Chris Evert: “Wimbledon is bigger than any one player.”

When it comes to Wimbledon there are few people more respected by the All England Lawn and Tennis Club than Chris Evert. She won the Ladies Singles title four times and also picked up another title in the doubles.

Evert is well aware of the tiff going on between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova but it is nothing that will overshadow Wimbledon. Evert is serving as an analyst for ESPN and I had a chance to speak with her before Wimbledon got underway and we were able to cover a number of topics.

JW: Of all the majors if you could win only one. Would it be Wimbledon?

Evert:”Yes, for me this one is the biggest. It's the first one we saw on TV.  I remember watching Margaret Court/Billie Jean King play the finals.  I don't know if it was black and white, but it pretty much was black and white.I remember all the way across the ocean, the history of the event adds to it.”

JW:What makes Wimbledon so special?

Evert:”It the fact that the tournament has such a rich and storied history. In other majors we talk about the players but at Wimbledon we talk about the tournament. Wimbledon is the star more than the players.  It's the showcase.  That showcase is more the star.”

JW: Well at the French you said Serena Williams and she did. How about her at her favorite place. Will she win Wimbledon?

Evert:”  I think that Serena will win. But trust me, nothing is set in stone.  It's a two-week tournament.  I don't care what anybody says, when you get to be at the 28, 30, 31 years of age, you played 10 years, 12 years, 15 years on the tour, there are days that it isn't there.  There are days your body is not working.  There's days you would rather not be out there, you'd rather be in bed, not get out of bed.  Roger Federer, I think we've seen a couple days like that with him.  I know Serena has been out of the game, she's pumped up, and that's probably not going to happen.  Sometimes it does happen to players that have played a lot.”