"I wasn’t a Billie Jean King or Martina Navratilova”: Chris Evert reflects on her legacy as she celebrates her 70th birthday

Chris Evert celebrated her 70th birthday this week and reflected on her entry into professional tennis, where she competed against players like Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and Margaret Court. The American won a total of 18 Grand Slam titles, cementing her status as one of the greatest legends in tennis history.

From an early age, Evert excelled in junior categories and made her Grand Slam debut at 16 during the 1971 US Open, where she reached the semifinals, losing to first seed Billie Jean King. Her performances in majors were remarkable, with 18 titles and 16 additional finals appearances.

The American also finished six seasons as world No. 1 and ended a total of 17 years ranked in the top three. She forged one of the most iconic rivalries in tennis history with Navratilova, facing her 80 times between 1973 and 1988, 60 of which were in finals, with Navratilova leading their head-to-head 43–37.

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In an interview with the WTA, the former player reflected on her influence in the tennis world and how the landscape has changed since her era. “The culture at that time was that women athletes were frowned upon,” the former world No. 1 said. “They were strong. That was everything the culture dictated that a woman wasn’t. I came along, a teenager who was trying to be feminine.

“I wasn’t a Billie Jean King or Martina Navratilova with these big messages, but after I showed up, it was ok. ‘Oh, those are beautiful tennis dresses and those are pretty ribbons. She wears nail polish.’ I think that was my impact, making it ok for young girls and women to be athletes, bringing along a whole new generation.”

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