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Former Australian tennis star Rennae Stubbs has expressed her admiration for Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, two of the greatest players of all time, who recently opened up about their friendship and their battles with cancer.
Stubbs, who won four Grand Slam doubles titles and two mixed-doubles titles in her career, shared an article on Twitter that chronicled the remarkable story of Evert and Navratilova. The duo met in 1973 and played each other 80 times over 15 years (43-37 in favor of Navratilova), winning 36 Grand Slam singles titles combined.
The article, written by Sally Jenkins for The Washington Post, described how the two legends became fierce rivals on the court but also close friends off it, supporting each other through personal and professional challenges, such as divorces, injuries, illnesses, and aging.
Stubbs, who is now a tennis coach and television commentator, shared the article on Twitter on Monday, July 3.
“Love ❤️ this @Martina @ChrissieEvert @sallyjenkinswa1,” Stubbs wrote on Twitter.
The article also revealed how they both faced cancer in recent years and how they coped with the diagnosis and treatment. Evert had ovarian cancer in 2018, and Navratilova had breast cancer in 2010, followed by a second diagnosis of breast and throat cancer last year.
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova both underwent surgery and chemotherapy and are now cancer-free. They credit their tennis careers for giving them the physical and mental resilience to fight the disease.
"Martina Navratilova was one of the first people I told about my cancer" - Chris Evert
Chris Evert revealed that Martina Navratilova was among the first individuals she confided in about her cancer. Unsurprisingly, she was also one of the very first people Navratilova informed when she herself was diagnosed with the same illness.
"Martina Navratilova was one of the first people I told about my cancer, and I think I was one of the first people she told when she was diagnosed with cancer."
Chris Evert emphasized that they maintained regular contact and supported each other during their challenging periods, often visiting one another. They frequently exchanged text messages and their bond grew stronger as a result.
"It's just ironic that both of us experienced that at the same time. We had tears over it and we visited each other. We text each other a lot and we have gotten closer as a result."
Martina Navratilova recently reminisced about the initial encounter with Chris Evert and expressed her exhilaration upon receiving Evert's warm greeting.
"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."
