FORT LAUDERDALE — Chris Evert fit right in, decked out in an orange outfit, matching the blazers of three dozen members of the Orange Bowl committee.

This was another milestone day for Evert, the longtime Boca Raton resident who grew up on the courts of Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale. These courts will now host the most prestigious junior tournament in the world – the Orange Bowl – following a $ 9.5 million refurbishment.

The Holiday Park tennis facility had already been named after her father – Jimmy Evert. In the new gleaming model, the main court with its 750-seat bleachers was officially christened Chris Evert Stadium Court during a packed ceremony moderated by her ESPN teammate, Chris Fowler on Dec. 8.  

During the festivities, one of the Orange Bowl executives bestowed another giant platitude on Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, was ranked No. 1 for 260 weeks and finished at 1 five times between 1975-1981.

More tennis: Jessica Pegula has become frequent train rider on way to tennis matches

Evert was called by the Orange Bowl committee “the greatest champion to ever come out of South Florida in any sport.’’

Asked later by The Palm Beach Post what she made of that bold statement, Evert said,

“Maybe born (in South Florida).  There’s been a lot of great champions from South Florida but born and raised? I think you can take Serena (Williams) out of that because she was born (and raised) in California. What do I take from that?

“I remember growing up and helping put Fort Lauderdale on the map. It wasn’t recognizable (back then). Not too many people knew. They knew about Miami. They didn’t know about Fort Lauderdale. I think I helped put it out there. I feel very honored.’’

Chris Evert won’t be surprised to see Coco Gauff win third Slam in ’26

There was a time that when it appeared a young Coco Gauff, who was born at West Boca Medical Center and raised in Delray Beach, could approach Evert’s greatness. Gauff still may but there’s been bumps in the road  as she turns 22 in March.

Though she added her second Grand Slam title in 2025 at the French Open and leads female athletes in endorsement earnings, many of Gauff’s results have been subpar as she also led the tour in double faults. Gauff just added Mercedes Benz to her portfolio, topping $ 31 million in earnings for 2025. Coco was forced to hire a new biomechanics coach to reconstruct her erratic serve before the U.S. Open. Coco lost in the fourth round amid tears.  

Evert won’t be surprised to see Gauff win a third Slam in 2026 but she won’t go as far as saying she’s ready to dominate women’s tennis like Evert once did and Serena Williams accomplished.

“Gavin (MacMillan) is very successful at his job,’’ Evert said of the new hire on Gauff’s team. “He did well with (Aryna) Sabalenka. He’s telling her the right things. It’s hard for her to change bad habits.

“In saying that, I’ve always believed in Coco Gauff – her athleticism and her mental fighting spirit are the two big assets in her game. The fact is her forehand will go off a little bit and her serve will go off a little bit, but she’s still winning Grand Slams. Shows how good she really is.’’

The 2025 tennis season ended with WTA Finals in early November won by Elena Rybakina. Gauff didn’t get out of the round-robin stage. The first Grand Slam of 2026 is the Australian Open, which starts next month.

 “She’ll be right there,’’ Evert added. “I think she’ll win another Grand Slam (in 2026). She’s right there with Sabalenka and (Iga) Swiatek.  Those three  – with Rybakina in there, too. But those three are going to interchange.’’

Evert’s siblings (she has three brothers and a sister) were in attendance at the Jimmy Evert Tennis Center during the dedication ceremony. Her father died in 2015 at age 92. Evert noted how honored her father would be knowing the Orange Bowl would be staged at the courts he directed for close to 50 years.

“My dad coached us all here,’’ Evert said during her speech. “He kept a close eye on all of us. He worked 10 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. No vacation for him ever. He got to be with his family every day. That was enough for him.

“I once asked my dad when I was number 1 in the world ‘Dad,  why did you start us all playing tennis?’ I thought I’d get a real sexy answer, thinking he’d say I wanted you kids to travel the world, earn a good living and meet people from all over. Instead, he said to keep you off the streets. I was insulted by that answer. As I got older, had kids, I got smarter and know exactly what he meant.”

The Orange Bowl previously had been played in Crandall Park in Miami and then Plantation before moving to the famed court of Fort Lauderdale. The 16-and-under and 18-and-under events began Dec. 8 and with the refurbishments with a plate of blue clay courts, the city is hosting a slew of youth events for underserved kids.

“We all live in Florida,’’ Evert said. “We can go out in a T-shirt every day. You’re not in the snow. Not playing indoors. You’re going to get a lot more practice than players who live up north. It’s a lot cheaper playing here, practicing every day to hone your skills, It’s a sport for a lifetime. You can play when you’re 5. You can play when you’re 85.’’

Evert, who is 70, got to the facility early and immediately checked out the court where a couple of her prospects who belong to the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton were playing.

“It’s huge,’’ Evert said of the Orange Bowl, which she won multiple times in the 16 and 18-and-under brackets. “It’s the biggest international tournament in junior tennis. It’s the standard for the best –  90 percent of them turn pro. I’m very privileged.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Chris Evert proud she helped put Fort Lauderdale on the sports map