Chris Evert is a tennis great who won at least one Grand Slam singles championship 13 years in a row (1974-1986). Born on December 21, 1954, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Evert began her tennis career at a young age. By 14, she was the number one nationally ranked player in the Girls’ 14-under Division.
Early Career
At 15, Evert beat the number one ranked player in the world at the time, Margaret Court. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova began in 1973 and lasted until 1988, and has been called the greatest in sports history. They faced each other in 14 major finals.
Evert was ranked number one in the world for seven years: 1974-1978, 1980, and 1981. She holds 157 singles titles and 18 Grand Slam singles titles, and three Grand Slam doubles titles, two of which are with Navratilova.
Late Career and Personal Life
In 1971, at 16, Evert reached the US Open semifinals, losing to Billie Jean King. She turned professional on her 18th birthday in 1972. Evert has been married three times: to Greg Norman, Andy Mill, and John Lloyd. She has three children with Andy Mill: Colton, Nicholas, and Alexander.
Evert has been involved in various charitable activities, including the launch of Chris Evert Charities, Inc. to fight substance abuse and children born into drug addiction. She has also worked as an analyst with NBC Sports and has been a commentator and analyst for ESPN.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
