"Even Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer were emotional as juniors" - When Chris Evert made honest admission about breaking rackets despite 'icy demeanor'

Chris Evert once opened up about a characteristic she shared with fellow tennis legends like Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg. The American also explained how her younger self had differed from the composed personality she displayed throughout her professional tennis career.

Evert won 18 Grand Slam titles during her illustrious career, making her one of the greatest players in history. Her calm demeanor and unflappable personality became a cornerstone of her game, earning her the nickname 'Ice Maiden.' However, the former World No. 1 revealed that she was no stranger to outbursts when she was younger.

In a 2010 article for ESPN, Chris Evert admitted that, like Roger Federer and Bjorn Borg, who were also known for their icy demeanors, she had struggled to keep her emotions in check during juniors and broken her fair share of rackets.

"Most players -- even those known for their icy demeanors, like Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer -- were emotional on the court as juniors. I was no different. I threw and broke my share of rackets," Chris Evert said.

The former World No. 1's tennis journey began when she was just five years old, training under the tutelage of her father Jimmy, who was a professional tennis coach. Evert credited her father for teaching her the crucial skill of bottling her emotions during matches.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion emphasized that maintaining a "poker face" and causing her opponents to get frustrated enough to make mistakes was instrumental to her success.

"But my dad taught me something that became instrumental to my success: how to bottle my emotions during a match and never give my opponents an indication of how I was feeling," she said.

"Even if I was losing or felt exhausted, I shouldn't show it. Playing with a poker face would frustrate my opponents into making mistakes. Consequently, that was the way I conducted my career," she added.

"It was probably my greatest strength" - Chris Evert on 'genius tactic' of playing without showing her emotions

Chris Evert - Source: Getty

During the same piece, Chris Evert described her father Jimmy's advice on controlling her emotions as a "genius tactic" because it became her greatest mental edge over her opponents.

"It proved to be a genius tactic. I always felt confident that if a match was close, I would have the mental edge. It was probably my greatest strength," Chris Evert said.

Although the former World No. 1 acknowledged that fans gravitated more toward players who displayed their emotions openly, she expressed gratitude for her father's focus on giving her the best chance to win rather than emphasizing the showmanship aspect.

"Would I have preferred to play with more emotion? Sure. Giving full effort and winning are always appreciated, but I think fans relate more easily to athletes who wear their hearts on their sleeves," she said.

"It wasn't that my father didn't want me to play in an engaging style. I doubt the concept of showmanship even entered his mind. He just did what a good coach is supposed to: He gave me the best possible chance to win," she added.

Chris Evert also credited her father for his supportive approach to coaching, disclosing that he "never got mad when she lost a match" but instead took satisfaction in knowing that she had given her best effort.