Martina Navratilova has shared how her friendship with former sporting rival Chris Evert helped her get through her second battle with cancer earlier this year.
The two tennis legends have been friends for fifty years and have often spoken of their close bond. In an interview with the Washington Post that was published in July, Navratilova highlighted the long-lasting nature of their friendship.
"I’ve known Chris longer than anybody else in my life, and so it is for her," she said.
However, one of the most emotional bonds the pair share is likely to be their shared experiences of facing cancer. Evert was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2021 but was thankfully given the all-clear in January.
Unfortunately, though, this was the same month that Navratilova was diagnosed with breast and throat cancer, thirteen years after she was given the all-clear following a previous battle with breast cancer. The 59-time Grand Slam champion underwent extensive treatment for her most recent diagnosis and was once again declared cancer-free in June.
In an exclusive interview with the TODAY show, Navratilova opened up on the challenges of treatment and how her friendship with Evert helped her through the difficult time.
"Physically, it’s been the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. I almost get PTSD when I come to New York [because] several weeks of treatment were here," she said.
"[Chris and I] went through the same thing essentially emotionally, and we spoke to each other and realized how much that mentality that champions mentality … helped us get through this. You have to stay positive in the moment. You have to stay in the solution," she said.
"We have just been so intertwined. ... I was there for her when Chris went through it, and then she was there for me. It was amazing. There was like a (thing) where when I was really feeling at my lowest — there was Chris either a text or call," Navratilova added.
Tennis icons Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova met as teenagers, forged one of the greatest rivalries in sports and then became close friends. After 50 years, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova understand each other like no one else can. When cancer came, they both knew where…
