“My body feels like it’s been through a war" - When Chris Evert withdrew from US Open semifinal against Steffi Graf
Chris Evert was forced to withdraw from US Open semifinal against Steffi Graf in 1988 due to illness.
The American entered the tournament seeded third and reached the final four with wins over Conchita Martinez, Halle Cioffi, Michelle Torres, Judith Wiesner, and Manuela Maleeva.
Here, she was up against top seed Steffi Graf, who was vying for a calendar Grand Slam at the time. However, Evert was forced to withdraw from the match due to illness.
The American said after the match that she was disappointed to withdraw as she was looking forward to taking on Graf.
"I’m disappointed. It came so suddenly after my match on Wednesday. I got through all my matches with the girls I was supposed to beat. I was really looking forward to playing Steffi and being part of her Grand Slam bid. I could have gone out there with no pressure, hit out and really given it a shot against Steffi," Evert said.
The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion also said that her body felt like it had been through a war and that she didn't have any energy left.
“It’s the first time in 18 years of Grand Slams that I’ve had to default. My body feels like it’s been through a war. Every muscle and joint aches. Physically, I couldn’t go out and play. I don’t have any energy. I think I’ve been through the worst of it, with the vomiting and diarrhea, but I still have a temperature of 101 degrees," Chris Evert said.
Steffi Graf received a walkover to the final and beat Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to complete the Calendar Grand Slam.
Steffi Graf and Chris Evert locked horns on 13 occasions
Chris Evert and Steffi Graf squared off on 13 occasions, with the former leading 7-6 in the head-to-head.
The first meeting between the two came in the semifinals of the 1985 Lipton International Championships (now called the Miami Open) and Evert won 6-4, 6-2. The American won her first six matches against Graf before the latter won the next seven encounters.
Chris Evert and Steffi Graf faced each other thrice at Grand Slams, with the latter winning twice. The only time they locked horns at a Major final came at the 1988 Australian Open, with the German winning 6-1, 7-6(3).
The last match between the two came in the semifinals of Wimbledon 1989, and Graf triumphed 6-2, 6-1. She went on to win the tournament by beating Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1 in the final.