Chris Evert got the honor of getting a stadium court in her honor at the Orange Bowl Junior Championships, one of the most prestigious events in junior tennis. Several legends of the sport, including Evert, have competed and won the event, which has helped them succeed in their careers later.
Chris Evert Attends Court Dedication Ceremony
Chris Evert was in attendance as the newly renovated Jimmy Evert Tennis Center was opened on Monday, after a year-long renovation project. The facility will be hosting the most prestigious junior tennis event in the world, at the Orange Bowl Tennis Championships, and honored Evert by naming the main court after her.
Speaking at the ceremony, Evert reminisced about her childhood memories at the same spot where she started her first tennis lessons with her father, Jimmy. She stated that her family always prioritised tennis, which helped her later in her professional career. Evert said,
“So great to be back here at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center, I have to say, but also to be here, at the Orange Bowl, which was my favorite tournament of the year, hands down and definitely was the stepping stone to my professional career. When I was growing up, my parents brought my siblings and me to this magical park everyday they picked us up after school, it wasn’t homework first, it was tennis first.”
Speaking about her late father, the 18-time Major champion gave an example of her father’s hard work who, was her first coach. She went on to say that it was he father’s tireless efforts that saw the Orange Bowl Tennis Championships being held at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center, a true tribute to the man’s legacy. Speaking of her father she said, ” Today I hnour my dad for making all that possible . His tireless work, his humility, and his legacy he created And that legacy continues with this center hosting the biggest and best junior tournament of the world, the Orange Bowl”.
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Evert herself was a three-time champion at the Orange Bowl Championships. She won at the Under- 16 category in 1968 and won the singles title at the Under-19 category in 1969 amd 1970. Several other legends of the sport such as Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Björn Borg, Mary Joe Fernandez, and Gabriela Sabatini have all been former champions at this event, propelling them to grand success on the professional tours.
