Chris Evert maintained she still wasn’t better than Billie Jean King. Well, on this day 50 years ago, the teenager from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., couldn’t argue with history. Evert made short work of Olga Morozova, 6-0, 6-4, to win the 1974 women’s Wimbledon singles crown and became the first woman in 20 years to win Wimbledon, the French Open and Italian Open.
“I’ll be playing at Wimbledon for years to come, but I was thinking (about winning) a few years ahead when Billie Jean and Margaret (Court) might retire,” Evert said. “I never expected to win Wimbledon this year.”
Morozova – Evert’s doubles partner — was the first Russian to reach the finals at Wimbledon.
Evert spoke with her father back in the States following the victory. “He was so happy he cried,” said Evert, who wore an engagement ring and necklace from her fiancé, Jimmy Connors, during the match. Connors defeated Ken Rosewall to win the men’s singles title the following day.
