, but that running forehand Chris hit to go up 5-3 in the 3rd was truly one of the greatest shots she ever hit. Martina sliced that approach deep and with pace, and Chris short angled it cross-court beautifully. I've literally watch that shot 100 times.

[@PaulDawson-cq7vy]

Chris Evert is one of the most underrated players in history imo. Her best surface was clay and look how many French Opens she missed when she was in her pomp. Also look at her actual win %. One of the best ever, but you seldom hear her mentioned in GOAT conversations. The backhand was just poetic. Don’t get me wrong, love Martina also - it’s just I don’t think Chris gets sufficient credit for her achievements

[@kewsiyehboah6058]

Bravo Upload.. Talk About Classic.. Timeless - Tennis..

[@thomasharnois2165]

How could people dislike féminine tennis after seeing this ? Great opposite styles like Borg and Mac enroe, Martina so athletic and creativ, Chris more conventional but so efficient like Wilander at his best...just loved it !

[@angelinerabe2802]

Martina ,I admire you and you are humble

[@diazmalcolm]

Very well played Chris...:)......that scintillating double fisted backhand she possessed......and that final backhand down the line shot! ...which was not showed!!!!!......

[@herryvangogh6631]

Very attractive match

[@CrivasLamarche]

The most beautiful positive rivalry in womens' tennis history.

[@JuanjoSantagueda]

Maravillosa rivalidad,dos jugadores irrepetibles y geniales con diferentes estilos de juego.Cuanta belleza nos dejaron en sus duelos,gracias😍😍😍

[@jm7804]

Are you serious? Show the match highlights and leave out match point? WTH?

[@lenwelch2195]

It’s the only way for this to be on you tube. Either they show last points or most of match excluding the last point. The videos that show both get pulled quickly. 😊

[@syedjaffar8230]

If even one of these ladies was not around the other would have one 36 grand slams. They are the two best of all time.

[@willkittwk]

Powder puff v dike what an intriguing match. Ce magnifique.

[@MultiErick92]

J avais 20 ans lors de ce match, en Allemagne. Je m'en souviens comme si c était hier. Quelle pression j avais moi le big fan de Chrissie.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@aagold76]

after all that and you DON'T show the match point?!?

[@Sully44JJ]

Finally, good quality of this classic match...best on internet by far! Thank you so much for uploading this classic! Do you also have the 1986 final?

[@GottdieEhre]

Chris Evert 🥰👏👍

[@andyroo9381]

The FO trophy presentation was a bit awkward back then. Much better show these days.

[@SDSFG45]

Chris Evert (Lloyd)....the best counterpuncher, in the history of tennis....male or female. To this day, I still play a baseline-brand of tennis. And when I first started playing as a little guy of 10 yrs old, Id watch her matches, religiously...her and Borg, were my instructors, and they never knew it. But the reason put her on top of the better MALE baseliners/counterpunchers, starts with the simplicity of her grips. Very simple Eastern grip on the forehand...very convenient, traditional Continental grip on the two hander. Eventually, as often happens from one generation to the next, your grip may be the thing that slow you down or puts you out of business...simply because near the end of her run, racquets changed by leaps and bounds..in a HUGE way. And the topspin that the newer generation of girls were throwing at Chris, made it THAT MUCH more difficult to stick it out longer. Her demise didnt happen because she was out of shape or angry or even overmatched, really. It happened, simply because she refused to make drastic grip changes on swings that won her grand slams, left and right, for MANY, MANY YEARS...I couldn't see the great Evert, learning a full Western grip, just to stick around for a few more yrs, in other words.

[@markwhitman9029]

Wonderful comments! Chris Evert was Hands Down GOAT on clay with Nadal

[@asadmohammed9982]

She's not a better counter puncher than djokovic or nadal do me a favour. She's retriving balls that those 2 could do in their sleep never mind in the biggest career rivalry

[@michaeljj43]

i just love watching chris evert play.

[@jamespeyton7312]

Really enjoy hearing Navratilova as a commentator-never realized how much she complained on the court.

[@andyroo9381]

I agree. Looking back at these old matches, Martina was so whiney!

[@markwhitman9029]

Chrissie willed herself to win at French both in 85 and 86!!! SO GLAD she did. As much as I respect Martina she made a big mistake in this final by rallying with the master of groundstrokes. If she would have been more aggresive and at the net more often the resullt might have favored her

[@johniii8147]

She couldn't really have been more aggressive. Chris was keeping her back and Martina said it herself. You just can come in on anything against Chris, especially on clay. Chris wasn't giving her short balls to come in on.

[@hanatizi5876]

Pour moi , les 2 légendes du tennis féminin ❤

[@hernanramirez1954]

Para mí,,,,,quizás el mejor partido de todos los tiempos...conjugados,dos estilos opuestos ,tácticas distintas...gran mentalidad de ambas.....

[@leolight5369]

Amazing video quality ! No offense but it's not Evert's last epic win against Navi. She won a few more epic matches after this one, including the 1986 RG final.

[@fjosephgonzales6870]

Right! After this Evert victory (probably the rivalry's most dramatic match), Chris of course beat Martina again the following year in the FO Final. Chris also beat Martina 2 straight years on clay in Houston ('87 and '88), and that '87 Houston final was only the 2nd time in their 80 matches that they went to a final-set tiebreak, which I definitely WOULD also consider one of Evert's "truly epic wins over her arch rival." Chris also handily beat Martina in the 88 Australian Open SF (6-2, 7-5) to advance to her 6th AO Final in 6 attempts; that's called consistency!!

[@johniii8147]

They were pretty even in matches after this one for the rest of there rivialy. The most epic was actually the 1989 AU open semi. Chris destroyed Martina in 2 sets.

[@leolight5369]

@@johniii8147 1988.

[@johniii8147]

@@leolight5369 Yep it was 1988. Probably the best match I've seen her play. She was relentless in that match.

[@stevenlynch3813]

@@johniii8147 not really. Martina beat Chris two for one in their last 20 matches.

[@seapeoples9461]

Fabulous Ladies

[@marioescalante4401]

The line judge at 28:51 looks a bit like Steffi’s mother, Heidi Graf.

[@paulmc5542]

Awesome

[@WONGLER]

Where are the 2 last points ?

[@jpeyton88]

@23:28 Phillipe Chartrier clapping hard for Navratilova. He kept Evert from a possible 3 more French titles by banning her from the French when she dominated the sport. She warmly thanked him for being such a great tournament director when she could have been quite bitter.

[@NOTHEOTHERGUY]

Americans never got to see the whole match! It was chopped up and edited to fit a time slot! We missed the most of the first set and the entire 2nd set! Thanks for nothing, NBC!

[@stevena.2306]

I remember, long time ago. Womn's tennis guess did not bring in the ratings like it does now.

[@8sabu1982]

Chris ❤❤

[@TheVerbalVolley]

I was surprised at how short Martina was hitting many of her groundstrokes in this match. Chrissie exploited all of Martina's weaknesses, yet was not yet 100% sure of herself against her great rival, which actually created the drama, length, and back and forth of the match. I actually think that the championship match the next year, won by Chrissie 2/6,6/3,6/3, was of better quality, but definitely not as suspenseful.

[@zeddeka]

Chris said some years later that she had worked out a plan with her coach and her husband for this match. They'd looked closely at Martina's game and realised that Martina's forehand was in many ways her weaker shot. Whereas Chris would have hit almost totally to Martina's backhand, she worked with her then husband (John Lloyd) to add some topspin to her shots and to hit higher to Martina's forehand to keep her back. I think that may explain some of why Martina wasn't getting any depth.

[@TheVerbalVolley]

It was said by two tennis commentators that Mike Estep was to blame for Martina losing the depth on her forehand. Why try to fix something that isn't broken? They criticized Estep for trying to make her a "female Mike Estep" by hitting with heavy topspin and therefore losing the depth on that shot.@@zeddeka

[@snifferdogxsnifferdogx5977]

Those were the days where brute force wasn't going to win you the match or the championship. So much strategising, manoeuvring, improvisation, skill, accuracy, placement and the rest.

[@lenwelch2195]

Chris speech was so humble saying Martina was best in the world, that this match didn’t change that even though it did by end of th🎉e year maertina was number one. But that wasn’t th🎉e lounr T Chris wanted to prove😂 that on any given day she could win against her especially on clay . From 85 on Chris won 3 mtches on hardcourt and 4 on clay . Martina won 110f 19 matches I clay 4 grass court rest hardcourt and carpet. Chris said it best . On Martina’s best day Martina’s best was better than h🎉er best.

[@MirjanaLfan]

Martina so sporting when she must’ve been a bit gutted.

[@fritzlange7934]

Funny how as the serve and volleyer, it’s Navratilova hitting heavy topspin;)

[@leisurefarm]

wow Martina hit so many topspin backhands in the 2nd set. didn't umpires check lines then?

[@russellfrancis6294]

What happened to match point?

[@willkittwk]

Chrisie played powder puff tennis 🎾 but was so consistent and accurate that she still won big.😢😂

[@gtaquizmaster]

does powder puff mean physically weak

[@willkittwk]

@@gtaquizmaster just pushing the ball to and fro with tactics of course

[@willkittwk]

@@gtaquizmaster look where Martina is receiving serve halfway between baseline and service box. Chrissy probably hitting 65 MPH on her serve.

[@lenwelch2195]

Chris’s legs s eemed exhausted serving at 5-5 a sens e of inevitability,Ty settled in w here Chris wnould lose to Martina down serving love 40 . Then amartina error then a evert backhand ripper bas though she did not care where it landed mad that she found herself down after snuck a lead . Then the shot of the match at 30-40. An exchange at the net Martina usually won e merit won . She turned around on her heel with that neck Lea ding up to the. Sky” I have a chance” with Martina serving at 5-6 Chris finally lebarned Not to play it safe. She had to hit 5 winners to win

[@damiencampbell8320]

😊

[@Sully44JJ]

You are missing match point.

[@russellfrancis6294]

This video used to show match point, I know not why it was removed.

[@gervasio55]

Evert vs SabAtini 1985??????

[@lioneldarde1851]

🥰🥰

[@marccardiff]

Great match, but how in the hell do you omit match point? Couldn't even tell who won until she held the trophy up.

[@beetee9981]

All that and no match point or meet at the net?

[@normadesmond6017]

when ladies tennis was still exiting to watch. I remember this match. wonderful. I can't even remember the names of the female tennis players today. What the hell do I care who wins? It 's sad.

[@Malcriada115]

Yes, getting old is not much fun.

[@normadesmond6017]

@@Malcriada115 it sure isn't

[@jeffhermida4788]

Imagine if Martina had the swinging volley shot near no man's land in her arsenal.

[@Vincenzo82799]

12:22 a “come on” from Chrissy? :)

[@zummamk]

55 minutes to cut the winning point,,really??? ----

[@ChristopherWendel-j5d]

What!? No match point!

[@codyfarris1531]

No match point?!?

[@Michael-zw5or]

il n'y a même pas la balle de match!!! serieux??

[@willkittwk]

Lotta pushin an pokin

[@Michael-et2ed]

Until Steffi rocked the court 😂

[@matildeschmidhammer2309]

Uh

[@a66789]

"

[@grantgoffin4774]

It was the power of Christopher that was too much for Martina in the end.

[@Albuddy1867]

Chris evert was born at the good moment. Steffi graff destroyed her

[@fiwoci43]

They wouldn't win anything today with this sleeping car tennis.