When Chris Evert arrived in Paris for the 1973 French Open, she was 18 years old and making her second trip to the United States. So she remains baffled as to why Philippe Chatrier, then president of the French Tennis Federation, decided to take her and her mother Colette to Le Lido, the legendary burlesque theater on the Champs-Élysées.
“He took us to dinner and it was a dance club with half-naked women.” Ebert said by phone from his Florida home in April. “They exposed their breasts. My eyes were like saucers. I had never been exposed to anything so sophisticated.”
For Bjorn Borg, the best Paris experience was celebrating his first French Open title in 1974 with a private dinner at the Eiffel Tower.
It’s been more than half a century since Borg and Hébert first played at the French Open, but this year marks 50 years since they won their first major title in Paris. Evert has won a total of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including 7 French Opens, 6 US Opens, 3 Wimbledons, and 2 Australian Opens. Borg won the French Open six times from 1974 to 1981 and Wimbledon five times in a row from 1976 to 1980.
Borg lost to Adriano Panata in the round of 16 of the 1973 French Open just days before his 17th birthday, making only his second major appearance after losing in the first round of the 1972 US Open.
“When I started playing tennis when I was eight or nine, I had three dreams,” Borg, who turns 68 in June, said from her home outside Stockholm. “One dream was to play for the Swedish national team in the Davis Cup, one dream was to enter the center court at Wimbledon, and the third dream was to win a Grand Slam tournament. When I hit the ball against the wall, that was my dream. So it meant a lot to me to come to Paris and play my first game in that beautiful stadium.”
Evert, who reached the semifinals of the US Open in 1971 and the semifinals of Wimbledon and the US Open in 1972, competed for the first time in the French Open the following year. He advanced to the final, where he took a set lead over No. 1 seed Margaret Court, before losing 6-7(5), 7-6 after taking a 5-3 lead by two points in the second set. (6), 6-4.
“I’ve never felt so strongly,” said Evert, who turns 70 in December. “Everyone thinks I have the same killer instinct as my juniors and other girls my age. But when I went to the women’s tournament, I somehow felt more relaxed and felt like I was on my side. I didn’t have the passion to win that game.”
A year later, Borg and Evert were ready.
Borg remembers losing his first-round match against Jean-François Caujolle 4-1 in the deciding set and breaking his serve twice. He then needed five sets to beat Eric van Dielen and Raul Ramirez before facing Manuel Orantes in the final. After dropping the first two sets, Borg won 2-6, 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-1, 6-1.
“I want to make it clear that I was not a favorite to win before the tournament,” Borg said. “I surprised myself by reaching my first Grand Slam final. I was a little nervous, but I think he felt more pressure than I did. Besides, he became very tired. And the more we played, the more tired he got and the more pressure he felt.”
Evert doesn’t remember who he played against to win his first French Open title in 1974. She has no memory of ousting Virginia Ruzici, who won the 1978 French Open and lost to Evert in the 1980 final. Or that she didn’t lose a set en route to her title, winning 6-1, 6-2 against her friend and doubles partner Olga Morozova. But she remembers that her attitude changed significantly during those years.
“I was a different person.” Evert said. “I had an experience last year where I let things slip away and didn’t get done the way I should have, and I learned from that. I was mentally stronger and I knew that if I was given the chance again, I would be able to finish the match and win the slam.”
Evert won again in 1975, and again in 1979 and 1980 after missing a tournament for three years to qualify for World Team Tennis. Her biggest win came in 1985 when she toppled top seed Martina Navratilova 6. With a score of -3, 6-7(4), 7-5, she succeeded in reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking in the final, which lasted nearly three hours. She defeated Navratilova again in the 1986 final, her last victory at a major tournament.
Evert and the Borg had substantial similarities. Both were introverted by nature and, for the most part, undisturbed on the court. Together with Jimmy Connors, they hit with the then-novel two-handed backhand, giving rise to generations of players using two-handed groundstrokes. And both barely missed.
“I think it introduced the world to the way we play.” Borg said. “Chrissie and I loved playing in the backcourt. We played a two-handed backhand, and not many players do that.”
For Evert, who was encouraged to play a two-handed backhand by his father, Jimmy, a professional instructor, Borg has always been a star.
“In Paris, we were a little behind the times when it came to equality, women’s liberation and celebrating female athletes,” said Hébert, who won at least one major title every year from 1974 to 1986. “It was all about men’s tennis. And Bjorn was like a rock star, like the Beatles. There had to be guards around him. The girls were screaming and crying and trying to hold him. I have never met anyone as idolized as him. To this day, I still think he is the biggest star tennis has ever had.”
Even the current generation of players recognize the impact that Borg and Evert had.
“Bjorn Borg? I mean he was a monster,” said Frances Tiafoe. “He was unreal. He has achieved some crazy records in a short period of time. He said nothing, the silent assassin. His movement and great form changed the game to get more plays from the back of the court. “That guy was my absolute favorite rock star.”
Jessica Pegula called Evert a legend.
“She changed the game with her two-handed backhand, not only for women but also for men,” Pegula said. “She was a trendsetter, which is really cool.”
Evert said he believes his legacy in the sport goes beyond backhands and steely determination.
“My real legacy has been getting girls involved in the game of tennis,” she said. “Bjorn and I were the first teenagers to make it big. And we brought a new generation of kids to the game.”
On the 50th anniversary of their first French Open win, Borg and Evert were amazed by the speed of time.
“It sounds scary when you say it. It’s really weird.” said Borg, who took over as captain of the Laver Cup European team following this year’s competition in Berlin in September. “50 years is a long time, but I remember it like it was yesterday and it’s nice to have those memories.”
“I can’t believe it when I hear it,” said Ebert, who recently completed chemotherapy for a recurrence of ovarian cancer and is scheduled to return to the ESPN broadcast booth for the French Open and Wimbledon. “I’m in the last three months of my life now, and yes, I feel old.”
