"I was a sucker for romance" - When Chris Evert spoke about her time with John Lloyd
While Chris Evert has had a glittering tennis career, her personal life has been no less interesting. She married thrice after her high-profile relationship with Jimmy Connors.
The American's first marriage was to British tennis player John Lloyd. Evert was at the top of her game when the two started dating and it was during this period that she suffered a defeat to Martina Navratilova in the 1978 Wimbledon final despite leading by a set and a break.
In an old documentary by ESPN called 'SportsCentury', she said that she did not care much about the defeat as she was falling in love.
"I was up, like a set-and-a-break against Martina but I was falling in love so I didn't care," Chris Evert said, adding, "As really serious and dedicated to my tennis as I was, I was a sucker for romance."
Speaking about the end of her marriage to Lloyd, Evert said that she did not have a lot left in her for an emotional relationship as everything went into her tennis.
"My mental energies and emotions were going into my tennis, and I did not have a lot left over for an emotional relationship," the American stated.
"I went into a world that was way out of my league"- John Lloyd on his marriage to Chris Evert
Speaking about his failed marriage to Chris Evert, John Lloyd said that he went into a world that was out of his league.
"I went into a world that was way out of my league. I think I had a little bit of preparation, but I wasn’t the same as being married to a world star who was famous beyond belief," John Lloyd told Tennis365.com.
"You don’t think of it at the time and then you go to places. When you marry someone who’s as famous as that, you have to swallow your ego and leave it a door, the front door. There were times when I was referred to Mr. Evert, and all that sort of stuff," he added
Lloyd also mentioned that being married to Evert had its perks as he met people he never dreamed of meeting.
"There were there was some tremendous advantages of it. Don’t get me wrong, and there was some wonderful perks that you got. You know, being shown the best tables in restaurants and getting reservations and any shows you want to see. And I met people that I didn’t dream of meeting and a lot of them were through her, obviously, and there were some bad things as well,” he stated.