Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova‘s on-court rivalry has knocked their fans’ socks off. But, what about their friendship? While the talented duo mesmerized the tennis fraternity with their face-offs for fifteen years, their bonding has made their fans believe in friendship without a cause. Now, fifty years after Evert’s debut French Open victory, she amazes her fans by revealing the extraordinary and unbelievable equation she shared with her old rival and colleague, Martina Navratilova.

Evert revealed her beautiful friendship with one of her biggest rivals on the court, Martina Navratilova. The duo has met each other on the court 80 times, among which 60 times were in the tournament finals. Evert met Navratilova in the round of 16 in Akron in 1973, where Evert defeated the Czech-American former WTA star.

According to the New York Times, “Some of the roots of her friendship with Navratilova had formed in Paris a decade before, when they met in the 1975 final. How different was it back then? They had lunch together before they played – roast chicken and potatoes. They even practised together before the match.” However, Evert defeated Navratilova by 2-6, 6-2, and 6-1 to bag her second consecutive French Open victory.

This former American legend always spoke highly of Navratilova and their friendship. While fans can’t forget their nerve-wracking 1985 French Open finals, where Evert defeated the defending champion Navratilova by 6-3, 6-7, and 7-5, they also witnessed an amazing friendship between two stalwart tennis stars.

The New York Times wrote further- “At one point, when Evert was practising returning serves, Navratilova asked if she needed anything else. Evert asked for some serves wide to her backhand. Navratilova obliged.” Chris Evert showed her amusement at such bonding by saying “Can you imagine (that happening today)?”

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s friendship is a testament to how tennis brings people closer. While Evert always praised her friend, Navratilova also didn’t hesitate to express her affection for her colleague and old rival.

Martina Navratilova reveals that her friendship with Chris Evert made them “better players”

Last year in an interview with Piers Morgan, Navratilova spoke about how she felt for her colleague Chris Evert. While describing Evert as her “great enemy”,  Navratilova said- “We made each other better players, And I think we made each other better humans as well.”

Years after their retirement, when Navratilova recalled how Chris Evert has maintained her friendship with the American-Czech former WTA legend. “Chris has been just a stalwart, She has supported me so much through this as I supported her a year ago. She’s been great”- said Navratilova. In fact, Navratilova was also there during Evert’s challenging journey.

Chris Evert and Navratilova’s beautiful friendship inspires the current generation to think beyond their on-court success. It shows how two tennis players can choose to be friends and lift each other keeping aside their on-court rivalry.