For Morozova, born in Moscow, the cash prize was not especially relevant.
“I came from the Soviet Union. We were not professionals, we were amateur. The money I earned not only here, but in Wimbledon, anywhere else, I was going to our federation,” said the 76 -year -old man.
“They paid for my trip, paid for my coach, paid for my anything.”
That “whatever” would have included transportation and accommodation.
“We arrived at Queen’s by Tube,” she said. “We were staying at Earl’s court in a B&B. It wasn’t a very good B&B, I think the bathrooms and the showers were three floors [apart]… You shared with other people, it was normal for everyone at that time.
“For Wimbledon, we had a car – imagine getting out of B&B, down the stairs and you have Rolls Royce with the driver with white gloves waiting for you and opening the door.”
It may not have been Wimbledon, but Queen’s was a prestigious event. Chris Evert and Margaret Court were in the field, along with Evonne Goolagong, that a 24 -year -old Morozova upset in straight sets in the final without leaving the loot.
It was a surprise result for most, but not for Morozova.
“I remember I played well,” she said. “Previously, I was feeling the ball good and already knew Evonne and knew how to touch it, and the grass was my favorite surface.”
As the prize check was not going to the pocket and there was no replica trophy to take, the main benefit – prestige to separate – it was relieved that the decision to sow it by Wimbledon for the first time was justified.
In the days before the computer classification system, seeds – which ensure that the best players are not very early in a tournament – have been decided by expert panels.
“I was sown eight in Wimbledon, and everyone was saying ‘Oh, my God, why is she sown?’ But I finally got the tournament and was really feeling very well, because now they know why I was sown! “
The game of being seven and volley of Morozova was suitable for the grass-she was the junior champion of Wimbledon in 1965 and won several titles on the surface.
She arrived at the Wimbledon final in 1974, losing to Evert just a few weeks after losing the French Open Final to the American. But together, they won the title of female pairs in Roland Garros, making Morozova the first Russian to win a Grand Slam title.
