The decade of the 1970s was a crucible for women’s tennis. The sport was emerging from the shadows of amateurism and meager prize money into the bright lights of professional competition. Billie Jean King’s creation of the Virginia Slims Circuit in 1971 shattered old barriers, and television contracts soon brought athletic grace and fierce rivalries into millions of homes. It was into this ferment of change that a 16-year-old with braided hair and a two-handed backhand stepped onto the grass at Forest Hills. Her name was Chris Evert, and she would not only win titles but also reshape the very architecture of women’s tennis. Her prime years—roughly 1974 through 1986—coincided with the sport’s most rapid expansion, making her both a product of the movement and a primary engine driving it forward. The evolution of women’s tennis during this era is inseparable from the career of the player who became known as “the Ice Maiden.”

The Rise of Women’s Tennis in the 1970s

The 1970s represented a transformative decade for women’s tennis. Before this era, the sport was largely overshadowed by its male counterpart, with limited media exposure and significantly lower prize money. The formation of the Virginia Slims Circuit in 1971, spearheaded by Billie Jean King, marked a turning point. This dedicated women’s tour provided a platform for athletes to compete professionally and earn a living. It was within this rapidly evolving landscape that Chris Evert emerged, not just as a champion, but as a symbol of the sport’s growing legitimacy. The television deals signed during this period brought matches into living rooms across America and Europe, making household names of players who combined athletic excellence with compelling personal narratives. The rise of women’s tennis was also fueled by the broader women’s rights movement, which created a receptive audience for stories of female empowerment and achievement in traditionally male-dominated arenas. The introduction of the WTA rankings in 1975 gave fans a clear hierarchy and intensified the stakes of every tournament. Evert became the first official year-end World No. 1 in 1976, a position she would hold for a total of 260 weeks over her career.

Early Career and Meteoric Rise

Christine Marie Evert turned professional in 1972 at the age of 17, but her impact was felt long before she officially joined the tour. Her first major breakthrough came in 1971 when, as a shy 16-year-old amateur, she reached the semifinals of the US Open, immediately captivating the public with her poise and precision. Her two-handed backhand became her signature shot, a stroke that would redefine women’s tennis from its core. Unlike the serve-and-volley style that dominated the era, Evert played from the baseline, relying on depth, angles, and an almost robotic consistency. Her mental fortitude was legendary; she rarely made unforced errors and often appeared unflappable under pressure. By the end of 1973, she had already won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open, signaling the arrival of a new force in the sport. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova, which would define the next decade, began to take shape during these early years, setting the stage for one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. The young Evert also demonstrated remarkable adaptability: she won her first Wimbledon title in 1974 on grass, a surface supposedly inhospitable to baseliners, by using slice and precise passing shots to dismantle the net-rushers.

Evolution of Playing Style and Technique

Chris Evert’s playing style was a study in efficiency and strategy. At a time when power tennis was beginning to emerge, Evert proved that placement and spin could be just as devastating as raw strength. Her groundstrokes were hit with heavy topspin, allowing her to control rallies from behind the baseline. She was exceptionally adept at redirecting her opponent’s pace, using their own power against them. Her footwork was among the best in the game’s history; she was rarely caught out of position, enabling her to hit cleanly off both wings. The two-handed backhand, which she drove down the line with surgical precision, became the gold standard for female players for decades to come. She also possessed an underrated serve and an effective drop shot, which she used sparingly but devastatingly. Over the course of her career, she adapted her game to compete with the rising power of players like Navratilova and Steffi Graf, adding more pace to her shots while never sacrificing her core principle of consistency. This evolution proved that a baseline game could win on all surfaces, including the fast grass of Wimbledon, where she won three titles. Evert’s topspin forehand, often overlooked, was equally penetrating; she could generate sharp angles that pulled opponents wide, then pound a backhand down the line for a winner.

The Contrast with Power Players

The stylistic contrast between Evert and her fiercest rival, Martina Navratilova, was stark and compelling. Navratilova was an attacking player who used her serve and volley to dominate points, while Evert was the ultimate defensive counter-puncher. This contrast elevated women’s tennis to new heights of tactical depth. Fans were treated to a chess match of styles every time they met. Evert’s ability to neutralize Navratilova’s power with her passing shots and lobs was a testament to her tactical acumen. She forced Navratilova to hit risky shots, often drawing errors from the world’s best attacker. Evert also had to contend with other power players like Virginia Wade and Tracy Austin, each of whom brought a different dimension to the game. Her record against these players was exceptional because she could identify weaknesses and exploit them with relentless consistency. This approach to problem-solving on the court influenced an entire generation of players who understood that tennis was not merely about hitting the ball hard, but about constructing points and reading the opponent’s intentions. Evert’s ability to vary the pace—sometimes hitting moonballs to disrupt rhythm, then driving flat–was a precursor to the tactical variety seen in modern greats like Novak Djokovic.

The Mental Game: Composure Under Fire

While Evert’s strokes were technically sound, her psychological strength set her apart. She earned the nickname “Ice Maiden” because she rarely showed emotion on court, even in the tensest moments. This mental armor was not innate; it was honed through rigorous preparation. Her father, Jimmy Evert, a teaching professional, emphasized focus and discipline from an early age. Evert would often spend hours visualizing match scenarios and practicing breathing techniques to stay calm between points. She famously said, “I never lost a match because I was tired.” That statement reflected a deep belief in her fitness and mental reserves. During the most critical points of a match—break points, tiebreaks, deciding sets—Evert’s mind functioned like a computer, calculating probabilities and executing percentages. This mental edge allowed her to win matches she might otherwise have lost, especially against younger, more powerful opponents. The ability to compartmentalize emotions also helped her manage the pressure of staying World No. 1 for years, a feat that required not just talent but also remarkable psychological resilience.

Training and Physical Preparation

Evert was a pioneer in women’s tennis when it came to physical conditioning. In the early 1970s, many players treated fitness as secondary to natural ability. Evert changed that perception. She followed a strict diet, avoiding processed foods even when such practices were uncommon among athletes. She ran miles on the beach, did early morning calisthenics, and incorporated strength training with light weights to protect her joints. Her footwork drills were legendary: she practiced moving laterally with quick, short steps to maintain balance on every shot. This physical foundation allowed her to sustain an extraordinary level of play throughout her career. She suffered fewer major injuries than many of her peers, partly due to her attention to recovery and stretching. Evert’s training regimen inspired later champions like Martina Navratilova, who famously overhauled her own fitness in the early 1980s, and Monica Seles, who adopted Evert’s emphasis on diet and preparation. The modern WTA’s advanced sports science programs owe a debt to Evert’s demonstration that a woman could maintain peak condition well into her thirties.

Impact on Women’s Tennis: Beyond the Baseline

Chris Evert’s influence extended far beyond her 18 Grand Slam singles titles. She was a critical figure in the professionalization of women’s tennis. Her behavior on and off the court set a new standard for sportsmanship. She rarely argued with officials, never smashed her racquet in anger, and conducted her interviews with a graciousness that made her a media darling. This professionalism helped attract sponsors and corporate partners to the women’s game, a vital lifeline during its formative years. She understood that the success of the tour depended not just on winning matches, but on building a positive public image. Furthermore, Evert was an active advocate for the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and worked alongside King to fight for equal prize money. The landmark 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” had opened the door, but Evert helped walk through it by proving that women’s tennis could draw massive television ratings and sell out stadiums. Her presence was a key factor in securing the significant sponsorship deals that allowed the WTA to become a self-sustaining entity. You can learn more about the early days of the WTA’s fight for equality on their official history page.

Inspiring a New Generation

The “Evert Effect” is visible in nearly every player who came after her. Her baseline style directly influenced players like Monica Seles, Jennifer Capriati, and even Andy Murray in the men’s game. The idea that one could win from the back of the court without rushing the net became a viable, and eventually dominant, style. Beyond technique, she taught an entire generation of athletes the value of discipline. Her famous pre-match rituals and her focus on nutrition and physical conditioning were ahead of their time. She demonstrated that a woman could be both fiercely competitive and graceful in defeat. Many of today’s top players, including Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, have cited Evert as a role model for her mental toughness. She also paved the way for players to have long careers; she competed at the highest level until her retirement in 1989 at the age of 34, an age considered advanced for the sport at that time. This longevity showed young players that a career in tennis could be a sustainable and rewarding profession.

The Defining Rivalry: Evert vs. Navratilova

No discussion of Chris Evert’s prime years is complete without acknowledging the extraordinary rivalry with Martina Navratilova. They faced each other 80 times, with Navratilova holding a narrow 43–37 lead. This is widely considered the greatest rivalry in the history of women’s sports. They pushed each other to unprecedented levels of fitness and skill. When Navratilova transformed her body with a rigorous training regimen, Evert responded by working harder on her own fitness and footwork. Their matches were epic battles of will and strategy. From the 1984 French Open final, where Evert won a tense three-setter, to the 1985 Wimbledon final, where Navratilova triumphed on grass, they defined an era. This rivalry brought immense media attention to the WTA tour, generating headlines and television ratings that were previously reserved for men’s tennis. The respect they showed each other off the court, while competing ferociously on it, became a model for how rivals should conduct themselves. For more analysis on the depth of this rivalry, you can read historical retrospectives from Wimbledon’s official archives.

Beyond Navratilova: Other Key Opponents

While the Navratilova rivalry dominates the narrative, Evert also had consequential clashes with other greats. Tracy Austin, 12 years younger, defeated Evert in the 1980 US Open semifinal with a combination of speed and aggression that presaged the power era. Evonne Goolagong, with her balletic movement, pushed Evert to five-set matches in the early rounds of the 1974 Wimbledon final. Even her less famous contemporaries, like Pam Shriver and Hana Mandlikova, brought distinct challenges. Shriver’s booming serve and volley forced Evert to hit precise passing shots under pressure. Mandlikova’s unorthodox game and shot-making flair tested Evert’s consistency on slow clay. Evert’s ability to adapt her game plan to each opponent—whether by using heavy topspin to neutralize a net-rusher or by slicing to disrupt rhythm—demonstrated her tactical intelligence and contributed to her remarkable winning percentage.

Legacy and Continued Influence

Chris Evert’s legacy is multi-layered. She retired with a career winning percentage of approximately 90%, a record that still stands as one of the highest in professional tennis history. Her 13 consecutive semifinal appearances at the US Open and 34 consecutive quarterfinal appearances at Grand Slams are testaments to her extraordinary consistency. She held the World No. 1 ranking for a total of 260 weeks. After retiring, Evert transitioned seamlessly into a career as a tennis commentator and analyst for ESPN, where she continues to educate fans with her sharp insights and deep understanding of the game. She also founded the Chris Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, which has nurtured the careers of numerous young players. Her charitable work, particularly with the Chris Evert Charitable Fund focusing on at-risk children, demonstrates that her character is as strong as her backhand. She remains an ambassador for the sport, frequently participating in legends events and mentoring current WTA players.

The Modern Evert DNA

The DNA of Chris Evert’s game can be seen in the modern WTA. While power has increased significantly, the core principles she championed—consistency, depth, and tactical intelligence—are still the hallmarks of the world’s best players. Iga Świątek’s heavy topspin forehand and her ability to control rallies from the baseline owe a clear debt to Evert’s influence. Coco Gauff’s defensive skills and her ability to construct points from the back of the court also reflect the Evert blueprint. Even the rise of counter-punchers on the tour today shows that the “grinder” style that Evert perfected is still a viable path to success. The professional infrastructure of the WTA—the prize money, the sponsorship deals, and the global reach of the tournaments—was built on the foundation that Evert helped lay. She did not just win matches; she helped build the house in which the sport now lives. Her role in securing the US Open’s commitment to equal prize money was a watershed moment that ripples through the sport to this day.

Media and Commercial Evolution

The prime years of Chris Evert also coincided with a revolution in how women’s tennis was marketed. Before Evert, female players were often treated as novelties. Evert’s crossover appeal—she was a cover star for Sports Illustrated and Time magazines—changed that. Her clean-cut image made her a perfect pitchwoman for products ranging from tennis rackets to Coca-Cola, and her endorsement deals set new benchmarks for female athletes. Television networks began to demand Evert’s matches, and her semifinal and final appearances often determined the broadcast schedule. This commercial viability forced tournament directors to invest in better facilities, stronger prize money, and professional marketing for women’s events. The WTA’s first official title sponsor, Virginia Slims, was followed by a series of major corporations eager to associate with Evert’s winning brand. You can explore the broader economic history of women’s tennis through the Tennis.com archives, which chronicle the sponsorship milestones of the 1970s and 1980s.

Conclusion: The Architect of Modern Women’s Tennis

Chris Evert’s prime years were not merely a showcase of individual brilliance; they were a period of foundational change for women’s tennis. She arrived at a moment when the sport needed a steady, marketable star who could appeal to a broad audience. She provided that star power while simultaneously elevating the level of play to professional heights that had not been seen before. Her intellectual approach to the game, her unwavering composure, and her tactical genius changed how the sport was played and perceived. She was a pioneer who used her racket as a tool for change, proving that a woman could be a dominant athlete without sacrificing grace or intelligence. The evolution of women’s tennis during her prime years is a story of growth, equality, and excellence. As the sport continues to evolve with new stars and new technologies, the foundation built by Chris Evert remains solid. Her 18 Grand Slam titles are a number, but her real achievement is the legacy of professionalism and competitive integrity she left behind. The modern woman’s tennis tour is a global powerhouse, and for that, the name Chris Evert deserves a place of honor in the history books.