Who are the first names that come to your mind when you hear the word greatest of tennis? Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer are some obvious candidates. Extending greatness to yesteryear legends would give us a plethora of options like Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg, or Chris Evert.

Well, recently yesteryear legend, Chris Evert has conceded the G.O.A.T. debate in favor of a particular athlete. However, that tennis player does not appear to be anyone from the above-mentioned names. Nor is the tennis icon often seen in these debates. So, who is Chris Evert making a case for here?

Chris Evert gives a new spark to the GOAT debate

The newest Hall of Fame inductee in tennis has grabbed the headlines. Her achievements were never the talking point in the tennis fraternity but after her induction, people across the globe have hailed her on social media. The tennis icon in question is none other than Esther Vergeer, the wheelchair tennis legend.

She has 48 major titles to her name alongside seven Paralympic golds. Her ten-year undefeated streak saw her win a whooping 470 matches on the bounce.

When these statistics resurfaced on Twitter, Evert could not resist herself from conceding the debate. She quoted the tweet and said, “Wow! SHE is the GOAT!“.

Evert’s words also show that she highly values and respects paralyzed athletes. The wheelchair tennis players do not receive enough respect from the fraternity for the effort they put in and their achievements. Other legends of the game could follow Evert’s footsteps and acknowledge the specially-abled tennis icons. At least, Billie Jean King did so.

READ MORE: Veteran Sports Columnist Offers Fascinating Insights Into Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Billie Jean King’s Success Despite Their Short Stature

Billie Jean King hails the paralyzed athletes

King took to Twitter to acknowledge Esther Vergeer’s career. She pointed out her singles achievements and listed them in her tweet to pay tribute to the legend. Her tribute wasn’t just limited to Vergeer. She went on to congratulate another Hall of Fame inductee. Rick Draney, a former wheelchair tennis legend also received kind words from Billie Jean King.

In addition to that, King also congratulated Judy Dalton, a prominent member of the Original 9. Dalton could not attend when the Original 9 was enshrined in 2021 but she received her flowers this weekend.

WATCH THIS STORY: 41-Year-Old Serena Williams Sends Emotional Message to Young Tennis Players From Ghana As She Hypes Up Their Zeal for the Sport