The reason was that Chrissie was 13 years younger than Billie Jean and 15 years younger than Margaret Court. On clay, that makes a huge difference in terms of endurance. Chrissie grounded up her opponents into the clay courts. There will never be another clay court player (women) that was better than Chrissie Evert, and only Rafael Nadal is better than she was on the clay courts.it does not explain why King and Court never established a winning record over Evert when she was new, and they were established 1-2 players in the world. They should both have a 4 -0 or 6-0 head to head lead before WTT starts in 1974, not 1970,1971,1972, 1973. Its really astonishing that this girl either got ahead or stayed even with both of them from the first day she played them. That's not normal and clay does not explain enough because in theory they are both good solid professional clay courters (Court is more than that) while she is still playing barely free of junior tournaments.
They were used to baseliners/ European style claycourters. Those folks have always been around showing up in the QF, SF, and finals of clay venues, and losing in the R16, or QF on grass, but they were NOT used to Evert because her concentration, stroke production, anticipation and depth were at another altitude. And they were not used to that potent, disguised, steady and oddly flat two handed backhand. They presumed that was the exploitable weakness in 70,71,72,73. Slice the approach wide and force this girl to reach. It did not work, because Evert kept her balls deeper longer, and they lost patience and went for too much angle from too far back or because they simply could not handle accuracy of the passes.Chrissie was an anomaly. She was a baseline player in a time of serve and volley supremacy. Players weren't used to that type of play in an opponent. Her father coached her well. Billie Jean was the only one who could play her close. Their head to head at the end of 1975 was 8-7 Evert. After her double knee operation in 1976, she lost a step or two and was never able to challenge Chrissie again. Billie Jean could "read" where Chrissie was going to hit her groundstrokes and lobs back then , but Margaret was completely baffled by Chrissie's game.
Excellent post. I think that Richey won their first six matches, and that Chrissie won their final eight matches. Billie Jean could keep up with Chrissie on any surface other than clay. She was a master tactician and had one of the smartest tennis minds to have ever played the sport. That is why she kept their head to head matches virtually even until after 1975. Also, back then, grass was the predominant surface. There were not as many clay court tournaments to be had. That all changed when the US Open changed to clay courts from 1975-1977. Chrissie was invincible during those years on clay. I think that the clay court season is a bit too long now. They should push Roland Garros back two weeks and add two weeks to the grass court circuit prior to Wimbledon. They should require players to participate in at least two tournaments prior to the Grand Slam tournament on that surface. Oz should go back to grass, so that players would have to learn how to play on that surface and it would take on more importance in terms of players mastering all court surfaces. Grass is far too inferior to other surfaces in todays game.They were used to baseliners/ European style claycourters. Those folks have always been around showing up in the QF, SF, and finals of clay venues, and losing in the R16, or QF on grass, but they were NOT used to Evert because her concentration, stroke production, anticipation and depth were at another altitude. And they were not used to that potent, disguised, steady and oddly flat two handed backhand. They presumed that was the exploitable weakness in 70,71,72,73. Slice the approach wide and force this girl to reach. It did not work, because Evert kept her balls deeper longer, and they lost patience and went for too much angle from too far back or because they simply could not handle accuracy of the passes.
I think King was smarter, because she added a whole lot more variety in her approaches and from the backcourt, and took a lot of pace off the ball earlier in rallies than the rest. It worked very well on fast surfaces because Young Evert had to move forward to generate pace off very low balls or back on moonballs. King wrote the book on how to beat Chris on grass. Margaret wrote a different chapter on slower higher bouncing surfaces.
Richey kept Chris winless longer than any other player.
Verbal, I misidentified the 1972 Dallas as being on hard courts above instead of carpet in my OP, but I did not screw up on the result or totals. In the 15 matches between 1971-1975, they played 7 times on clay or hard courts and 8 times on grass or carpet. Evert stole one of the carpet meetings from King. The sets split as follows: Evert won 19 sets (including 4 stolen on carpet+ 1 on grass ) King won 16 sets (including 1 stolen on clay +1 stolen on Hard courts).Excellent post. I think that Richey won their first six matches, and that Chrissie won their final eight matches. Billie Jean could keep up with Chrissie on any surface other than clay. She was a master tactician and had one of the smartest tennis minds to have ever played the sport. That is why she kept their head to head matches virtually even until after 1975. Also, back then, grass was the predominant surface. There were not as many clay court tournaments to be had. That all changed when the US Open changed to clay courts from 1975-1977. Chrissie was invincible during those years on clay. I think that the clay court season is a bit too long now. They should push Roland Garros back two weeks and add two weeks to the grass court circuit prior to Wimbledon. They should require players to participate in at least two tournaments prior to the Grand Slam tournament on that surface. Oz should go back to grass, so that players would have to learn how to play on that surface and it would take on more importance in terms of players mastering all court surfaces. Grass is far too inferior to other surfaces in todays game.
You and I share a lot of the same opinions. I also wish that the indoor carpet season would come back, culminating in Oz. It was very exciting to have a "season within a season" years ago, like we had with the old Virginia Slims tournaments, which ran from January to April, culminating in a fifth Grand Slam tournament at the Virginia Slims Championships. I remember attending that event at Madison Square Garden, and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. Crowds of 15,000 - 19,000 packed the Garden from semi-finals on. I don't think that it would be as successful today as it was then, because the players today are not as well known as they were in the 1970s and 1980s (Evert, King, Goolagong, Graf, Court, Wade... I could go on and on). Short of that, I think making Oz a grass court event would be beneficial to the sport. The grass court season is far too brief right now, and having Oz being contested on grass would make players have to try and master the surface. Many players do not play warm up events before Wimbledon because they feel so uncomfortable on it, which creates many upsets of top players at the Big W. BTW, I don't know your age, but I have an interesting story about one of their matches on a hard court surface. 1975: Billie and Chrissie were playing at the L'Eggs Tournament of Champions, which was only BJK's fourth tournament of the year. It was a classic clash. Billie won the first set 6/4, Chrissie the second 6/3. BJK was serving for the match at 6/5 in the final set, when she got a horrendous line call made against her. It was a blatant mistake. Billie protested to the chair umpire, but she would not budge, and BJK ended up losing the match 4/6,6/3,7/6 (5-2). She was never so angry about a match. Lee Jackson was the "Queen of Chair Umpires" back then, but she wasn't officiating in that tournament. When Billie saw Lee a few weeks later, she said to her, "Lee, baby, where were you?". She knew that Jackson would have had the point replayed. Peace...Verbal, I misidentified the 1972 Dallas as being on hard courts above instead of carpet in my OP, but I did not screw up on the result or totals. In the 15 matches between 1971-1975, they played 7 times on clay or hard courts and 8 times on grass or carpet. Evert stole one of the carpet meetings from King. The sets split as follows: Evert won 19 sets (including 4 stolen on carpet+ 1 on grass ) King won 16 sets (including 1 stolen on clay +1 stolen on Hard courts).
I actually like those recommendations except the last unless they replant the old grass at Wimbledon and leave the rye for the Aussie. Its a little unfair to have two slams on either clay or fast grass. I really wish we could go back to an indoor carpet season and that could include the Aussie.
I'm sure the players would hate having more events...particularly indoors. I miss all of that...roll out that carpet and instant tennis! The Slims was a great event. As was the Masters. I also agree that more time prior to W would be a plus...a few more events on the turf. I've often wondered why the Hall of Fame championship isn't BEFORE W, rather than after. Same w/exos....where have they gone? Few and far between. Usually 1 or 2 at MSG during the year, if you are lucky. But the big money invitationals (Suntory, Molson, Michelob, etc.) seem to be goneYou and I share a lot of the same opinions. I also wish that the indoor carpet season would come back, culminating in Oz. It was very exciting to have a "season within a season" years ago, like we had with the old Virginia Slims tournaments, which ran from January to April, culminating in a fifth Grand Slam tournament at the Virginia Slims Championships. I remember attending that event at Madison Square Garden, and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. Crowds of 15,000 - 19,000 packed the Garden from semi-finals on. I don't think that it would be as successful today as it was then, because the players today are not as well known as they were in the 1970s and 1980s (Evert, King, Goolagong, Graf, Court, Wade... I could go on and on). Short of that, I think making Oz a grass court event would be beneficial to the sport. The grass court season is far too brief right now, and having Oz being contested on grass would make players have to try and master the surface. Many players do not play warm up events before Wimbledon because they feel so uncomfortable on it, which creates many upsets of top players at the Big W. BTW, I don't know your age, but I have an interesting story about one of their matches on a hard court surface. 1975: Billie and Chrissie were playing at the L'Eggs Tournament of Champions, which was only BJK's fourth tournament of the year. It was a classic clash. Billie won the first set 6/4, Chrissie the second 6/3. BJK was serving for the match at 6/5 in the final set, when she got a horrendous line call made against her. It was a blatant mistake. Billie protested to the chair umpire, but she would not budge, and BJK ended up losing the match 4/6,6/3,7/6 (5-2). She was never so angry about a match. Lee Jackson was the "Queen of Chair Umpires" back then, but she wasn't officiating in that tournament. When Billie saw Lee a few weeks later, she said to her, "Lee, baby, where were you?". She knew that Jackson would have had the point replayed. Peace...
Totally agree. The Hall of Fame Championships should be played prior to the Big W. And the players back in the 1970s supported the tournament, unlike today when the field is always weak. Also, I remember that Eastbourne had the players competing in SIX matches to win the event, and all of the top women participated in it. If there was a problem with the weather, they would sometimes have to play two matches in a day to "catch up".I'm sure the players would hate having more events...particularly indoors. I miss all of that...roll out that carpet and instant tennis! The Slims was a great event. As was the Masters. I also agree that more time prior to W would be a plus...a few more events on the turf. I've often wondered why the Hall of Fame championship isn't BEFORE W, rather than after. Same w/exos....where have they gone? Few and far between. Usually 1 or 2 at MSG during the year, if you are lucky. But the big money invitationals (Suntory, Molson, Michelob, etc.) seem to be gone