Best of Frenemies - a podcast by Andrew, Ed, and Zak

Welcome back to the Bill Bradley Collective, where it is seasonal profile week as we present a deep dive on the lives of and rivalry between tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Two of the greatest to ever pick up a racket, male or female, Navratilova and Evert each re-wrote the record book during their era and the only one stopping each of them from greater success was the other. As their careers largely intersect one another, the on-court rivalry between the two is one of the greatest across gender or sport. Join us as we examine the rivalry and the women behind it. Contrasting public images, physical appearances and on-court playing styles belie a rivalry perhaps best remembered for the class and sportsmanship of the combatants and the enduring friendship that it helped create. While we celebrate both Evert and Navratilova for their achievements both on- and off-court, it is a conversation about a relationship not without some controversy, as both of our subjects have recently made public statements regarding the competitive rights of trans-gender athletes. Catalysts for a tennis boom in the 1970’s and 80’s, Evert and Navratilova represented themselves and their sport with dignity and grace, while many of their male contemporaries were better known for their boorish and outspoken personalities. The professional rivalry and personal relationship between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova is a lengthy chapter in the history of women in sports, and that chapter is examined this week on the Bill Bradley Collective.

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