Latest news with #Evert
Business Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Times
Evert and Swiatek, the ‘Queens of Clay' on what makes Roland-Garros special
WHEN it comes to excelling on clay, there are perhaps only a handful of players out there who can truly claim to have dominated tournaments played on that difficult surface. Chris Evert and Iga Swiatek are two names that instantly come to mind, these two accomplished Rolex Testimonees who – generations apart – have both soared to the peak of the women's game and become the undisputed Queens of Clay. Collectively, they have 11 Roland-Garros singles trophies, dozens of Women's Tennis Association titles and all sorts of record-breaking runs – all achieved on clay courts around the world. Evert is now 70 and long retired, but she continues to be active and influential on the women's tennis scene. The American was ranked World No 1 for 260 weeks and finished as the year-end No 1 seven times. In all, Evert won 157 singles titles, among them 18 Majors – seven of which were at Roland-Garros. This year's Roland-Garros is a significant one for Evert, for it marks 50 years since she and her fellow Rolex Testimonee Bjorn Borg successfully defended their maiden Grand Slam singles titles in Paris in 1975. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up As for Swiatek, the 23-year-old from Poland is busy rewriting the history books with each passing season. She's spent a total of 125 weeks as the world's No 1 player, and is the proud owner of 22 singles titles, including five Majors – four at Roland-Garros, and one US Open crown. Recently, both Evert and Swiatek spent time together to discuss their respective journeys to achievement, while exchanging some precious words of wisdom with each other. Still a princess, not a queen The affable Swiatek kicked off the conversation in the most apt way with the admission: 'I'm still a princess; there's only one queen'. That short statement was both a respectful nod to the immense achievements and contributions to tennis by Evert, as well as a reflection of the modest nature of one of the sport's brightest young stars, one who is displaying all the right qualities and attributes that will pave the way for her to follow in the American's footsteps on the red clay. Evert, meanwhile, said she's watched Swiatek in action over the years and she's noticed many similarities between the two of them in the intangibles of the game. Both players are known to have an extremely strong baseline game, with powerful forehands and precise footwork. This was a style of play that Evert pioneered back in the 1970s, with Swiatek now taking on the mantle decades later. 'The mental toughness, the focus and the hunger which, to me honestly, is more than 50 per cent of tennis,' said Evert. 'You're not satisfied with winning one or two Grand Slams, whereas other people might be. It's like 'OK, when's the next one?' You want to play with longevity and to win a lot of majors.' During the conversation, Swiatek admitted she was surprised to learn that Evert did not feel comfortable coming to the net or becoming an all-court player until her mid- to late-20s. 'Is that really the case?', said the Pole. 'I'm very happy that you brought in ground strokes, and I prefer this game style, so it's a good choice. It makes tennis much more interesting. I love building rallies and embracing the tactical element of clay; you have to think everything through and plan each point wisely.' Special moments on clay At this point, the attention turns to Roland-Garros, a beloved tournament where Swiss watchmaker Rolex completed its calendar Grand Slam of partnerships in 2019 – more than 40 years after it became the Official Timekeeper of Wimbledon in 1978. During this golden era of tennis, Evert won a record seven of her 18 Grand Slam singles titles on the clay courts of Paris, as well as becoming a doubles champion on two occasions. Last year, Swiatek celebrated her fourth Roland-Garros singles title. And it was both fitting and appropriate that it was Evert who had the honour of presenting her with the prized Suzanne-Lenglen trophy – on the very same court where the American first experienced Grand Slam glory in 1974. Both players took some time to reflect on that very special moment they shared on a packed and emotional Court Philippe-Chatrier last June, and what it meant for them. Said Evert: 'I remember thinking I've won Roland-Garros seven times, Iga's now won it four times at a very young age, and there's no doubt in my mind that she can pass me and win it more than seven times. I think she is the perfect clay-court player and has what it takes. I know she loves to play on clay. I was very excited to present this trophy to her rather than anyone else because I felt like I had always related to her quietly, her style of game, her mentality and her love of clay.' Swiatek was surprised to hear and receive such words of praise from a legend of the sport whom she looks up to so dearly. 'I will always remember hearing you say that I can surpass your record. I really got this warm feeling from you. It was just so nice to hear, and it hit me harder than usual. You seem so mature, and you know that there are other things outside of tennis that are much more important,' said Swiatek. While Swiatek eventually won Roland-Garros last year to round off her most dominant clay court season to date, there was a time in the tournament when she was staring at the exit as she found herself match point down in the second round. 'I really thought I was out of the tournament. In the third set, I was 2–5 down and managed to save a match point and mentally I had to be at my top level to even believe I could come back. I might have won the match, but later when I was in the gym I cried for 15 minutes. I think it was the longest match I've ever played on clay and it kind of broke my heart. This was the most meaningful title of my career because of how close I came to losing,' she recalled. Evert, however, saw things differently and asked her: 'Don't you think that after a match like that you're much better off for the rest of the tournament? Swiatek responded in the affirmative, though she recognised that she had set her expectations too high at a tournament where she had typically excelled in. 'It wasn't logical but I remember I just wanted to work on my game because I felt like I could do much better. To be honest I felt like life had given me a second chance, so I had to take it,' she said. Evert added: 'You're tough on yourself, Iga. Look, do you know what I learnt after a long career; you just can't be 100 per cent mentally, physically and emotionally for every single match that you play. Recognising you're a little off and your game's not there is OK, it's all experience. I've seen you come back when you're not playing well and win matches, whereas other players might just be disappointed, they might mentally give up. That experience really has helped you to get through matches that maybe you shouldn't have won. And it's because you're a champion.' And it is precisely this champion's mentality and fighting spirit that have defined these two world-class athletes, and will continue to do so for years to come.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Rafael Nadal's French Open dominance can be examined by looking at numbers such as 14 and 112-4
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal retired late last season after a career filled with notable accomplishments, including a total of 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Nothing stands out as much, though, as his success at the French Open — which is why there is a statue of him near the main entrance to the tournament site. 'It's probably one of the biggest challenges that you can have in the tennis tour, playing Rafa at Roland-Garros,' is how rival Novak Djokovic put it last year. 'We know his records there. ... You have some times when he's really in the zone and in the groove, not making many errors. You feel like he's impenetrable. He's like a wall.' Ahead of this year's tournament at Roland-Garros, where Nadal will be honored during a ceremony at Court Philippe-Chatrier after Sunday's day session, here is a look at some of the numbers associated with the 38-year-old Spaniard at the only major tennis tournament played on red clay. 14 That is the total haul of singles championships won by Nadal at the French Open, more than other tennis player — male or female — collected at any Grand Slam tournament. It's not even close, really. In Paris, the man in second place on the list in the Open era (since 1968) is Bjorn Borg with six. Chris Evert won the women's trophy seven times. 112-4 That's the win-loss record for Nadal at the French Open, giving him a career winning percentage of .966. The only four losses came in 2009 against Robin Soderling in the fourth round, against Novak Djokovic in the 2015 quarterfinals and the 2021 semifinals, and against Alexander Zverev in last year's first round. 6-0 Nadal went unbeaten against rival Roger Federer at the French Open, with victories in four finals and two semifinals. Nadal's record there against Djokovic was 8-2. 14-0 If Nadal reached the final at Roland-Garros, he won the trophy, winning all 14 title matches there, from his first in his tournament debut in 2005 to the last at age 36 in 2022. 333-37 That's Nadal's record in sets at the French Open. He was only pushed to five sets three times, going 3-0 in those matches by beating John Isner in 2011, Djokovic in 2013 and Felix Auger-Aliassime in 2022. 39 Nadal's longest winning streak at the French Open came from 2010 to 2015, a 39-match span during which he earned five of his trophies there. ___ AP tennis:
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chris Evert Shares Revealing Doping Test Story From Her WTA Career
Former WTA legend and world No. 1 Chris Evert took to X to share an honest and insightful doping test story from her final year on the tour. Evert replied to former Australian WTA player Rennae Stubbs' comments on the questionable International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) notice that was released Friday. ITIA released a statement that said that "showering is not an entitlement" and that players were now requested to stay in full view of the chaperone while taking a shower. While this statement raised eyebrows across the tennis community, Stubbs and Evert made comments that showcased that was not a new addition to the tennis tour. 'We always have had to shower with the door open,' Stubbs replied to ITIA's statement. 'The drug testing people were with us every minute from the moment we walked off court including watching us shower. I don't know what they're putting this out now' Chris Evert enters the court for the trophy presentation during the French Open at Roland Garros© Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Evert backed up Stubbs' statement by mentioning how even she had to put her privacy aside to follow the rules of the drug testing authorities. 'Firstly, yes, they had drug testing the last year I played, in which I went right off the court to the ladies room with my cup … shower was after,' Evert stated. Advertisement Although both retired WTA icons took a lighter tone to ITIA's statement, it has certainly raised questions about players' privacy concerns when it comes to drug testing. The tennis authorities have been under immense scrutiny in recent times following the doping controversies that rocked the tennis world, where the organizations were blamed for treating Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek differently than the rest of the tour. While players such as Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova received lengthy and career ending bans in the past, Sinner and Swiatek managed to escape with minor punishments.
