"I can't be critical of Jennifer's game at all" - When Chris Evert predicted Jennifer Capriati would become World No. 1
Tennis icon Chris Evert predicted Jennifer Capriati's rise, stating in 1990 that she would go on to become World No. 1.
The latter, who was coached by the former's father Jimmy Evert, emerged as a precocious talent and reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the 1990 French Open, aged only 14 years and 70 days. That year, she also became the youngest player to ever reach the top 10 of the WTA rankings, a record she still holds.
When asked by Bob Costas about Jennifer Capriati, Chris Evert said that her compatriot would one day become World No. 1. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion hailed her game and said that she couldn't be critical of it.
"Jennifer Capriati will be No. 1. It's great for American tennis. She's a wonderful player, she's got personality, she's got the all-court game. She can do everything, serve, volley, you know, as she gets strong and as she grows, she will get better. So I can't be critical of Jennifer's game at all," Evert said.
Costas then asked her if there was any conflict with her covering Capriati while working for NBC, given how close the two were. The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion replied stating that she wanted to compliment the youngster while also being fair.
"I just want to be complimentary all the time because I think she's got a great game but I have to be fair and I have to be critical of her also. I want to be impartial. That's the problem of broadcasting , the main line is that you have to remain fair to everybody and just remove yourself from personal relationships," she stated.
Evert also said that while older players like Martina Navratilova would understand her criticism, Capriati would be a little sensitive to it.
"I've talked about Martina because if Martina plays bad , I'm gonna say 'Martina you're playing like a dog', and she'll go 'I know, I know'. I think the older players are gonna understand that but Jennifer I think, might be a little sensitive if I am critical of her," she said.
Jennifer Capriati stayed as World No. 1 for 17 weeks
Chris Evert's prediction turned out to be true as Jennifer Capriati did reach the top of the WTA rankings in 2001. She was the World No. 1 for a total of 17 weeks and won three Grand Slam singles titles.
She was a top 10 mainstay until injuries derailed her career in 2004. In all, she won 14 singles titles and one women's doubles championship.