[daze11]

chrissie, 1974, france
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/mod...-evert.fr.html

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by daze11

chrissie, 1974, france
http://www.ina.fr/art-et-culture/mod...-evert.fr.html

Nice find. That website has a lot of hidden treasures, including some free ones. This is most of the second set of the 1980 French Open final between Chris Evert-Lloyd and Virginia Ruzici. Commentary is in French.

http://www.ina.fr/sport/tennis/video...-evert.fr.html
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This is just the last game of the 1979 French Open between Chris and Wendy Turnbull. It's followed by the presentation where Diddie Serpieri (née Vlasto) presents the trophies to the players. Diddie was a player in the 1920s and doubles partner of Suzanne Lenglen at several tournaments.

http://www.ina.fr/sport/tennis/video...garros.fr.html
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[newmark401]

In black-and-white, with French commentary, this is 15 minutes or so of the 1973 French Open singles final between Chris Evert and Margaret Court. It starts with Chris serving at 5-6 down in a set in which she was 1-4 behind...

http://www.ina.fr/sport/tennis/video...er-set.fr.html
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[alfajeffster]

Originally Posted by newmark401

In black-and-white, with French commentary, this is 15 minutes or so of the 1973 French Open singles final between Chris Evert and Margaret Court. It starts with Chris serving at 5-6 down in a set in which she was 1-4 behind...

http://www.ina.fr/sport/tennis/video...er-set.fr.html
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I saw this a few years ago when it first surfaced. Thanks for bringing it up. It was one of the matches I wanted most on video, and could never find. I don't watch it much, because while Court's backhand slice is spectacular, I really get annoyed with Chris dropping the second ball right after the point gets underway. I know, it wasn't done on purpose, and nobody (as far as I know) complained much at the time (did they?), it drives me nuts! Can you imagine todays players doing this?

[Sumarokov-Elston]

Originally Posted by newmark401

In black-and-white, with French commentary, this is 15 minutes or so of the 1973 French Open singles final between Chris Evert and Margaret Court. It starts with Chris serving at 5-6 down in a set in which she was 1-4 behind...

http://www.ina.fr/sport/tennis/video...er-set.fr.html
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Wow, that match really is the Holy Grail of BFTP tennis! You can see how "Mees Evert" was already a holy terror on clay by 1973. Some of the passing shots she hits are as good as any she made in her career, and her backhand is deadly accurate. She gets great length and some of the nasty dropshots she hits are what Bud Collins called "torture-chamber points"!

Madge v Evert makes for a great match-up, because you have "The Arm" at the net against Chrissie's great passing shots. Madge is certainly no slouch on clay; she had great groundstrokes and an instinctive feeling for the surface, which set things up nicely for her to come to the net and finish off the point.

So Evert was actually two set points down at 5-6 and 15-40? The four points she reels off in a row are excellent.

Although they play the tiebreak that we now know, the girls seem very confused, and the umpire keeps having to direct them in English. When Chris eventually wins at 7-5, I do not think she actually realises at first that she has won the set!

I wish the Tennis Channel could somehow find and show the full Court v Evert matches that summer of 1973 - a classic double bill. Their Wimbledon semi-final is also a stunner, with Chris pulling off loads of incredible pinpoint lobs.

[alfajeffster]

Originally Posted by Sumarokov-Elston

I wish the Tennis Channel could somehow find and show the full Court v Evert matches that summer of 1973 - a classic double bill. Their Wimbledon semi-final is also a stunner, with Chris pulling off loads of incredible pinpoint lobs.

Oh I know! 1973 was such a great year- possibly the best ever for women's tennis. I have yet to see any of the Court/King matches, and most of them were 3-setters, and throw in Wade and Goolagong among many others, and it shapes up to be a great prospect if anyone can find the matches.

[tennisvideos]

Originally Posted by alfajeffster

Oh I know! 1973 was such a great year- possibly the best ever for women's tennis. I have yet to see any of the Court/King matches, and most of them were 3-setters, and throw in Wade and Goolagong among many others, and it shapes up to be a great prospect if anyone can find the matches.

Yes 1973 had some of the best matches ever. I have seen much more of the 73 French Final and it's great. The other Court v Evert clashes from 73 were all great as well - the Wimbledon SF, the USO SF and the WITC at Hilton Head. And the USO Final between Court & Goolagong was fantastic tennis. King v Goolagong Wimb SF another ripper too.

[alfajeffster]

re: 1973 USO final-

Talk about a barnstormer. I don't think I've seen another big match as WINDY as this one. I think it helped Madge, because her shots were generally more powerful and more often than not, she was able to hit through it, while Evonne's creative shots were being blown about like Dorothy leaving Kansas. I think this was the match where Jack Kramer and Julie Heldman got into a little mini battle of the sexes when Julie remarked how Margaret had her strength and durability tested, and as it turned out she was stronger than most men. Kramer's reply was classic "what I want to know is can she cook?" That may have been the Evert semi, but I think it was the final.

[newmark401]

Chris Evert is probably the only player, male or female, to lose in the final of the singles event at the French, Italian and Wimbledon tournaments one year (1973) before winning the same event at the same three tournaments the following year (1974). In 1973, the Italian Open was held between the French Open and Wimbledon, and the final in Rome pitted Chris against Evonne Goolagong. Here is what Rex Bellamy of the London "Times" said of the Italian final:

From the London "Times", June 11, 1973:

"Evonne Goolagong, who two years ago became French champion at the first attempt without losing a set, has emulated that feat at the Foro Italico. Today she became Italian champion by beating Christine Evert, 7-6, 6-0, in 55 minutes amid the blazing heat of the marbled Campo Centrale, which was colourfully crowded for the occasion. Miss Goolagong won Wimbledon in 1971 and is reigning champion of South Africa. She is still only 21 years old.

[...]

"Today she played the best clay court tennis of her career. But the first set was touch and go. There is not much to be done about Miss Evert when she is in her stride. An opponent who stays back is likely to be out-rallied. An opponent who attacks is likely to be passed. As Miss Evert went to 4-2, that familiar dilemma was being spelt out again. She was slightly the sounder with her pounding drives to the lines.

"Miss Goolagong had more variety; but it involved more risk. Yet as Miss Goolagong won three successive games we noted that her touch was better than Miss Evert's. Suddenly confidence surged into her. She was sound in the rallies and equally assured in going to the net. She was nimble and fluent in covering the court and resilient in turning defence into attack.

"The tiebreak went to six-all before Miss Evert made an error on each flank to lose the set. That did her confidence less good than it did Miss Goolagong's. In the second set, Miss Evert scored only 11 points. She was engulfed as if by some incoming tide, its waters dancing in the sun. She could never achieve any rhythm for long. Miss Goolagong swiftly varied the point of pressure, yet never relaxed it."
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[laschutz]

a couple of things struck me watching this 73 court vs evert french open match..

notice how chrissie is even breaking a sweat seemingly and margaret is drenched? lol!

and notice how chrissie looks like a fit but pretty young woman, while margaret looks like a real athlete..

great match,,, chrissie really should have pulled this one out though... too bad she didn't think to loop her backhand high to margaret's backhand constantly therefore, margaret not able to really put anything on it hitting the ball around shoulder/head height.. you notice evert did this a few times throughout a rally...

got to hand it to court though she toughed it out..

[alfajeffster]

Originally Posted by laschutz

a couple of things struck me watching this 73 court vs evert french open match..

notice how chrissie is even breaking a sweat seemingly and margaret is drenched? lol!

and notice how chrissie looks like a fit but pretty young woman, while margaret looks like a real athlete..

great match,,, chrissie really should have pulled this one out though... too bad she didn't think to loop her backhand high to margaret's backhand constantly therefore, margaret not able to really put anything on it hitting the ball around shoulder/head height.. you notice evert did this a few times throughout a rally...

got to hand it to court though she toughed it out..

Over the years, Chris has commented that she wasn't herself because in Rome earlier (where she lost to Goolagong), she and her mother had a tiff and split up temporarily (Colette went everywhere with her daughter). Evert has also commented "that was when only 3 countries played the tournament" when questioned about her loss in her first French final. Clearly, she didn't like nor ever expected to lose to Margaret- hence taking her out a few weeks later (unexpectedly) on grass at Wimbledon. I think it goes all the way back to having taken Margaret out just after Court completed the Grand Slam (in an obscure exhibition in North Carolina, when Evert was only 15 or 16).

I stand corrected. I didn't know the Italian was held after the French that year. I could've sworn Chrissie mentions in one of her books she and her mother had split leading up to the French. It must have been another tournament.

[davidjaan1982]

Chris seemed to constantly hit to Margaret's back hand. Seems to have over done it in my view and made it a bit more predicatable for Margaret. There were rallies where I thought Chris could have hit to Margaret's forehand and yet continued peppering Margaret's backhand.

Kudos to Margaret for hanging in there... based on the first set clip, I would have never predicted a Court victory as Evert seemed to generally dictate the play.

[Sumarokov-Elston]

Originally Posted by davidjaan1982

Chris seemed to constantly hit to Margaret's back hand. Seems to have over done it in my view and made it a bit more predicatable for Margaret. There were rallies where I thought Chris could have hit to Margaret's forehand and yet continued peppering Margaret's backhand.

Kudos to Margaret for hanging in there... based on the first set clip, I would have never predicted a Court victory as Evert seemed to generally dictate the play.

I agree, you would have definitely said that Chris was the cooler player on clay - the sort of match in which one person can win a tight first set 7-6 and then run away with the second set 6-2. I would love to see more of the match, as Madge must have really raised her game (not that she was playing badly in the first set).

Chris's backhand is already the patented weapon, but her forehand seems weaker and if I were Madge I would definitely have played to her forehand more. When did Chris change her forehand? I think it changed between 1976 and 1977, no? Back in 1973, it always seemed a slightly awkward stroke, and still was around 1976. Could playing WTT on the fast indoor carpets possibly have had something to do with that? Or the rise of Martina with her own giant forehand?

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by alfajeffster

I stand corrected. I didn't know the Italian was held after the French that year. I could've sworn Chrissie mentions in one of her books she and her mother had split leading up to the French. It must have been another tournament.

Yes, the Italian was definitely held after the French in 1973. Anyway, it's worth reproducing what Rex Bellamy had written about that amazing French Open final between Chris and Margaret in 1973:

"... Mrs Court’s astonishing competitive qualities, her refusal to accept defeat even when logic most firmly insists on it, have never been better demonstrated than they were today. She missed her chances in the first set, when she won 11 of the first 12 points, led 4-1, had two set points at 6-5, and in the tiebreak led 5-2 with two services to come. She looked done for when she played a loose service game to go 3-5 down in the second set. In retrospect, the next game was the key to the match. Miss Evert made two errors on each flank to lose the game to love.

"Even so it seemed unreasonable that Mrs Court, conceding 12 years and 5 months, should come back to win. Yet she won a thrilling tiebreak game in which three successive shots (two of them Mrs Court’s) hit the lines after Miss Evert had led by five points to four. Then Mrs Court came out for the third set, in which the odds favoured the younger player, and somehow found the reserves of strength and stamina to increase the pressure. She led 4-1. Miss Evert fought back to 3-4, then made three errors to go 3-5 down. There was a lot of excitement to come. But Mrs Court was the sounder in the last trembling crisis. The last two points were decided by backhands down the line. Mrs Court hit one in, Miss Evert hit one out.

"Even then, when it was over, we could hardly believe that Mrs Court had come back from a set and 3-5 down to win. She has been (and remains) one of the greatest players in the game. No woman can challenge her impact on the records. Yet in our awed respect for this astonishing woman we can also admire the remarkable qualities of her precocious rival. Miss Evert reached the last four of her first two United States Championships and did the same last year at her first Wimbledon. Here, competing for the first time, she lost only 14 games in the five matches she played to reach the final; and then, amid the daunting immensity of the colourfully crowded centre court, produced her best tennis (at least, for much of the match) against a player whose very name must frighten any youngster conscious of what happened in all our yesterdays.

"As a spectacle the match lacked enchantment. Such splendour as there was arose from the dramatic fluctuations of the score, from the admirable resolution, wit and skill of both players, and from the relentlessly gruelling nature of the duel between them. Miss Evert imposed a highly concentrated, pounding pressure that induced either error or impatience, or both. She kept changing the pace and exploring the full width of the court. She grunted with effort.

"If Mrs Court stayed back she risked being out-rallied. If she went to the forecourt she risked being passed or lobbed. All the time she was subjected to a nagging assault on her backhand. Yet she gritted her teeth and sweated it out. She attacked whenever she dared. She realised that Miss Evert’s service was vulnerable. In the third set, in particular, she exploited her obvious advantage in playing the “big” game. But to the last it was a desperately close and exciting match."
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[tennisvideos]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Yes, the Italian was definitely held after the French in 1973. Anyway, it's worth reproducing what Rex Bellamy had written about that amazing French Open final between Chris and Margaret in 1973:

"... Mrs Court’s astonishing competitive qualities, her refusal to accept defeat even when logic most firmly insists on it, have never been better demonstrated than they were today. She missed her chances in the first set, when she won 11 of the first 12 points, led 4-1, had two set points at 6-5, and in the tiebreak led 5-2 with two services to come. She looked done for when she played a loose service game to go 3-5 down in the second set. In retrospect, the next game was the key to the match. Miss Evert made two errors on each flank to lose the game to love.

"Even so it seemed unreasonable that Mrs Court, conceding 12 years and 5 months, should come back to win. Yet she won a thrilling tiebreak game in which three successive shots (two of them Mrs Court’s) hit the lines after Miss Evert had led by five points to four. Then Mrs Court came out for the third set, in which the odds favoured the younger player, and somehow found the reserves of strength and stamina to increase the pressure. She led 4-1. Miss Evert fought back to 3-4, then made three errors to go 3-5 down. There was a lot of excitement to come. But Mrs Court was the sounder in the last trembling crisis. The last two points were decided by backhands down the line. Mrs Court hit one in, Miss Evert hit one out.

"Even then, when it was over, we could hardly believe that Mrs Court had come back from a set and 3-5 down to win. She has been (and remains) one of the greatest players in the game. No woman can challenge her impact on the records. Yet in our awed respect for this astonishing woman we can also admire the remarkable qualities of her precocious rival. Miss Evert reached the last four of her first two United States Championships and did the same last year at her first Wimbledon. Here, competing for the first time, she lost only 14 games in the five matches she played to reach the final; and then, amid the daunting immensity of the colourfully crowded centre court, produced her best tennis (at least, for much of the match) against a player whose very name must frighten any youngster conscious of what happened in all our yesterdays.

"As a spectacle the match lacked enchantment. Such splendour as there was arose from the dramatic fluctuations of the score, from the admirable resolution, wit and skill of both players, and from the relentlessly gruelling nature of the duel between them. Miss Evert imposed a highly concentrated, pounding pressure that induced either error or impatience, or both. She kept changing the pace and exploring the full width of the court. She grunted with effort.

"If Mrs Court stayed back she risked being out-rallied. If she went to the forecourt she risked being passed or lobbed. All the time she was subjected to a nagging assault on her backhand. Yet she gritted her teeth and sweated it out. She attacked whenever she dared. She realised that Miss Evert’s service was vulnerable. In the third set, in particular, she exploited her obvious advantage in playing the “big” game. But to the last it was a desperately close and exciting match."
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I really like Rex Bellamy as a journalist. I think he summarised the match perfectly. I have been lucky to have seen the entire match and is an all time classic that is for sure.