My earliest recollection of tennis dates back to the early 1970s, when I had an unexpected meeting with Chris Evert in a hotel lobby in Boston. My mother, recognizing her as a famous personality, urged my brother and me to seek her autograph. At that point, I had no concept of what tennis entailed, but Chris Evert’s remarkable kindness and pleasant demeanor towards us left a profound impact. Her warmth not only made me admire her but also cultivated an interest in the sport itself, which I began to follow diligently in the subsequent years.
