"Almost 6 years, what a record Chris Evert" - Tracy Austin fondly revisits snapping compatriot's 125-match winning streak on clay at Italian Open 1979
Chris Evert's unparalleled dominance on claycourts was epitomized by her 125-match winning streak on the surface from 1973 to 1979. Tracy Austin brought her compatriot's remarkable run to an end at the 1979 Italian Open.
Evert's dominance on clay is unmatched, as she boasts an exceptional 382-22 win/loss record and a 94 percent career win percentage on the surface, which is even better than the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal (91.2 percent). With seven French Open titles, the former World No. 1 also holds the record for most titles at the Major in women's tennis history.
Commencing in August 1973, the 18-time Grand Slam champion embarked on a historic run, winning 125 consecutive matches on clay while dropping just eight sets.
Chris Evert's streak came to an end in the semifinals of the 1979 Italian Open against a 16-year-old Tracy Austin, who narrowly edged past her compatriot in a hard-fought 6‐4, 2‐6, 7‐6(4) victory.
On the recent 45th anniversary of the famed contest, Austin fondly reflected on the clash, hailing Evert for her winning streak on clay, which lasted nearly six years. She also lavished praise on Evert for bouncing back from her loss by stringing together another 64-match winning streak on the dirt.
"125 matches! Almost 6 years. What a record @ChrissieEvert 🔥🔥🔥Then 64 in a row after that. Lots of winning!" Austin posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Chris Evert on her 125-match winning streak on clay coming to an end: "I'm glad it was against Tracy Austin... She just played a better match than me"
In an interview with the WTA, Chris Evert reminisced about her unforgettable clash with Tracy Austin in the 1979 Italian Open semifinals. The former World No. 1 acknowledged the "inevitability" of her 125-match winning streak on clay coming to an end, expressing satisfaction that Austin was the one to hand her the loss.
"I'll never forget that 1979 Rome match. After winning 125 matches on clay, my best surface, it was only inevitable that I was going to lose at some point. It was a tough loss for me, but looking back, I'm glad it was against Tracy Austin, who was a great competitor," Chris Evert said on WTA Moments in 2020.
Evert, who led 4-1 in the third set, expressed her disbelief at losing the final set in a tiebreak but emphasized that the then-16-year-old had simply outplayed her.
"She was young, very talented, and she put pressure on me the whole match. She just played a better match than me. But I can't believe I lost 7-6 in the third," she added.
Following her win over Chris Evert, Tracy Austin beat Sylvia Hanika 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in the final to clinch the Rome title.