“I was in a hole” – cancer survivors Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert talk about the agony and recovery

Grand Slam tournaments have an audible rhythm. You can hear the sound of tennis balls, the squeak of shoes on the court, and the roar of the crowd. But there is another rhythm, a silent one, that reflects the pulse of the game – the rhythm of heartbeats. As the tournament progresses, the field gets smaller, this heartbeat rhythm gets louder and more intense. And when the players fade and there are only two players left, this rhythm reaches its peak. For many years, it was Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova who brought this silent rhythm to its peak on the WTA Tour.

The rivalry between Evert and Navratilova was the hallmark of tennis in the 1970s and 1980s. Between 1973 and 1988, Evert and Navratilova played around 80 matches against each other, 60 of which were finals. The duo have shared a close bond for over five decades and have seen each other through their best and worst moments. They dressed side by side. They waited together, sometimes ate together and entered the arena together. Despite their rivalry, their friendship was never put at risk, even when they both had similar health problems – cancer!

Recently, the same All England ClubNavratilova and Evert emphasized the different approaches to their illness and the support they received from each other. When a media representative asked the two about the surprising factors about each other, they emphasized the contrasting characteristics.”Chris seemed so stiff and decent. But then she drinks a glass of wine and is a different person”, said Navratilova. Evert replied similarly: “She wore her heart on her sleeve. I think the older she gets, the more protective she is.” During the conversation, the two soon looked back on their path to recovery from cancer.

Martina highlighted how Evert has developed as a person.”With you it’s the other way around. Back then you were much more reserved. Now you’re much more open. With our cancer I was in a hole.” She then went on to describe the challenges she faced and her inability to face the world.”I didn’t want the world to see. I didn’t want to see myself in the mirror, so I certainly didn’t want anyone else to see me.” She continued to think about the contradictory character traits that Evert represented.”You’ve made your treatment and everything else much more public. It’s funny. But in the end, we’re at the same point.” Both Evert and Navratilova have experienced similar scenarios.

In 2010, Navratilova was diagnosed with a non-invasive form of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma for the first time. Thirteen years later, her problems returned when it was discovered that she had two types of cancer at the same time. After being diagnosed with stage 1 throat cancer, doctors performed a biopsy and discovered a lump in her breast. This too was stage 1 breast cancer. The situation was no different for Evert.

In 2022, Evert made her first cancer diagnosis public to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, which her younger sister had died from in 2020. Evert was again diagnosed with stage I ovarian cancer. But both players won this battle too and are now free of the disease, thanks to the immense support they gave each other.

Speaking about the help she received from Navratilova, Evert said: “She was a huge support to me. She came to my house, made me soup, made me pasta, really took care of me, called me and made sure I was OK.” In the meantime, the old friends are looking for another important joint project.

Evert talks about the new documentary about her rivalry with Navratilova

American tennis has evolved thanks to the rivalry between Navratilova and Evert, and now EverWonder Studio will soon bring that rivalry to the big screen as they work on a documentary about the lives of the two star players. In this context, Chris Evert also revealed the profit that the television channels made simply by portraying the rivalry between the two players.

The 18-time Grand Slam winner said: “I think our rivalry helped a lot, just the portrayal of Martina and I as rivals. The games we played. I think that drew even more viewers to the TV.” When asked about the documentary and its timing years after her retirement, the tennis star continued: “Because we are getting old,“ she said with a smile.

It will indeed be interesting to watch the rivalry between two legends on screen and will surely attract the attention of tennis fans around the world.