There were two factors in particular which were unique about
the 1974 Championships. The titles were won by an engaged
couple, Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert, both of the United
States, and in playing terms they attracted particular attention
because both were double-fisted on the backhand side. That
Americans won both singles titles was not unusual because
that happened in 1972, 1955 and 1953, and for every year
between 1951 and 1947.
Even before play began Wimbledon was entitled to feel more
than a degree of satisfaction because for the first time
since 1971 there was a full entry in the men's championship.
In 1972 contract professionals, as they were then called,
were barred and the following year the majority of men boycotted
Wimbledon. Against that Wimbledon had one of its wettest
years and play had to begin at noon on all but one day in
the second week.
Connors was seeded third for the men's title with the three
times former champion John Newcombe seeded top, followed
by the Romanian Ilie Nastase. Stan Smith, the 1972 champion,
was the fourth while the 18-year-old Bjorn Borg, was seeded
fifth. But none of these potential threats to Connors eventually
stood in his path. In the end, the opponent he had to worry
about was the 39-year-old Ken Rosewall who stunned the field
and captivated the crowd by reaching the final for the fourth
time - and 20 years after his first appearance in the final.
As Connors and Rosewall headed for their final there were
two distinct groups of supporters behind them. Connors was
both brash and abrasive and from his body language he was
a definite street fighter. He never let up on the ball,
hit winners from his left hand on the forehand side and
double fisted backhand shots. He progressed through the
tournament on waves of confidence,all self generated. His
only truly difficult match was as early as the second round
when the Australian Phil Dent led 6-5, 30-0 in the final
set, and later it took him five sets to beat the defending
champion Jan Kodes in the quarter-finals.
In Rosewall's half of the draw Borg departed in the third
round against the Egyptian left hander Ismail El Shafei
but in the last eight Rosewall had to tackle Newcombe and
did so in style with a four set win, the third set to love.
Rosewall next took on another former champion in Smith and
in a five set match was twice on the brink of defeat when
Smith served for victory in the third set and was then within
a point of winning in the subsequent tie break. But Rosewall,
ever precise, reduced the impact of Smith's greater power.
Connors defeated the unseeded Dick Stockton in the semi-finals
and there was little doubt that the sentiments of the crowd
at the final swung towards Rosewall who, clearly, had earned
his last chance of winning the title. But Connors, brash,
hungry,and supremely confident, was in an unstoppable mood
as he raced through to title 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 against an opponent
who was obviously tired after the rigours of the previous
two rounds. For Rosewall it was a match too far.
Chris Evert was second seed behind Billie Jean King for
the
championship. Evert had already been a semi-finalist at
her first Wimbledon in 1972, losing to Evonne Goolagong,
and finalist in 1973, losing to King. She was due to play
them in sequence in 1974 but both were beaten in earlier
matches.
It was Evert's first match, against the Australian Lesley
Hunt, which gave her the greatest challenge. The match did
not start until 5.30 p.m. after rain delays with Evert winning
the first set after 50 minutes. But Hunt took the second
set and the battle continued in fading light until 9-all
in the third set after Evert had twice been behind. With
two hours and 40 minutes of play completed, the match was
stopped overnight and Evert won two games quickly the next
day to ease through 8-6, 5-7, 11-9.
For the British fans there was genuine excitement as Virginia
Wade advanced to the semi-finals for the first time. There
the fifth seeded Wade took the first set 6-1 against the
Russian Olga Morozova,who had beaten King, but was then
overhauled. Evert beat the Australian Kerry Melville, who
had beaten Goolagong, in the other semi-final.
"Was somebody on my side up there in those dark clouds?,"
Evert would ask later. "How else could Kerry Melville
have beaten Evonne on grass and Olga snap Billie Jean's
fifteen match Wimbledon streak? It was like the silver plate
was being offered to me on a silver platter, if I wanted
to fight for it."
Evert had never lost to Morozova so went into the final
full of confidence. She won the title for the first time
with victory by 6-0, 6-4.
The bookmakers had quoted odds of 33-1 on a "love
double" for the engaged couple. In the end, Connors
and Evert did not marry.
Written by Barry Newcombe
