Navratilova-Evert friendship at 50: Complexities of their bond, fighting cancer together and more
Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert are two legendary figures in the world of tennis whose rivalry and friendship have left an indelible mark on the sport. Their dynamic and compelling relationship both on and off the court has been extensively documented, and Sally Jenkins, a renowned sports journalist, has shed light on their unique bond in her brilliant Washington Post article, ‘Bitter rivals, Beloved friends, Survivors on the fiftieth year of their friendship’.
Navratilova co-wrote her autobiography with The New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey, Being Myself (Martina in the US) in 1985. It had a chapter titled Chris, on her bete noire turned beloved friend Evert with a nice build-up and a great teaser in the preceding chapter. In her autobiography, Chrissie, My Own Story penned with Niel Amdur a couple of years earlier, Evert had a similar reflection on her then arch-rival Navratilova, which looked exactly the same picture painted from two different point of views. Both of them put the start of their friendship at Akron, 1973 where they played against each other for the first time.
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“I first played Martina in 1973 when she was sixteen years old. I won 7-6 6-3 but even then, her aggressive game impressed me. A big left-handed serve and her first volleys stretched me from corner to corner. As good as her serve and forehand were, however, I was more struck by her presence. At the time Martina was about twenty pounds overweight and continually belittled herself on court. Sometimes she would be in tears, other times she sulked and cried. Being true to your feelings is an admirable trait, but it wasn’t until I knew Martina a little better — as a singles rival, doubles partner and friend — that I understood why she emotionalised so much,” wrote Evert.
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In Navratilova’s book, she gives a nice little narrated account of how she felt transformed from a thin teen to a curvier feminine body as a result of overeating in the US, which serves as a teaser for the chapter, Chris. “I thought I looked more like a woman, because I wasn’t so muscular anymore. I felt more feminine …. and kept on Big Macking my way across America, right to Akron where the new curvaceous Martina was matched in the first round with a player only couple of years older – Her name was Christine Marie Evert,” wrote Martina.
“When I made my first visit to the US, Chris was already one of the top players on the tour. She had come along as a 15-year-old in 1970, reached the semifinal at the US Open in 1971 and been a semi-finalist at Wimbledon and Forest Hills in 1972. By the time she turned eighteen, she was well known as America’s sweetheart or America’s Ice Princess – take your pick and she possessed a two-handed backhand that could cut your heart out without your feeling it and a warm smile that said ‘Nothing Personal’,” read Navratilova’s autobiography. Nowadays, we’re matched like chocolate-or-vanilla, jazz-or-classical two champions with opposing styles and temperaments competing for limited space at the top of women’s tennis history, she tops it up in another stanza.
“Martina Navratilova isn’t as hard as she sometimes looks on a tennis court. In fact, she is just the opposite, so honest, gracious sensitive and candid that she leaves herself vulnerable to life’s lobs,” felt Evert in her 1982 autobiography.
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It was in the fiftieth year of their friendship Sally Jenkins has come up with an incredibly insightful and emotionally packed long read analysing their relationship which she terms as “hourglass shaped”.
“The shape of the relationship is an hourglass. They first met as teenagers in 1973, became friends and then split apart as each rose to No. 1 in the world at the direct expense of the other. They contested 80 matches — 60 of them finals — riveting for their contrasts in tactics and temperament. After a 15-year rivalry, they somehow reached a perfect equipoise of 18 Grand Slam victories each,” reads Jenkins’ deep read piece.
While their fierce on-court battles are the stuff of legend, it was their off-court relationship that truly fascinated Jenkins. Despite being fierce competitors, Navratilova and Evert developed a profound mutual respect and friendship that transcended the boundaries of the tennis court. Jenkins explores the complexities of their bond, emphasising the emotional support they provided each other during challenging times like fighting cancer together as well as the camaraderie they shared in the face of intense media scrutiny. Jenkins, known for her insightful analysis and captivating storytelling, which we have read in the two biographical works with Lance Armstrong, It’s Not About the Bike (2000) and Every Second Counts (2003), has chronicled the lives of Navratilova and Evert with depth and nuance.
In her long-form article, she delves into the contrasting backgrounds and personalities of these tennis icons, providing valuable context to their enduring connection. Navratilova, an agnostic and outspoken anti-totalitarian, from Czechoslovakia, represented a new era of tennis. Her aggressive style of play, marked by a formidable serve-and-volley technique and athleticism, revolutionised the sport. On the other hand, the more conservative Evert, the quintessential baseline player from the United States, displayed exceptional consistency and mental fortitude, earning her the moniker “Ice Maiden.” These divergent approaches to the game set the stage for their epic duels, captivating fans worldwide.
Through Jenkins’ writing, we gain insights into the shared experiences and milestones that shaped their lives, such as Navratilova’s coming out as gay in an era when homosexuality was still highly stigmatised. Both women faced their own struggles and challenges, and Jenkins expertly examines how their friendship provided a support system and a source of strength as they navigated their personal and professional journeys. The relationship between Navratilova and Evert is a testament to the power of sports to forge deep connections and transcend rivalry. Jenkins’ exploration of their friendship brings their story to life, painting a vivid picture of two remarkable athletes who elevated each other’s games and left an indelible legacy on and off the tennis court.
“There are statues of Arthur Ashe at the US Open, Fred Perry at Wimbledon, Rod Laver at the Australian Open and Rafael Nadal at the French Open. The Blazers who run the major championships have not yet commissioned sculptures of these two women, who so unbound their sport and gave the gift of professional aspiration to so many. Yet who exemplify, perhaps more than any champions in the annals of their sport, the deep internal mutual grace called sportsmanship. But then, they don’t need bronzing. They have something much warmer than that. Each other.”
Jenkins concludes her narrative with this huge statement from which we could clearly read where these three women stand.