15-Year-Old Chris Evert Stuns Grand Slam Champion Margaret

Fifteen-year-old Chris Evert defeated world number one Margaret Court 7-6, 7-6 in the semi-finals of the Charlotte International Open on September 19, 1970. The stunning upset came just two weeks after Court had secured the second calendar-year Grand Slam in women's tennis history.

Margaret Court was considered the best women's player of all time in 1970. Her serve-and-volley game, powered by her reach and strength, had dominated the tour. She had won nine pre-Open Era Grand Slam singles titles and, in 1970, became the first woman to complete a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Her path to that achievement included victories in all four major finals that year.

Chris Evert, coached by her father, was a rising star known for a consistent baseline game. Her deep groundstrokes and two-handed backhand kept opponents pinned back. Ranked number one in the US under-14 category in 1969, she won the national 16-and-under championship in 1970, earning an invitation to the eight-player clay-court event in Charlotte.

The Build-Up to the Match

No one expected the 15-year-old to challenge the reigning champion. Court had won 21 tournaments since the start of the year. However, Evert served notice in her first round match, demolishing 1967 French Open champion Françoise Dürr 6-1, 6-0. That performance signaled the teenager was a serious contender.

The Semifinal Upset

Evert's deep, consistent shots immediately troubled Court. The Australian could not attack the net as effectively as usual. Perhaps fatigued from her long season, Court grew nervous and committed 14 double faults during the match. Evert capitalized on this below-par performance, clinching both sets in tiebreakers. The New York Times later called the victory "the biggest upset of the year."

Aftermath and Legacies

Margaret Court remained a top player but her era of total dominance waned after this loss. She retired in 1977 with a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles among her 64 major championships. She later became a Christian minister and was involved in controversies over homophobic comments.

Chris Evert's career skyrocketed following this breakthrough. She won her first major at the 1974 French Open and claimed Wimbledon that same year. She then won the US Open three consecutive times from 1975 to 1977, the only woman to ever win that tournament on clay before it moved to hard courts. Her famous 125-match winning streak on clay ended in May 1979. Known as "The Ice Maiden," Evert retired in 1989 with 18 Grand Slam singles titles.

The two champions met again in the 1973 French Open final, where Court prevailed in a tight three-set battle, 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-4.