- Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova are all-time greats in the tennis world, and their rivalry is the greatest in sports history.

Over a magical golden era, in the '70s and '80s, women's tennis exploded in popularity, thanks in part to the two fierce competitors, Chrissie Evert and Martina Navratilova, who played 80 times, and staged, in my opinion, the greatest rivalry in the history of sports.

I was at the 1971 US Open when I faced 16-year-old newcomer Chrissie Evert, in the semifinals.

Since I was representing professional tennis, and she was still an amateur, the stakes were high.

But I was no stranger to pressure.

I defeated Chrissie and ultimately won the US Open title.

I've never seen it so exciting.

She made the US Open.

She was a superstar from childhood.

After the match, I said to everyone, "You guys, that kid is our next superstar.

She's it.

She's the one."

Then the rising star, Martina Navratilova entered the US Circuit from Eastern Europe.

She was a powerhouse.

I remember how angry she got when announcers would mangle her name, and I told her "Don ' t worry.

Just keep winning.

They'll learn to pronounce your name."

Chrissie took center court, capturing her first Slam at the 1974 French Open and another singles title at Wimbledon.

As Chrissie's popularity soared, Martina stepped up, challenging her at the 1975 French Open.

Two young women at the peak of their careers set the stage for an epic rivalry.

We were constantly waiting for the next big Chrissie-Martina match.

In 1984, Chris and Martina faced off in three of the four Grand Slam finals... Martina capturing all three titles.

The following two years, they battled it out in four more Grand Slam Finals, breaking even with two wins each.

In 1985, Chrissie beat defending champion Martina to reclaim the French Open title.

It was a fearless and tight match that could have gone on forever.

Spectators on the edge of their seats until the very last moment.

They played 80 times.

Have you ever heard of anybody playing 80 times?

In the end, Martina won 43 matches to Chrissie's 37.

Tennis fans were drawn to this rivalry because these two could not be more different from one another.

Chrissie came from sunny Florida and had the nickname of "Cinderella in Sneakers".

She knew how to keep her cool on the court, was unflappable, and had a sensational shot placement that was hard to match at the time.

Chris Evert, with a two-handed backhand, revolutionized the game.

All the kids started using that.

And then Martina Navratilova took it to a new level because of her fitness.

Martina was a full court drama, complete with emotional outburst.

Watching these two on the court was like watching fireworks on the 4th of July.

Individually, Martina won the most singles titles in history with 167, while Chrissie trailed close behind at second place with 157 titles.

They took it to a whole new level.

This is our first generation of real pros.

When they started, they made money.

They're like, all-time greats.

When Martina and Chrissie joined the Virginia Slims tour with us, they amplified its popularit through their notorious rivalry, shining a brighter light on the tour and ushering in a new generation of stars.

They left an indelible mark on the sport and the road to gender equality.

Both Chrissie and Martina are my friends for life.

I helped coach Martina to win her ninth Wimbledon singles title in 1990 by allowing her to reconnect to the joy of playing, and I convinced Chris to become president of the WTA after I stepped down, because I knew she could do it.

And then we were both so proud when Martina followed in our footsteps by serving as the WTA president after us.

Relationships are everything, and I'm grateful to hav Chrissie and Martina in my life.