Chris Evert's unusually erratic play from match to match in 89

[martinezownsclay]

Looking at Chris in her final year of 89, while she was obviously well past her true prime at age 34 now, she still could play extremely well at times, but she could drop some real stinkers out of nowhere. Her level seemed all over the place.

Here is one of her best matches of the year where she pushed Graf (in arguably her peak year of tennis despite it not being her Grand Slam year) to 3 sets at Boca Raton:

Here is her absolutely destroying top 5 player Zina Garrison (who she would lose to later that year) in the Miami semis:

Here however is her struggling badly and nearly losing to Laura Golarsa at Wimbledon:

Here is one of probably the worst performances of her whole career, commiting 50 unforced errors in only 2 sets of tennis in her loss to Anne Minter at the Canadian Open:

Here in an extremely impressive performance is her destroying young Monica Seles at the US Open:

Here is her quarter final loss to Garrison at that years US Open: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-FLVrNO3KQ&ab_channel=UnitedStatesTennisAssociation(USTA)

Of note she played all 3 of Graf, Garrison, Seles, 2 times that year. Against Graf she had the 3 set war in Boca, but barely able to scrape out 3 games in their Wimbledon semi. Against Seles she had a 3 set loss in the Houston final, and the 6-2, 6-0 US Open win. Against Garrison she had a 6-3, 6-1 win, but a 7-6, 6-2 loss. Notice the very large disparity in the outcomes of the 2 matches in each case. While Evert's level was not the only difference in these matches, Seles was definitely better in the Houston match than the US Open one, Garrison was considerably better in the US Open match than the Miami one, and Graf was probably a bit better and sharper at Wimbledon than in the Boca Raton match, along with some tactical adjustments made, this also does reflect Evert's wildly flucuating level by then, how she would play a lot better in many matches than many other matches. No consistency from match to match anymore, even if on a good day she was still capable of incredible consistency within a match itself. That must have been frustrating to such a perfectionist as herself, maybe a reason she retired, along with her age.

 

[Mustard]

That's what happens when you get old.

 

[martinezownsclay]

That's what happens when you get old.

But I figured you would have a dropped level from age, but atleast a relatively steady level at whatever your now new diminished level is. But she would have matches she played almost as well as in her prime, and others she played as if she were atleast 40 rather than 34.

 

[Mustard]

But I figured you would have a dropped level from age, but atleast a relatively steady level at whatever your now new diminished level is. But she would have matches she played almost as well as in her prime, and others she played as if she were atleast 40 rather than 34.

It's what happens. Your consistency drops off, first from week to week, later from match to match, and sometimes during the same match. Look at Djokovic right now. Yes, they can occasionally turn the clock back and play at their very best for a day.

 

[martinezownsclay]

It's what happens. Your consistency drops off, first from week to week, later from match to match, and sometimes during the same match. Look at Djokovic right now. Yes, they can occasionally turn the clock back and play at their very best for a day.

My impression of Djokovic is slightly different. It appears to me the last 18 months he is outright tanking the regular tour, but playing at a consistently similar level (near his current, aged best) in big events, with the US Open being the only exception but I think that due to fatigue from the Olympics. Maybe he is doing that though knowing playing near your best event to event is impossible at his age, so purposely is saving himself only for the big events though, which is an approach Evert never took or probably would feel comfortable taking.

 

[ollinger]

"Everything ends badly, otherwise it would never end"
----Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise), in "Cocktail"

 

[Grafil Injection]

Talent was still there, but commitment after 18 years on tour was understandably waning. 35 was considered the time to switch to doubles in those days.

 

[BTURNER]

But I figured you would have a dropped level from age, but atleast a relatively steady level at whatever your now new diminished level is. But she would have matches she played almost as well as in her prime, and others she played as if she were atleast 40 rather than 34.

I think what you are missing is how little tennis she actually played throughout the year. She played only one event in the first two months of the year which lead to a QF loss . She played a full calender in March but it begins with a Rd 1 loss to Hana. Then you see better play throughout the month because she is beginning to get into the routine, but it stops when March stops. Nothing played through most of April when she loses to unseeded Monica in Houston F after 4 matches. The next time she plays, its just two matches in all of May with a loss to Barbara Paulis in the second rd as the prize. Next we see her pulling out of Pilkington Glass with an ear infection with only two matches under her belt before Wimbledon starts. Now she normally takes a long break after Wimbledon, but she can ill afford it this year. When does she next arrive to play? Its Toronto in July 21 and again its a second rd loss to Minter. She starts to get a little consistent play in the first week of the US Open, and gets that great win over Monica, but it's been that long since she has played a good S/Ver at Wimbledon. There goes that QF to Garrison. The difference between this match with Zina and the one prior, is almost 3 weeks of constant match play between Boca Raton and Lipton ( a two week event)
1989 is the only year that she did not enter a single doubles event other than Wimbledon (she partnered with Hana for three matches before they lost). She really was not committed all year long and its really going to show if you are 34 years old with one foot and half your mind, ready to leave.

 

[jrepac]

She pretty much said that her heart wasn't in it, by 1989 Still, that Seles match is one amazing performance. Granted, Monica's a kid, but a very dangerous one Chris's play was stellar that day.

 

[BTURNER]

She pretty much said that her heart wasn't in it, by 1989 Still, that Seles match is one amazing performance. Granted, Monica's a kid, but a very dangerous one Chris's play was stellar that day.

She played two or three remarkable matches that year. Two or three good solid matches as well, and the rest.... well - we fans really don't want to look at those.

 

[insideoutforehanders]

I think what you are missing is how little tennis she actually played throughout the year. She played only one event in the first two months of the year which lead to a QF loss . She played a full calender in March but it begins with a Rd 1 loss to Hana. Then you see better play throughout the month because she is beginning to get into the routine, but it stops when March stops. Nothing played through most of April when she loses to unseeded Monica in Houston F after 4 matches. The next time she plays, its just two matches in all of May with a loss to Barbara Paulis in the second rd as the prize. Next we see her pulling out of Pilkington Glass with an ear infection with only two matches under her belt before Wimbledon starts. Now she normally takes a long break after Wimbledon, but she can ill afford it this year. When does she next arrive to play? Its Toronto in July 21 and again its a second rd loss to Minter. She starts to get a little consistent play in the first week of the US Open, and gets that great win over Monica, but it's been that long since she has played a good S/Ver at Wimbledon. There goes that QF to Garrison. The difference between this match with Zina and the one prior, is almost 3 weeks of constant match play between Boca Raton and Lipton ( a two week event)
1989 is the only year that she did not enter a single doubles event other than Wimbledon (she partnered with Hana for three matches before they lost). She really was not committed all year long and its really going to show if you are 34 years old with one foot and half your mind, ready to leave.

Well on the bolded part another difference was also Zina played some of her absolute best tennis from 5-2 and even 4-0 down in the 1st set, as opposed to the super error plagued match she played at the Lipton vs Chris; granted this being arguably her norm despite being a perennial top 10 player, is a ton and string of sloppy errors, and poor shot selection, vs a top opponent. US Open was more an outlier of controlled agression and a really steady performance vs a top player, similar to her match vs Graf at Wimbledon 90, another huge outlier for her. Agree with all of this though.

 

[jrepac]

Well on the bolded part another difference was also Zina played some of her absolute best tennis from 5-2 and even 4-0 down in the 1st set, as opposed to the super error plagued match she played at the Lipton vs Chris; granted this being arguably her norm despite being a perennial top 10 player, is a ton and string of sloppy errors, and poor shot selection, vs a top opponent. US Open was more an outlier of controlled agression and a really steady performance vs a top player, similar to her match vs Graf at Wimbledon 90, another huge outlier for her. Agree with all of this though.

Give Zina her due. She played great that day vs. Chris. That and her match vs. Steffi were probably her 2 best ever. I really thought she had decent shot at winning W that year.

 

[BTURNER]

Give Zina her due. She played great that day vs. Chris. That and her match vs. Steffi were probably her 2 best ever. I really thought she had decent shot at winning W that year.

She was the definition of a ticking bomb in the draw. How many players do we know who beat 7 future or former #1 players in the world in Grand slam play who did not themselves ever reach 1-3 in the world?..

She beat Goolagong (82 Wimb) Evert (89 US), Navratilova (88 US), Arantxa Sanchez (88 OPen) Graf (90 Wimb) and Seles (90 Wimb) and Lindsey Davenport (95 OPen) Even if they were not #1 when she beat them, it represents a hell of a lot of talent in big match play .

* It doesn't quite count, but she also beat Mandlikova (85 Aussie)

 

[jrepac]

She was the definition of a ticking bomb in the draw. How many players do we know who beat 7 future or former #1 players in the world in Grand slam play who did not themselves ever reach 1-3 in the world?..

She beat Goolagong (82 Wimb) Evert (89 US), Navratilova (88 US), Arantxa Sanchez (88 OPen) Graf (90 Wimb) and Seles (90 Wimb) and Lindsey Davenport (95 OPen) Even if they were not #1 when she beat them, it represents a hell of a lot of talent in big match play .

* It doesn't quite count, but she also beat Mandlikova (85 Aussie)

Super impressive