Chris Evert may have retired from the tennis but her connection to the tennis world—and her fans—remains as strong as ever. Even after hanging up her racquets, she continues to make headlines, not just for her legacy in the sport but also for her everyday life. And this time, it’s her younger son who’s stealing the spotlight!

The 69-year-old former player has often shared her love for his three sons, whom she had from her second marriage with Andy Mill. Her love came to light yet again when the 18-time Grand Slam Champion took to her Instagram account and showered praise for her eldest son, Alex Mill, on his birthday on October 13. She regarded him as her “rock” and a pillar of strength. 

Sharing a string of pictures of Alex, Evert wrote, “Happy 33rd birthday to my amazing son Alex ❤️. Thank you for being my rock the last few years when I’ve needed you. Watching you grow into the kind and caring person you are today fills me with pride. Here’s to many more years of love, happiness, and adventure! ❤️ Mom.”

Remember, the former player shared a heartbreaking update last year when she revealed that she was struck by ovarian cancer yet again. It was during this challenging phase that her sons stood by her side and offered her great support. And while Evert chose to thank her elder son on his birthday, her younger son Nicholas Mill came up with a cheeky response. 

Nicholas, the second child of the tennis star, quickly took to the comments section of her mother’s post and shared his surprise over the statement where Evert termed Alex as her “rock.” Emphasizing the same, he wrote, “Wait, I thought I was the rock? 🪨.” For the uninformed, while Alex was born in 1991, Nicholas was welcomed by Evert three years later in 1994.

Her third child, Colton Jack Mill, was subsequently born in 1996. While these exchanges were cheeky, they highlight the strong bond that Evert shares with her sons. The star player once opened up about her parenting style and revealed how it helped her ensure the best upbringing for her children. 

In an interview in 2016, Evert revealed that she witnessed a strict upbringing. This made her understand the nuances of such childhood, and she decided to choose a different approach for her sons, per Daily Mail. “Because my upbringing was so strict, so black and white with no gray, I went the other way with my sons. I listened to them; let them talk me into letting them stay up an extra hour at bedtime. I probably could have been stricter, but I’d tell them, “Just do your best.” As a result, they are very kind and loving.”

Interestingly, her lenient parenting also made Evert take a unique approach to fascinate her kids for tennis.

“Offered them a bet:”  Chris Evert shared how she attempted for her children to like tennis

For Chirs Evert, tennis runs deep into her blood, thanks to her father Jimmy, who was a professional tennis coach. But to the surprise of many, Evert’s sons were not intrigued as much by the sport, and despite picking up racquets during their early days, they did not choose it as a profession. However, Evert once revealed the efforts she took to ignite a passion for the sport in her sons. 

The former pro engaged in an interview with USTA in 2010 and opened up about how the sport helped her strengthen her bond with her family. “Tuesdays and Thursdays I’d have to play like a set with my mom, and she would drop shot me and then lob me and just totally abuse me. I would always just hate to play her, but she taught me how to drop shot and lob. I learned that from her, so like I said, it’s a great thing,” she recalled. Continuing further, she also shared a humorous anecdote about how she tried to motivate her children to the sport.

“I play tennis with my kids too, and I actually have three teenage boys, and I actually offered them a bet of x amount of money the day that they beat me two out of three sets, and of course, it’s a lot of money because I don’t think they’re ever going to beat me,” Evert said back then.

While she might have failed in her attempt, the love between the mother and her sons has continued to grow stronger. And for now, it would be interesting to see if Chris Evert comes up with a response to the comment of her second son, Nicholas.