"Magnificent players, incredible competitors" - Tennis fans react to Chris Evert's revelations about her relationship with Martina Navratilova

Tennis fans expressed their awe and admiration for Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova following the former opening up on her relationship with the latter.

Evert and Navratilova are some of the all-time greats of the WTA tour. They have won 18 Grand Slams each and a combined 34 doubles Majors, among other honors. The pair contested 60 finals against each other over the course of their careers.

While they had one of the greatest sporting rivalries in the history of the sport, they have also forged a great relationship off it, especially in retirement. Their simultaneous successful battles with cancer played a small part in this.

Evert and Navratilova, who met as teenagers, recently gave a long, open-hearted interview about their careers, their relationships, and how their friendship has grown with time.

"I saw her at her highest and at her lowest. And I think because we saw each other that way, the vulnerable part, that’s another level of friendship," Evert told the Washington Post.

"She knew me better than I knew me. I’ve known Chris longer than anybody else in my life, and so it is for her," Navratilova said.

Tennis fans were quick to react to the relationship between the two players, with one stating that their friendship is even greater than their tennis rivalry.

"A wonderful, moving piece. I grew up loving tennis because of @ChrissieEvert & @Martina. Magnificent players, incredible competitors & rivals, they defined tennis as well as each other. To have such a deep & meaningful friendship is even greater. Love, light & grace to you both," a fan opined.

One user called them the finest and fiercest competitors that tennis has ever seen.

"Two of the finest, and fiercest competitors in any sport. A remarkable story," a tweet read.

Here are a few more fan reactions:

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

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova faced each other 80 times in their careers, the most for a rivalry in tennis history.

Evert and Navratilova first locked horns in Fort Lauderdale, Texas, back in 1973, when the former was an established player and the latter was just starting her career.

While their rivalry began with Evert dominating their meetings, it ended with Navratilova holding a 43-37 edge in their head-to-head record. In an interview earlier this year, Navratilova expressed pride at the fact that they became 'best friends' despite having such a fierce and competitive rivalry.

"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," she told the Tennis Channel.