The players involved in this story are Steffi Graf and Chris Evert. Steffi Graf, born in 1969, started her career at the age of 13 and quickly rose through the ranks. She won her first title in 1986, defeating Chris Evert in the final before claiming her first Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros in 1987. Meanwhile, Chris Evert, born in 1954, had already established herself as a legend in the sport, winning 18 Grand Slam singles titles throughout her career.
In August 1987, Steffi Graf had the chance to become world No 1 if she won the Virginia Slims of Los Angeles tournament, while Chris Evert was a formidable opponent in the semi-finals. Despite facing a hostile crowd, Graf defeated Evert in the final to secure the world No 1 spot.
Graf went on to hold the world No 1 ranking for 186 weeks and accumulated 22 Grand Slam titles before retiring in 1999. Evert retired in 1989, ending her career on a high note with a win in the Fed Cup final.
