1981 Wimbledon

June 7, 2024
1981, Home, Wimbledon

Mandlikova faces Evert-Lloyd in her fourth consecutive Slam finals.

Wimbledon 1981 : Hana Mandlikova reaches her fourth consecutive Slam finals , facing Chris Evert.

In the last 12 months, Hana Mandlikova won 8 tournaments, reached US Open finals and won Australian Open and Roland Garros. She confirms her status of n. 2 seed by reaching the finals, beating Martina Navratilova before losing to Chris Evert-Lloyd, n. 1 seed.

Seeding controversy : Mandlikova is number 2 for Wimbledon

Following French Open Mandlikova’s victory onto Wimbledon, the All England Club decided to elevate Mandlikova from her computer world ranking position of No. 5 to second seed, demoting Tracy Austin (who had only played her third tournament of the year in winning Eastbourne, after being side-lined by sciatica for four months), Navratilova and Jaeger one place each.

A statement released by the WTA said, “We condemn the arbitrary changing of the seeds for the year’s All England Club championships. This marks the first time in recent memory that any tournament has so drastically altered the rankings for seedings in an event and sets a precedent that could open the door for other tournaments to begin a trend that would prove unfair to players in all international competition.” But of course, despite protestations from players and officials alike, the Club’s seeding committee, usually a law onto themselves anyway, was proven correct.

1ST Round in Wimbledon : Hana vs Corinne VANIER

Hana wins without aggravating injury

Hana Mandlikova, like so many other players having trouble keeping a foothold on the already scarred and still slippery Court One, had a rather tougher time in overcoming the encouragingly positive French junior Corinne Vanier by 6-3 7-5. The important factor however was that Miss Mandlikova? who had been told by doctors that ideally she should have taken four weeks off after her pulled back muscle at Eastbourne, won without aggravating her injury.

2D RD in Wimbledon : Hana vs Anne SMITH

Easy win for Hana Mandlikova

3RD RD in Wimbledon : Hana vs Andrea BUCHANAN

No competition for Hana Mandlikova

Mrs Lloyd and Hana Mandlikova were in action on adjacent courts, Nos 1 and 2. Miss Mandlikova beat Andrea Buchanan, a black American, much more quickly and easily than Mrs Lloyd overcame Lele Forood, the American daughter of an Iranian father. This is not to suggest that Miss Mandlikova No 2 seed performed better than the No 1 seed. More it was a case of her opposition being much the less testing Miss Buchanan the U S public park champion of 1978 did not move quickly enough and her game lacked aggression .

4th RD in Wimbledon : Hana vs Anne HOBBS

Mandlikova eased past Anne Hobbs

“After beating Anne Smith and Andrea Buchanan I met Britain’s Anne Hobbs in the last sixteen. Anne is a good grass court competitor and I figured I could have trouble, but I eased past her 6-2, 6-3″ (“Hana” by Hana Mandlikova and Malcolm Folley)

Quarterfinals vs Wendy Turnbull in Wimbledon

Shocking 6-0 6-0 victory for Mandlikova

Navratilova dropped one game more in disposing of Ruzici but Mandlikova administered a shock by bicycling No. 6 Wendy Turnbull in 40 minutes, the only such beating in the latter rounds since 1925, with the hapless Australian winning only nine points in the second set.

“In the quarters I destroyed Wendy Turnbull 6-o, 6-o – and Betty never saw me hit a ball. She was partnering Fred McMillan in a mixed doubles on an outside court and she later told me that I won my quarter final in the time it took them to clinch the final set of their match.” (“Hana” by Hana Mandlikova and Malcolm Folley)

In the other Quarterfinals, Chris Evert-Lloyd passed without problems against Mima Jausovec, but the surprise of this round was the upset of Tracy Austin by Pam Shriver. Her serve-and-volley game fits perfectly to the grass of Wimbledon, and Austin seemed without answer to contain the big serve and brilliant net game from Pam.

SemiFinals vs Martina Navratilova in Wimbledon

Mandlikova conquers 2-time winner Navratilova

In the first semi finals, Shriver was no match for Chris EVERT-LLOYD who won easily in straight sets

The other semi was more dramatic, with Mandlikova scoring a second successive major win over Navratilova, having accounted for her also at the US Open the previous September, but there weren’t many rallies this time. With both women determined to serve-volley the other into oblivion, the first 11 games went by in less than half an hour until the first break came along off four bad volley errors from Navratilova. The pattern reversed in the second set as Martina broke to love at 3-all and held in the 10th game from 15-40. When Mandlikova broke for the second time in the match to lead 3-1 in the third, the match was over, taking 11 of the last 13 points to win 7-5 4-6 6-1 in 1 hour 25 minutes.

“I was so nervous that two minutes before the match, I dropped all my rackets on the floor,” Hana Mandlikova said.

Navratilova had complained before Wimbledon that it was wrong for her to be seeded fourth behind Mandlikova and Tracy Austin. Mandlikova, 19, said she was delighted to prove her wrong.

“I certainly proved I’m the No. 2 seed,” said Mandlikova.

Hana once was a ballgirl for Navratilova in their hometown of Prague. Mandlikova insisted she had no special motivation. “I just treat Martina like any of the other players,” she said.

Palm springs tennis tournament in 1989, Hana returns to ’85 form enters Slims semifinals

Finals in Wimbledon : Hana vs Chris EVERT-LLOYD

Determined Chris Evert-Lloyd won’t let a chance

Mandlikova had the brighter beginning, holding two break points for 2-0, but from there Evert turned on the gas, breaking in the 3rd and 7th games to take the opening set.

Hana scored her only break to level at 2-all, only for the world No. 1 to race through the last four games and pick up her spoils of £19,440 ($39,000). Later Evert revealed her secret weapon,