70 ladies top ten: 1/Evert

[kiki]

Well, that GS won by Court as well as Margaret winning the 73 FO against Evert after being out of the court due to her pregnancy, made oneself have certain doubts about who was the real Queen of the decade, the decade that put women´s tennis and WTA on the spotlight.

Court was a better and more rounded player who could be extremely tough even at her middle 30´s but Chris won more big titles amd more often.

Evert was the counterpart of Connors and Borg.The three shared the pattented two handed BH, Evert and Connors, besides their personal relationship shared extremely flat groundies, and of course, Evert and Borg shared that unbeatability from the backcourt on any slow surface and also, a pleasant character.

But Chris, was also the Bride of America, the perfect girl and the most accomplished marketing agent of the open era.Much as she loved perfection, she was really always ready to deliver.You had to beat her, she wouldn´t beat herself.After Navy but specially Austin beat here so bad in 79, she reinvented herself in 1980 and gave herself 10 more years at the top of the game.That was her biggest success on the sport she loved so much.

 

[kiki]

2/Court

Even if the ladies had 4 megastars in the 70´s and another one that would became another megastar as soon as 1982, Court was really the second best and could even challenge for the top position.As I mentioned when talking about Evert, she was able to beat Evert at a RG final over three close sets as late ( for Maggie) as 1973.3 years after she won the GS in 1970, right, the following year to Laver´s own GS.

Court had such a massive record in the 60´s, when her wonderful rivalry with both, Bueno and King made ladies tennis very exciting.She continued to be a major factor as long as 1975.

Court has been, most likely, the most complete woman to play the game.No flaw at all.She is " All Court" tennis by her own merits.

 

[kiki]

3/bjk

King will always be remembered for that Battle of Sexes but also because she created, both, WTA/Virginia Slims circuit and was instrumental to the development of the WTT.King was such a trailblazer.Most consider her the most influential single person in the 120 years this sport has been going on.I buy it.

But, she was a fantastic singles and doubs player AS WELL.Maybe the best ever at doubs and, certainly, in the all time top 10 at singles.In the 70´she won everything in spite of many injuries that cut her consistency.You had one excellent year of this S&V queen and then one bad one.Seesaw.Injuries.

But still, a major factor during the whole decade...and who said she couldn´t play well on clay? didn´t she win Rome and Paris in 1972?

 

[kiki]

4/Evonne

Yes, Evonne.When one hears that celestial name, one inmediately feels transported to the world of fairies, with her magic dust being able to create wonders, surprises, the impossible...and those walkabouts¡¡¡

She was the Queen of the Aborigen community which speaks volume of her of a trailblazer.Even if she didn´t really feel like a natural leader.

She had everything to be a truly number one player.Grace, quickness, footwork ( The absolute best of the decade, she never ran, she just floated like the fairies), amazing shotmaking, a good serve, a magnificient volley...and the best one handed BH of the decade, and who knows, if any time.She was Bueno when Bueno could no longer hold.

And, after giving birth to her son, she just went on to beat...Mandlikova,Austin and Evert back to back to win her last major, at Wimbledon 1980 when she was already semiretired.

Evonne...was she real or just a dream ?

 

[kiki]

5/Navratilova

In an era full of talent, variety and characters, yes, nonetheless the Golden Era, women never backed up.I´d say they were even more appealing as characters than men even if that seems impossible to reach.Navy was one of them.

The first top sportswoman to have the guts, yes, the guts to depart from the eastern bloc and become a western citizen after 6 years without a motherland.The first who admitted lesbianism (King did later).

That tremendously gifted left handed dominated the 1978/1979 fast courts like a storm.Beat Evert to win both Wimbledons, and beat Austin to win the Avon Finals and the Virginia Slim finals on carpet.She also had won a first VS final beating again Chris in the 1978 final...well, I know she became unbeatable anywhere from 1982 to 1987 but I just cannot believe seasoned tennis posters here ignore her pre 1982 achievements...like if Martina wasn´t the best player of the world in 1979¡¡¡ and the best in doubles, too.

Her team with King was a lesson of how doubles must be played.

 

[kiki]

6/Wade

Ginny´s centennial Wimbledon win over Chris Evert, in 1977, was one of the fairy tales of a decade so rich in them...but she was also a US Open and AO champion and one of the very best women to ever play the S&V style and be a consistent top tenner.

She should have probably achieved more, as she had the talent and athleticism to do, but she always felt short of that little thing.Evert was tougher menthally, Navratilova had a more athletic and dominant version of the old S&V style and Evonne was more creative.But Ginny belongs there with the best...and after her, the top ten of the decade goes through a big slump, as we have only one timers here to complete the list (Austin,Barker,Reid,Jausovec,Richey and Ruzici).

 

[kiki]

7/Austin

Yes, there are some one timers here but Tracy was clearly the best one.And even if we exclude her 1980´s wins, she´d still rank higher.

The rest won majors when the big girls were on a slump...or simply not participating.

Not Miss Austin.

This more potent version of Evert, had the same iron will and discipline as Miss Evert herself but, different to the rest of the one timers, she won AGAINST FULL FIELDS, beating the likes of Navratilova and Evert when that counted.She was in their league, not in Richey,Barker or Jausovec league.That is proven by her 1979 USO title, but she was also dominating 1979 Evert at the Avon Finals ( the women equivalent to the WCT finals), the Virginia Slims finals ( the women equivalent to the Masters) and the then prestigious Italian Open.

Tracy in 79 showed what would come in 1980 and 1981.And she almost made Chris think deeply about retirement or, at least, made such an impression on the journalists that most were asking themselves not IF but WHEN would Austin retire the Ice Girl of the 1970´s.

 

[kiki]

8/Richey

I´ll give that position to Nancy Richey because she was able to be Evert´s toughest rival on clay and , possibly, the only one that had a chance to beat Chris on her beloved clay, at least until Austin showed up.

She didn´t have a nice game but, like her brother Cliff, she had a great heart, a never say die atittude and a great tactical sense to go with her, somewhat tight and not very ortodox, but very solid and effective groundstrokes.And she also had major titles wins in the 60´s...

 

[kiki]

9 equo/Sue Barker

The best FH stroke of her generation and a very pretty face.Sue won the FO and reached the W sf and she scored wins at some time over the whole package of greats (Navratilova,Evert,Goolagong)...so she deserves to be a top tenner for the whole decade.

She was, in a way and in a very appealing way, complementary to Wade.And this Surrey girl who was a target for british tabloids during the second half of the 70´s, teamed up with Virginia to give Britain their last ( men or women) big win, at the 1978 Wightman Cup ( vs the USA)...until Murray won his first major a very few years ago...

And they will always have the claim to say that Girls did it better than Guys in the 70´s.Because, that very same year, the male britons reached their last DC final up to date...with the big difference that they lost it, also against the USA...

 

[kiki]

10 equo/Jausovec

She won the 1977 French Open against the czech Marsikova and lost the 1978 French Open final against her doubles partner, the romanian Virginia Ruzici.She also reached the 1977 ( her best year) US Internationals semifinals, where Evert trashed her, as she most often did.

But Mima was a nice addition to the WTA tour.She was elegant, smart and had a sound understanding of the game.And a great sliced BH as well.She also happened to be the first Yugoslavia female to reach top ten status at the WTA rankings...around 15 yrs before a certain Monica Seles became a pro.

 

[Mainad]

Sue (who is from Devon, not Surrey) is endearingly modest and always blushes slightly whenever anybody mentions her French Open title. She, Wade, Ann Jones and Angela Mortimer are the only surviving British female Grand Slam winners!

She has gone on record as saying how embarrassed she was to disappoint the nation by not making the anticipated all-British women's final at 1977 Wimbledon which was being attended by the Queen to mark her Silver Jubilee. She said she was so down about it that she couldn't bear to watch the final which Wade won! It's strange to think that she never did make a final at Wimbledon and even Wade only ever made the one!

Nowadays, she is the popular face of Wimbledon for BBC viewers and always interviews the finalists on Centre Court after the final has been played. She also hosts the long-running BBC quiz show, 'A Question Of Sport' which features teams of sportsmen and women on two rival panels.


Sue Barker at 1976 Wimbledon:

 

[kiki]

Sue is endearingly modest and always blushes slightly whenever anybody mentions her French Open title. She, Wade, Ann Jones and Angela Mortimer are the only surviving British female Grand Slam winners!

She has gone on record as saying how embarrassed she was to disappoint the nation by not making the anticipated all-British women's final at 1977 Wimbledon which was being attended by the Queen to mark her Silver Jubilee. She said she was so down about it that she couldn't bear to watch the final which Wade won! It's strange to think that she never did make a final at Wimbledon and even Wade only ever made the one!

Nowadays, she is the popular face of Wimbledon for BBC viewers and always interviews the finalists on Centre Court after the final has been played. She also hosts the long-running BBC quiz show, 'A Question Of Sport' which features teams of sportsmen and women on two rival panels.

what´s her football team?

 

[Mainad]

what´s her football team?

No idea.

According to her Wiki entry, she posted wins over Evert, Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Tracy Austin, Virginia Wade, Maria Bueno, Rosemary Casals, Andrea Jaeger and Pam Shriver during her 11 year career.

 

[kiki]

No idea.

According to her Wiki entry, she posted wins over Evert, Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Tracy Austin, Virginia Wade, Maria Bueno, Rosemary Casals, Andrea Jaeger and Pam Shriver during her 11 year career.

Very impressive indeed.

She fits very well in the BBC profile.

Wade is also a fabulous commentator.Smart girl...college degree actually

BTW, had forgotten she played Bueno at Wimbledon¡¡¡ Esther was already 37 so must have been her last match there.

 

[kiki]

13/Ruzici

She won the 1977 French Open against the czech Marsikova and lost the 1978 French Open final against her doubles partner, the romanian Virginia Ruzici.She also reached the 1977 ( her best year) US Internationals semifinals, where Evert trashed her, as she most often did.

But Mima was a nice addition to the WTA tour.She was elegant, smart and had a sound understanding of the game.And a great sliced BH as well.She also happened to be the first Yugoslavia female to reach top ten status at the WTA rankings...around 15 yrs before a certain Monica Seles became a pro.

As mods concentrated all threads in one, I´ll end up with 16 seeded list of the all 70´s ladies championship.

Here comes the 1978 FO champion who would also play another final there in 1980.Ruzici was a sort of Nastase´s female, just that a mild mannered girl who was well liked by her peers.A good serve, great footwork and her big FH were her main weapons.She also did well at doubles...and did well on fast surfaces, recahing the SF of the Avon Championships.

 

[kiki]

14/Kerry Reid

As mods concentrated all threads in one, I´ll end up with 16 seeded list of the all 70´s ladies chmpionship.

Here comes the 1978 FO champion who wouñl also play another final there in 1980.Ruzici was a sort of Nastase´s female, just that a mild mannered girl who was well liked by her peers.A good serve, great footwork and her big FH were her main weapons.She also did well at doubles...and did well on fast surfaces, recahing the SF of the Avon Championships.

Australian champion and Forest Hills finalist, Reid Melville was a great aussie player who stayed in the top ten for most of the decade.Solid player, wih great groundies and also, pretty good at the net.Her solid results all throughout the decade, includng wins over Navratilova ( twice) and Evert make her a worthy seeded deserving player.

 

[kiki]

15/Wendy Turnbull

Ausralian champion and Forest Hills finalist, Reid Melville was a great aussie player who stayed in the top ten for most of the decade.Solid player, wih great groundies and also, pretty good at the net.Her solid results all throughout the decade, includng wins over Navratilova ( twice) and Evert make her a worthy seeded deserving player.

The rabbit has one of the best female and mixed doubles record of the Open Era.She was lightening quick, great volleyer and solid enough backwards to beat also most of the top ranked girls in singles tournaments, as she did against Goolagong,Navratilova,Evert and Austin in her magic year: 1979.Before that, she had been playing at the USO sf but it would be her Roland Garros final that year that consolidated her position as one of the best and most interesting players of the second half of the decade.

 

[kiki]

16/Fromholtz

The fifth great australian player of the decade, possibly the greatest ever decade for the aussie girls in history.Mrs Backhand was a lefty with a good serve and a good volley, too.She was dangerous for anybody, as her 1979/1980 results attest ; she did beat all the big names of the decade, including Evert,Austin and Martina Navratilova.A RG and USO semifinalist, she won also the decimated AO in 1976.Nice looking and straightforwards, her pattented BH was one of the most complete of her time.

Sorry Regina Marsikova, FO finalist in 1977, sorry Betty Stove, Centennial Wimbledon finalist (1977), sorry Pam Shriver, USO F in 1978, Sorry you Barbara Jordan, who won the 1979 Australian Open in such a surprising manner.I assume my responsabilities for leaving you all out of my seeding list..and any dammage to your honour that comes from that.

 

[kiki]

11/Casals

She won the 1977 French Open against the czech Marsikova and lost the 1978 French Open final against her doubles partner, the romanian Virginia Ruzici.She also reached the 1977 ( her best year) US Internationals semifinals, where Evert trashed her, as she most often did.

But Mima was a nice addition to the WTA tour.She was elegant, smart and had a sound understanding of the game.And a great sliced BH as well.She also happened to be the first Yugoslavia female to reach top ten status at the WTA rankings...around 15 yrs before a certain Monica Seles became a pro.

Rosie would be considered "an influencer" speaking in current terms.Great contribution to the Lib Mov, she and her close friend King happened to be the best pair of the early 70s and instrumental in the creation of the Pro Tour and WTA rankings.She was lightening quick, fast reflexes, great volley but, unfortunatly, she didn´t have solid or strong enough groundies to earn her a major title.However she had a good record ( W and USO f and USO F) and her influence in the game certainly makes her a seeded for the ALL 1970´S FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP

She came off the closet after Navy and King did.

 

[kiki]

12/Olga Morozova

Rosie would be considered "an influencer" speaking in current terms.Great contribution to the Lib Mov, she and her close friend King happened to be the best pair of the early 70s and instrumental in the creation of the Pro Tour and WTA rankings.She was lightening quick, fast reflexes, great volley but not solid or strong enough groundies to earn her a major title.However she had a good record ( W and USO f and USO F) and her influence in the game certainly makes her a seeded for the ALL 1970´S FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP

She came off the closet after Navy and King did.

Another major influence as well as she was the first great russian player in history and the granma of the currents Dementieva and Sharapova.She didn´t do better than 1974, her great season in which she lost to peak Evert at both, the French and Wimbledon final.And the small blondie from Florida and the exotic brunette from Russia teamed up together for a while in a sort of a pre Hingis/Kournikova combo...which was nice seeing.

 

[PDJ]

I miss Kiki for this kind of thread.

 

[BTURNER]

we all do. Kiki was what I refer to as an 'impressionist' tennis poster. Kiki's impressions were more important than any objective criteria. That was who Kiki was. But when Kiki was in a manic phase, there were sometimes 3, 5 or 8 separate threads to greet me in the morning when I checked in here. I don't doubt Kiki had an 50's ladies top ten, a 80's ladies top ten and a 90's ladies top ten. A moderator may have taken this sort of thing as 'spamming' but I really believe there was unmedicated illness behind it rather than deliberate trolling.

 

[Gizo]

I miss Kiki for this kind of thread.

Likewise.

I have no knowledge about, and am not going to get involved in, why he was banned (I think Kiki was male based on discussions that we had), but he created interesting threads about a wide range of players, including a wide range of threads related to women's tennis. Discussions regarding women's tennis are especially welcome.

 

[urban]

Yesterday i saw on Sky a WTA program, about the top WTA women of all time, and interviews with many leading women. They had 1. Serena, 2. Nav. 3. Graf. 4. BJK. 5. Evert. I don't know, where Court is here, and also don't know the criteria used..