Chris Evert

Biography

Chris Evert brought poker-faced precision to women's tennis, her two-handed backhand becoming the most reliable shot in the sport's history. The 90% career winning percentage speaks to a consistency that bordered on mechanical - opponents knew exactly what was coming and still couldn't stop it. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova became the defining narrative of 1970s and 80s tennis, their 80 matches splitting almost evenly despite radically different styles. Where Navratilova attacked, Evert counterpunched; where one serve-and-volleyed, the other dominated from the baseline. Seven French Open titles proved her clay mastery, while six US Opens showed her hard-court prowess. As a teenager, she was "America's Sweetheart," the girl next door who happened to be the best tennis player in the world.

Career Highlights

• 18 Grand Slam singles titles
• 260 weeks as World No. 1
• 90% career winning percentage
• 7 French Open titles (record)
• 6 US Open titles

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