Chris Evert makes tongue-in-cheek comment on her claycourt skills in comparison to Rafael Nadal
Chris Evert had fun taking on a question that the US Open Tennis channel posed to their followers.
The channel asked tennis fans to rate their ability to slide on clay courts on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being "looking like Rafa," referring to Rafael Nadal as the ultimate measure.
"How would you rate your ability to slide on clay? 1 being a baby deer, 10 looking like Rafa," read the post by the US Open Tennis channel.
Chris Evert, a veteran of the surface herself, took to Twitter and hilariously responded with a few wondering emojis.
twitter.com/usopen/status/…
─── 10🤔🤔🤔😉 twitter.com/usopen/status/…
While the 14-time French Open champion's on-court movement is legendary, Evert herself won 7 French Open titles, a record at the time, gliding seasmlessly across the surface.
Evert's fans on social media were quick to catch on to her witty response and showered praise on the American for her prowess on the surface, with some recalling her epic clash against Martina Navratilova in the finals of the 1985 French Open.
A brief look at Chris Evert's 7 French Open titles
Tennis legend Chris Evert dominated women's singles tennis in the 1970's and 80's. She was ranked World No. 1 for 260 weeks and has 18 Grand Slams to her name, including 7 French Open titles.
She won her maiden French Open title in 1974 with a thunderous straight-sets victory over former finalist Olga Morozova. She went on to lift the trophy the following year as well. From 1976 to 1978, the American did not compete in the event and returned in 1979 for yet another successful run and won in both '79 and '80.
She made it to the semifinals in 1981 and 1982 and met one of her fiercest rivals, Martina Navratilova. In a tug-of-war of sorts, Evert won the title in 1983, while Navratilova took it in 1984.
In 1985, Evert surpassed Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini to reach the finals, where yet again, she clashed with Navratilova. In what is often considered one of the greatest women’s matches of all time, Evert overcame her opponent to claim her sixth French Open title. After the epic win, she recalled how she felt after she won the match point in the final.
“When I hit the last winner down the line I was really proud of myself. I never gave up and when I finally got to match point I went for a winner and I hit it. I had held my emotions in for so long that I really kind of let go,” she said.
She was back on the courts at Roland Garros to defend her title in 1986 where she lifted her seventh trophy, once again against her long-time friend and rival Martina Navratilova.
Evert finished with a 72-6 record at Roland Garros and her seven titles in Paris have only been surpassed by Rafael Nadal.