As for how many people watched this match: I was there. It was around lunchtime, and little by little the stadium filled up. By the third set, she made Tracy look like a journeyman player. Chris Evert was amazing, that's for sure.
She was stubborn about upgrading her equipment (even though she got rid of the original wood autograph racquet). She needed to upgrade to graphite like Navratilova did. I think she would have accumulated more GS titles if she had done that. Shades of Federer?
Tracy was #1 seed, but Chris took that over with this win (and the win over Mandlikova in the final). Chris held on to it for two more years.
Chris played a bit tentatively in the first set, but she bore down and showed why she was the much better player, IMO. Chris had better footwork, stroke production and balance -- not to mention she was mentally tougher on the bigger occasions.
One thing: Chris was also much more adaptable to the different surfaces than Tracy. Tracy was too mechanical.
I cannot believe that Chris is wearing the exact same dress as in the 79 USOpen final where lost miserably to Tracy. Did she not consider that a bad omen?
@LobOverTheBackhand Yes and on the mens side, you can argue Federer would be the one. I STILL restring my wooden racquets (Wilson Kramer, Prostaff, and Davis Classic II) I use them against the wife or other players that I know I'd beat easily with my Triads. I still miss the romance and grace of watching slower finesse tennis.
Both tracy and Chris were so mentally tough and very consistent, i think Chris found it so difficult to play against Tracy as it was like she was playing against herself in a way. Tracy's game was the mirror image of Chris Everts. There will never be another Chris Evert, her consistency, grace, beauty and sportmanship will never be emulated. She was a real champ.
Chris became the aggressor, and thus won the match, she spoke to Pam Shriver's coach Don Candy before the match and he told her ... just that.. that she had to be the aggressor, and that when she lost to Tracy .. she let Tracy dictate the rallies.
Yes greenfiyah, all sports do evolutiionise some for safety reasons, but some and tennis to me being the best example loose the "romance" by going from a finesse game to a power game of grunts and groans. Incidentally, I'm 55 and when I'm going to play against someone I'm confident I can beat, I use one of my wooden racquets (Jack Kramer or Davis Classic II) which I restring myself. I would have preferred tennis just as it was when I first began playing by 1969 standards.
I like what you said about the wooden racquets. I have a nice slazenger wood racquet. When I start getting too loopey with my forehand, or too wristy, I get out the slazenger and just do classic step in and lock wrist drive through the ball. It helps my game. I still like the feeling of the wooden racquet the best.
This was a rematch from 1979, this time Chris spanked Tracy at 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Chris, soldiered on to defeat Hana Mandlikova (won the title five years later) at 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. Bravo Chris!!!
The women back then look like they were in better physical shape than the top women today (with the exception of Dementieva who looks super fit). Look at Safina, for example, she's FAT. Just look at her midsection...no wonder she's slow!
This is wonderful to watch. I love watching what used to be tennis, unlike the power game it's become with baseline grunting and 120mph serves. Tennis never should have gotten rid of the wooden racquets.
The rain gods must have been smiling on Chris that day b/c after their match the skies broke and there were endless rain delays. Who knows if those delays could've affected the outcome. It could've given Tracy time to recup and rest.
Tracy played like she was definitely affected by something, but she also lost the the previous week to Andrea Jaeger.
Chris was out for revenge and her game peaked at the 80 USO. She knew it was now or never. Evert always knew when to seize the moment.
I am a huge Chris fan and happy she won, but the fact was that Tracy was not well that day (that time of the month). Tracy almost never mentioned it, which speaks volumes about her character. You can tell at the end of the match Tracy was completely spent.
Rain delays so and even today when lots of breaks fans leave and wonder off. In those days there was maximum sold out days of 15 to 20,000 fans. Tennis was at an all time high due to the champions who focused and consistently played and supported the tournaments. Today's diva's main concern is about what they want and not about the game overall. King definitely should get a cut of all checks because her hard work created the WTA even though it took time from her tennis.
Evert also figured out how to beat all styles of play from the champion volleyers of King and Court to the baseliners. Todays champions in last 15 years have only had to play predominantly baseline players....
You may well be right re Nadal and Federer. I do have a feeling that Andrew Murray will be no1 by the end of the year. It is very rare for a player to come back on a player after a string of defeats once they have been dethroned from no1. Only Chris did it in recent memory, both with Tracy and Martina (after 13 straight losses)!
One of the big reasons that Evert became competitive with Navratilova again was the change in teh rackets. Federer isn't going to change rackets. I am pretty sure that Evert was the last person to be in a Grand Slam final playing wiht a wood racquet.
Thank you for posting this. Almost a cult match as Tracy wasnt around for very long and any footage of her is very rare. Chris showing what a great champion she was by coming back after a string of defeats against Austin to win. Federer has yet to do that against Nadal!!
Am I mistaken or were there really that many empty seats in the stadium? This was semifinal of the US open with Evert agst Austin and still the crowd stayed away? Women tennis came a long way today.
its not what you think it had rained all morning and nobody thought the match would be played today or till much later,but this match wasnt shown on tv back then they only showed the womens final,so womens tennis hasd come a long way in that respect.
Thank you for posting this, along with the Evert-Mandlikova match! I would love to see both matches in full. Any and all of your vintage tennis clips are fantastic.
As for how many people watched this match: I was there. It was around lunchtime, and little by little the stadium filled up. By the third set, she made Tracy look like a journeyman player. Chris Evert was amazing, that's for sure.
She was stubborn about upgrading her equipment (even though she got rid of the original wood autograph racquet). She needed to upgrade to graphite like Navratilova did. I think she would have accumulated more GS titles if she had done that. Shades of Federer?
robubc 1 week ago
Tracy was #1 seed, but Chris took that over with this win (and the win over Mandlikova in the final). Chris held on to it for two more years.
Chris played a bit tentatively in the first set, but she bore down and showed why she was the much better player, IMO. Chris had better footwork, stroke production and balance -- not to mention she was mentally tougher on the bigger occasions.
One thing: Chris was also much more adaptable to the different surfaces than Tracy. Tracy was too mechanical.
robubc 1 week ago
Was Tracy no.1 seed then? I think Tracy was no.1 ranking for weeks in 1980.
atsunagajp 3 months ago
@atsunagajp i believe tracy was ranked 3rd in this tournament.she became number 1 after this though.
jayfey77 3 months ago
I cannot believe that Chris is wearing the exact same dress as in the 79 USOpen final where lost miserably to Tracy. Did she not consider that a bad omen?
lysthenon 1 year ago
@lysthenon i noticed that too! I guess she's not superstitious. She had that look like she was going to win this time no matter what.
sk8412c 1 year ago
@LobOverTheBackhand Yes and on the mens side, you can argue Federer would be the one. I STILL restring my wooden racquets (Wilson Kramer, Prostaff, and Davis Classic II) I use them against the wife or other players that I know I'd beat easily with my Triads. I still miss the romance and grace of watching slower finesse tennis.
davisracquet 1 year ago
where are the line judges???!!! Only one on Tracy's side? I cannot believe it lol
will74lsn 1 year ago
Both tracy and Chris were so mentally tough and very consistent, i think Chris found it so difficult to play against Tracy as it was like she was playing against herself in a way. Tracy's game was the mirror image of Chris Everts. There will never be another Chris Evert, her consistency, grace, beauty and sportmanship will never be emulated. She was a real champ.
1976reef 2 years ago 6
So awesome to see, thank you for posting!
StevieNicksfann 2 years ago
Chris became the aggressor, and thus won the match, she spoke to Pam Shriver's coach Don Candy before the match and he told her ... just that.. that she had to be the aggressor, and that when she lost to Tracy .. she let Tracy dictate the rallies.
Marchjoy1963 2 years ago 4
Yes greenfiyah, all sports do evolutiionise some for safety reasons, but some and tennis to me being the best example loose the "romance" by going from a finesse game to a power game of grunts and groans. Incidentally, I'm 55 and when I'm going to play against someone I'm confident I can beat, I use one of my wooden racquets (Jack Kramer or Davis Classic II) which I restring myself. I would have preferred tennis just as it was when I first began playing by 1969 standards.
davisracquet 2 years ago
I like what you said about the wooden racquets. I have a nice slazenger wood racquet. When I start getting too loopey with my forehand, or too wristy, I get out the slazenger and just do classic step in and lock wrist drive through the ball. It helps my game. I still like the feeling of the wooden racquet the best.
rmrooster01 2 years ago
This was a rematch from 1979, this time Chris spanked Tracy at 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Chris, soldiered on to defeat Hana Mandlikova (won the title five years later) at 5-7, 6-1, 6-1. Bravo Chris!!!
LoosyLipsMcGee 2 years ago
The women back then look like they were in better physical shape than the top women today (with the exception of Dementieva who looks super fit). Look at Safina, for example, she's FAT. Just look at her midsection...no wonder she's slow!
JBlue1982 2 years ago
i always find it curious how far behind the baseline chris is compared to tracy...no wonder she was getting beat up on so much at first...
chrisrei10 2 years ago
This is wonderful to watch. I love watching what used to be tennis, unlike the power game it's become with baseline grunting and 120mph serves. Tennis never should have gotten rid of the wooden racquets.
davisracquet 2 years ago 7
Great stuff. Thanks for posting this!
casheasy 2 years ago
The rain gods must have been smiling on Chris that day b/c after their match the skies broke and there were endless rain delays. Who knows if those delays could've affected the outcome. It could've given Tracy time to recup and rest.
Tracy played like she was definitely affected by something, but she also lost the the previous week to Andrea Jaeger.
Chris was out for revenge and her game peaked at the 80 USO. She knew it was now or never. Evert always knew when to seize the moment.
shihlin1 2 years ago
Chris was also inspired by Martina and starting to improve her fitness - something I think Federer needs to do quickly.
SashaAlekksey 2 years ago
You can see even then that the baseliners were using their groundstrokes to set up a swing volley!
spartyutube 2 years ago
I am a huge Chris fan and happy she won, but the fact was that Tracy was not well that day (that time of the month). Tracy almost never mentioned it, which speaks volumes about her character. You can tell at the end of the match Tracy was completely spent.
peejes 2 years ago
Rain delays so and even today when lots of breaks fans leave and wonder off. In those days there was maximum sold out days of 15 to 20,000 fans. Tennis was at an all time high due to the champions who focused and consistently played and supported the tournaments. Today's diva's main concern is about what they want and not about the game overall. King definitely should get a cut of all checks because her hard work created the WTA even though it took time from her tennis.
k92110 2 years ago 2
you can hear the court squishing as tracy walks...she was absolutely right to ask not to play on the surface if she felt she could be hurt.
chrisrei10 2 years ago
Its great to see Chris in this full match after losing 5 straight! The Queen rises again!!
wonderwazza 2 years ago
Evert also figured out how to beat all styles of play from the champion volleyers of King and Court to the baseliners. Todays champions in last 15 years have only had to play predominantly baseline players....
k92110 3 years ago
You may well be right re Nadal and Federer. I do have a feeling that Andrew Murray will be no1 by the end of the year. It is very rare for a player to come back on a player after a string of defeats once they have been dethroned from no1. Only Chris did it in recent memory, both with Tracy and Martina (after 13 straight losses)!
Alwyn38 3 years ago
One of the big reasons that Evert became competitive with Navratilova again was the change in teh rackets. Federer isn't going to change rackets. I am pretty sure that Evert was the last person to be in a Grand Slam final playing wiht a wood racquet.
johnblacklovesmar 3 years ago
Thank you for posting this. Almost a cult match as Tracy wasnt around for very long and any footage of her is very rare. Chris showing what a great champion she was by coming back after a string of defeats against Austin to win. Federer has yet to do that against Nadal!!
Alwyn38 3 years ago
Chris is hot hot hot
chapaev36 3 years ago
When I was kid, I supported Chris inJapan. She was so cute. Though I looked for the video of 80's US Open, I could not find in Japan.
I would like to watch this video until end.
tatuya113 3 years ago
Am I mistaken or were there really that many empty seats in the stadium? This was semifinal of the US open with Evert agst Austin and still the crowd stayed away? Women tennis came a long way today.
trent8002003 3 years ago
its not what you think it had rained all morning and nobody thought the match would be played today or till much later,but this match wasnt shown on tv back then they only showed the womens final,so womens tennis hasd come a long way in that respect.
jayfey77 3 years ago
Plus in a GS Semi Final only one linesman per FULL line. I also hope like rbasinge that you put these matches in full. I'd watch them all!
cdnserbluvr 3 years ago
@trent8002003 This was only early in the day and it was full by the time Evert made her spectacular comeback
goolagong68 1 year ago
Thank you for posting this, along with the Evert-Mandlikova match! I would love to see both matches in full. Any and all of your vintage tennis clips are fantastic.
rbasinge 3 years ago 3
Chrissy was drop dead sexy
stell29 3 years ago 4
yahoo I love it!!
jockfl25 3 years ago