‘They Wanted to See Me Cry’- Chris Evert Once Openly Admitted How Martina Navratilova’s Arrival Boosted Her Fame

The poised demeanor of American tennis legend Chris Evert, both on and off the court, is cherished by many fans around the world. However, back in her heyday, the calm and composed nature of the 18-time Grand Slam champion was often criticized by many, as tennis fans wanted players to show their emotions on the court.

But since Evert did not take that route, she had to win back her popularity among fans in the late 70s. She recently revealed how she did that with the emergence of Martina Navratilova.

Chris Evert and the rapid decrease of her fame

Evert got her nickname of ‘Ice Maiden’ because of her stoic and determined look on the court. Even if umpiring calls went against her, she kept her composure on the court and rarely lashed out at officials. Tennis is a game that brings out raw emotions in players, be it smashing racquets or expressing their strong views with the chair umpires. However, Evert chose to keep her emotions in check most of the times.

Talking about this, the American legend said, “I was the ice queen, and they wanted to see me melt. They wanted to see me cry, probably show some emotion. But I carried it inside myself.” 

How did Martina Navratilova’s arrival give a new dimension to Chris Evert?

Evert’s great rival on the court, Martina Navratilova, was almost the complete opposite. She was vocal and had an aggressive gameplay. She reignited fans’ interest in Evert as the Czech-American became the pantomime villain in their rivalry. Evert later said, “Martina and I are linked, whether we like it or not,” referring to the fans’ love-hate relationship with the pair.

The fans were enthusiastic to see the players battle each other, as Navratilova’s strong serve-and-volley game provided the perfect challenge to Evert’s impeccable baseline style. Their famed rivalry started in 1973 at the Akron Open and ended in the finals of the 1988 Chicago Open.

WATCH THIS STORY: ‘Seems to Get Injured a Lot’ – Martina Navratilova Once Used Serena Williams’ Example to Talk About the ‘Fragmented’ Nature of Women’s Tennis. 

The players faced each other on the opposite sides of the court a whopping 80 times. Martina Navratilova leads the H2H series by a ratio of 43:37. Despite their on-court rivalry, the 18-time singles Grand Slam champions have been good friends to date. Both are very active on social media, particularly on Twitter, and we have often seen the two legends supporting each other during tough situations.