Last modified: Sunday, July 11, 2004 12:44 AM EDT Chris Evert still the darling among tennis greats BY PETER GOBIS/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NEWPORT -- The graciousness, the smile, the effervescence is still present and the charm, oh, the charm of Christine Marie Evert, the darling of women's tennis -- then and now. ``It's just wonderful to be here,'' said Evert, one of the game's greatest stars on hand to participate in the International Tennis Hall of Fame's gala 50th anniversary celebration, parading on the hallowed grass of Bellevue Avenue with Rod Laver, Margaret Court Smith, John Newcombe, Virginia Wade, Stan Smith, Francois Durr, John McEnroe, among others. ``There's a camaraderie that exists among the Hall of Famers that doesn't exist with the current players today,'' said Evert of the world-traveling, purse-snatching, rankings of professional players on both the men's and women's circuits. ``Every single week of the year, it's about the current players, who's playing well,'' added the soon-to-be 50-year old Evert of the sense of history that escapes the current parade of players, unfamiliar with the birth and growth of the game. ``This (the Hall of Fame) is about history. I love seeing Maria Bueno, talking with Margaret Court. It's great to see Rod Laver, he's such a hero for everyone. Being with and seeing these people, they were my idols growing up, it's such a great experience.'' Evert was ranked among the top 10 women in the game for 19 years, being ranked No. 1 five times, No. 2 seven times and never ranked below No. 4 from 1972-89 -- the winner of three Wimbledon titles, the winner of 101 U.S. Open matches, four titles. Evert recalled the first time that she was in Newport, about at age of 16 or 17 and being housed with the Hall of Fame's founder, the late Jimmy VanAlen. ``They put us in the maid's quarters, but we did have servants for breakfast,'' quipped Evert. Those moments are lost on today's breed of pro players. ``Today, it's big business,'' said Evert, who owns the best winning percentage (.900) of any man or woman on the pro tour, the first man or woman to win 1,000 matches. ``We were out there promoting the game. I mean, I didn't have a practice partner, I didn't have a coach. I'd practice with Martina (Navratilova) before a match. ``Today, everyone has their own traveling companions, their entourages. Not that it's a negative thing, but it's a business now. For the players of today it's big business.'' As the story goes, VanAlen and his wife were visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. in 1953 and wondered why tennis did not have such a shrine. He lobbied the U.S. Tennis Association as the Newport Casino hosted the first U.S. National Lawn Tennis Championships in 1881 until 1915, the predecessor to the U.S. Open. The rest is history. Prior to today's induction of Steffi Graff, Stefan Edberg and Dorothy Cheney into the Hall of Fame, McEnroe and Andre Agassi will play an exhibition doubles match with Tony Roche and Laver. ``It was nice to see Steffi (Graf, Mrs. Andre Agassi) and Stefan (Edberg),'' added Evert. ``I wish that some of the younger players were here, to understand what the tradition of the game. People don't see tennis on TV every week and it's nice to pay tribute to the game, to the past.'' Another German will be on the Bill Talbert Center Court today -- Mannheim ``steamroller'' Alexander Popp, who advanced to his first career ATP final with a 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over No. 5 seeded Cyril Saulnier of France. Popp, who reached the fourth round (losing to eventual finalist Andy Roddick) at Wimbledon, saved six of eight break points, including a set point in the 10th game of the second set. ``I've had a tough year, I didn't win too many matches at the beginning (3-10 heading into London),'' said the No. 111 ranked, 6-foot-7 Popp. ``I like Newport, it's not too crowded, it's relaxing. You can go out in the evening and drink coffee and see all the people walking past.'' Popp will be opposed by 1993 Newport champion Greg Rusedski, who owns more wins on grass (77) than any other active player. Rusedski, unseeded and currently ranked No. 166, scored a 7-5, 7-6 (12-10) victory over No. 8 Antony Dupuis of France. Rusedski won the first set when Dupuis committed two unforced errors and dropped service in the 12th game. In the second set tiebreaker, neither player lost a serve. Rusedski won 10 of 12 points on his service, 87 percent of his first service points (45 of 52) overall and did not face a break point. ``The further I go the better I feel,'' said Rusedski, hoping to claim his fourth career title on grass, his first since Nottingham in 2003, while also improving his record in Newport to 10-1. ``Serve and volley is kind of a dying art. That's an unfortunate part, I'd like to see a little bit more.'' Rusedski would cherish the honor of one day being inducted into the Hall of Fame, too. ``It's great to have all of the great players in tennis here, people like Laver and Agassi and Evert and Graf -- all of the great players from the past and the present.''