Return Winners: A look at the 1986 Hilton Head final

One of the sport’s greatest players faced one of its brightest prospects in a history-making match.

For more than a decade, no one on the women’s tour—or the men’s, for that matter—could match the success that Chris Evert enjoyed on a clay court. In 1985, Evert won the sixth French Open title, extending her dominance on the dirt. Her preparation for a title defense in Paris included the Family Circle Cup in Hilton Head, S.C. By 1986, Evert had won that event eight times since the tournament started in 1973. The top seed breezed through to the final without the loss of a set.

On the other side of the draw, Steffi Graf, the 16-year-old German who’d been storming up the rankings in her brief time as a pro, also made it to the title match without the loss of a set.

Graf, playing in her seventh career final, had yet to win a tournament. At the onset, it looked like that dubious streak might continue as Evert took a 3-2 lead in the first set. However, relying on her already-dangerous forehand and steady backhand, Graf rallied to take the first set 6-4.

Early in the second set, Evert’s legendary steadiness and resolve—especially on clay—paid off, as she took a 4-0 lead. When it seemed the American was on the verge of pushing the match to a deciding set, Graf took the next five games for a 5-4 lead. Evert managed to tie it at 5-all, but Graf won the next two games after that to clinch the first title of her career, 6-4, 7-5. Not only that, the teen notched her first win against Evert on her best surface.

62

Of Evert’s career singles titles up to this 1986 final, 62 came on clay. That alone would place her at No. 7 among most singles titles won from 1973 until now on the WTA Tour.

12

Until the first set of this final, Evert had won 12 consecutive sets from Graf over six matches.

6

In 1983, Graf made her rankings debut at No. 124 as a 13-year-old. By the end of 1985, she was ranked No. 6.