"I'm like, wow Chris knows who I am" - Martina Navratilova reminisces about first meeting with Chris Evert, reflects on her excitement

Martina Navratilova revealed that she was thrilled to simply learn that Chris Evert knew her when they first met each other. Over the next 15 years, the two tennis legends shared what came to be known as one of the greatest rivalries in sporting history.

Evert and Navratilova played against each other 80 times on the professional circuit, the most for a rivalry in tennis history. Their first meeting was in Fort Lauderdale, Texas back in 1973, back when Evert was an established player and Navratilova was upcoming.

The Evert-Navratilova rivalry was recently paid tribute to as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the WTA tour. Coincidentally, their rivalry first began 50 years ago. Reflecting on the same, Navratilova looked back on their first meeting and her excitement as Evert greeted her.

"When I first met Chris and when she said hello to me, I was so excited," Martina Navratilova said in a video interview for Tennis Channel.

"In 1973 at Fort Lauderdale, I was walking by and she said, 'Hi,' and I'm like, wow, Chris knows who I am."

Evert also looked back on the rivalry with Navratilova, suggesting that she found facing Navratilova to be the toughest among all the opponents she faced during an illustrious career.

"With all due respect, most of the opponents that I played, I had a winning record against. With Martina, it was a different story," Evert stated.

Their rivalry started off with Evert dominating proceedings across many matches, but ended with Navratilova holding a 43-37 winning record.

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"We became best friends through being the biggest opponents ever" - Martina Navratilova on her rivalry with

Chris Evert

Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert ahead of the 2016 WTA Finals in Singapore.

Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have shared a great camaraderie off the court after their respective retirements from professional tennis and are often also seen together during tennis-related events. Navratilova feels proud of the fact that she and Evert became 'best friends' despite having such a fierce and competitive rivalry on the court.

"We played each other 80 times and then we became best friends through being the biggest opponents ever. So just proud to be half of that partnership," Navratilova expressed.

Sharing her views on the same, six-time US Open champion Evert suggested that the further their rivalry grew, the more she realized how it added to her personal legacy in tennis. The American great called it a "legacy in itself."

"There was a real camaraderie there. When you're in your late 20s, early 30s, I think you become secure enough with yourself that you realize it's not affecting your individual legacy. If anything, it's adding to it, and it's a legacy in itself," Evert conveyed.

Both players ended up with 18 Grand Slam singles titles, while Navratilova also won 41 other Majors in doubles, 31 in women's doubles and 10 in mixed doubles. Navratilova won a combined 20 titles at Wimbledon.