Herman Gibbs
16 December 2007
Cape Town — There's a new tennis "star" on the horizon, says Chris Evert, the former world No.1 and 18-time Grand Slam winner.
The 52-year-old Evert who ruled women's tennis for over a decade from the mid-1970s, says her fiance Greg Norman, also 52, is developing into a "really good" player under her coaching.
Evert broke the news on Friday afternoon that she became engaged last Sunday to the former world No1 golfer, Australian Norman, who is popularly known around the globe as the "Great White Shark".
"We got engaged on the way to South Africa," said Evert, who showed off a massive diamond engagement ring to the media.
"He's had quite a few lessons from me," Evert said excitedly. "He's quick, he's got really good hand-eye co-ordination, he's a good athlete.
"He is very competitive and he'll be ready to play celebrity tennis very soon."
Evert retired from the game in 1989, armed with 18 Grand Slam titles. On 11 occasions she was runner-up in Grand Slam events.
She felt that she could have eked out one more Grand Slam but she bailed out in the 1977 Wimbledon semifinals to Britain's Virginia Wade.
"I remember Wimbledon 1977 - the year the Queen came to the tennis. I should never have lost to Virginia Wade, but I allowed the crowd to get to me, because the crowd was all for her," Evert recalled.
"I was very upset with the crowd and let that distract me. I lost the match 6-1 in the third (set) but I should not have let that happen.
"That was one year I should have won. I never came out of the hotel room for three days," she added.
Evert rates her French Open triumph in 1986 as one of two highlights of her career.
"No one expected me, as a 31-year-old to beat Martina (Navratilova). It was a really thrilling match and I beat Martina in a three-setter, and that was a most memorable moment in my career."
As an unknown player, Evert made her first Grand Slam appearance in 1971.
"I will never forget the first time I played at the US Open as a 16-year-old. I was relatively young and they played me on centre court every match - it was a Cinderella story.
"In one match I was six match points down but I came back to win - it was a magical experience. I went out in the semifinals, losing to Billie Jean King."
In later years, the Florida-born Evert went on to win the US Open six times.
But her greatest Grand Slam success rate was achieved on clay, having chalked up seven French Open titles in 13 tournaments.
"That's because I grew up on clay. Most people think that American kids all grow up on hardcourts, but in Florida tennis is played on clay."
The "Cool Chris" of women tennis came under the media spotlight in 1979 when she married John Lloyd, the British tennis player, and changed her surname to Chris Evert-Lloyd.
In 1987 she divorced Lloyd and a year later she married two-time Olympic downhill skier Andy Mill, whom she divorced last year.
The marriage produced three sons, Alexander, Nicholas and Colton.
"I have three boys at home, and now I have four (pointing to Greg Norman). I take them to school every day. They are all showing potential to be good athletes, but not necessarily in tennis.
"They know a bit about my career, but not too much, because I only started having children when I stopped playing."
Ironically, after her retirement from the international scene, tennis kept Evert busier than ever.
"A few years ago I started a tennis academy in Florida. My brother runs the complex but I work there four times a week."
Evert and Norman, who was also divorced a few months ago, have not set a date for their big wedding day, and when the media popped the question she called on Norman to help out with an answer.
"You chicken," quipped Evert when Norman took the easy way out, saying: "It's your party (media interview)."
Norman has been playing in the South African Open at Pearl Valley, and Evert has been a keen spectator, tracking the "Great White Shark" around the course, despite the blustery south easter.
"Greg's playing quite well for his age. Considering he's only played once this year, he can be very proud of himself," said Evert.
While Norman is learning to play tennis, Evert has no inclination to swap the court for the course.
"It's too time-consuming and I don't have that sort of time. A tennis match takes about an hour and you can have lots of fun.
"With golf you have intense concentration throughout so that's not for me."
The association seems to be doing Norman's game a world of good.
"I'm driving further than I did in my heyday," said Norman, after he carded a two-under par 70 in yesterday's second round, in which he recorded an eagle (13th) and three birdies (2, 7 and 14).
"I am feeling a bit of that old adrenalin rush," said Norman.
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