"Just think if Kenin, Brady, Osaka, Andreescu and Kerber get back to their top form"- Chris Evert looking forward to a 'strong' 2023 WTA season
Tennis legend Chris Evert expressed her excitement for a strong and interesting 2023 WTA season, citing the form of Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, and other players.
The WTA tour was once dominated by players like Osaka, Andreescu, Jennifer Brady, Angelique Kerber, and Sofia Kenin. Andreescu and Kenin each have one Grand Slam title, compared to Osaka's four and Kerber's three. Brady never took home a Grand Slam title, but she did make it to the Australian Open final in 2021 before losing to Naomi Osaka.
However, several factors, including injuries and mental health problems, drove the players to lose their form after being at the pinnacle of their game. In light of this, Chris Evert tweeted that the WTA tour is now "so strong" and wondered how powerful it would be if all of the players mentioned above returned to their best form in the 2023 season.
"The @WTA tour is SO strong, just think if Kenin, Brady, Osaka, Andrescu, Kerber, (who am I missing?)get back to their top form, how interesting it will get!" Evert wrote.
The @WTA tour is SO strong, just think if Kenin, Brady, Osaka, Andrescu, Kerber, (who am I missing?)get back to their top form, how interesting it will get!🤞👍👏🙏
Soon after, a Twitter user criticized Evert for being racist and disrespecting American players Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys.
"Here we go again w/ another typical white washed Chris Evert analysis… Any Americans come to mind…Madison, Sloane? Ga-ga over literally any blonde that picks up a racquet," the user wrote.
@ChrissieEvert @WTA Here we go again w/ another typical white washed Chris evert analysis… Any Americans come to mind…Madison, Sloane? ga ga over literally any blonde that picks up a racquet 🙄
The 18-time Grand Slam champion responded fiercely, claiming that the players she highlighted in her tweet are either returning to the game or have been out of it for some time, while Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are in "great" shape and play every week.
"The players I mentioned have been out of the game and/ are coming back… Madison and Sloane are great and competing every week!" Evert wrote.
The players I mentioned have been out of the game and/ are coming back… Madison and Sloane are great and competing every week!👍 twitter.com/sagarikaramana…
Chris Evert is the first player to win the WTA Finals
The 51st edition of the WTA Finals recently wrapped up its course, with the winner being Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.
Along with victories against Coco Gauff and Daria Kasatkina, Garcia's road to the title also included a loss to Iga Swiatek in the group stage. After defeating Maria Sakkari in the semifinals, Garcia advanced to the title bout, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to win the trophy.
🏻🦁
CHAMPIONNNNNN 🤩🙌🏻🦁🐝🏆🎾
@WTAFinals https://t.co/gcchYYadF6
When the WTA Finals initially began in October 1972, it was known as the Virginia Slims Championships and was held at a country club in Boca Raton, Florida, and tennis legend Chris Evert was the first player to win the year-end tournament with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over one-time Grand Slam champion Kerry Melville.
In an interview with the WTA, the American reflected on her title win. According to Evert, while winning the WTA Finals at the age of 17 provided her with some "confidence," she did not instantly feel ready to take over the world.
"It gave me more confidence on my best surface,” Evert said, adding, "It didn’t give me more confidence on grass. I still knew that the Billie Jeans, the Margarets, the Evonnes were better grass-court players. But on clay, I knew I could beat anybody, whatever they were ranked."
She stated that the victory was all the more special since her father, who didn't frequently travel to watch her play because he became "nervous," was there.
"The win was really more special because my dad, who didn’t travel much to watch me play because he got so nervous, could be there, " Evert said.