"Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova were the 2 greatest players I ever played" - When Chris Evert opened up about her biggest rivalries

Chris Evert has always been known for her grace and sportsmanship, never hesitating to acknowledge the greatness of her rivals—especially Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf. Both players pushed Evert to her limits, helping shape her legendary career.

Her rivalry with Navratilova is arguably the most iconic in tennis history, defined by its intensity and mutual respect. Though her battles with Graf weren’t as frequent or storied, they were still high-quality matchups. Evert and Navratilova remain close friends to this day, often seen supporting one another, while her relationship with Graf seems more distant but always respectful.

In a memorable joint interview with The New York Times in 2014, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova reflected on their rivalry and the evolution of the game. While discussing the rise of power tennis, the former shared:

"I noticed it with Monica [Seles] and then Steffi [Graf], but Martina led the way. What she had, at her peak, was a serve like Serena Williams right now — either it was an ace, or it was unreturnable, or it would set up for her to come in and volley. I mean, Steffi and Martina were the two greatest players that I ever played.”

The 18-time Grand Slam champion then pointed out that Steffi Graf’s biggest rival at the time, Monica Seles, was sidelined after her infamous stabbing incident, which ultimately opened the door for the German to win more Grand Slams and finish with 22.

“But with Monica, it’s hard to say, because when she got stabbed, she was No. 1 in the world and had won that last grand slam [the 1993 Australian Open, her eighth slam]. With her out of the game for two and a half years, Steffi really didn’t have anybody that was going to challenge her. So she piled up a few more grand slams. After Monica got back, it wasn’t ever the same,” Chris Evert said

Evert and Navratilova faced each other 80 times in total, with Navratilova edging the rivalry 43-37. As for Evert and Graf, they met 13 times, with the German narrowly leading 7-6.

A look into Chris Evert, Steffi Graf & Martina Navratilova's Grand Slams

Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert pictured at the 2024 French Open | Image Source: Getty

Chris Evert won a total of 18 Grand Slam titles in her career, with the majority coming at the French Open. She claimed a record seven titles at Roland-Garros, along with six US Open, four Wimbledon, and one Australian Open trophy

Martina Navratilova, on the other hand, was more known for her dominance on grass courts, and her nine Wimbledon titles are a testament to that. In addition, she won four US Open titles, three Australian Opens, and two French Open titles.

Meanwhile, Steffi Graf was a complete all-surface player. She won seven Wimbledon titles, six French Opens, five US Opens, and four Australian Open titles. The German remains the only player—male or female—to achieve the Golden Slam, winning all four Majors and Olympic gold in the same calendar year (1988).