51 years ago in May, on a warm Paris afternoon, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova began a Grand Slam rivalry that would shape tennis history. In the 1975 Roland Garros final, Evert’s trademark composure overcame Navratilova’s fierce intensity as she rallied for a 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 victory. The triumph marked the second of her record seven French Open singles crowns. Yet beyond the scoreline, that first major meeting quietly sparked a lifelong friendship and partnership that is now making its way into the screens.

In collaboration with Netflix, both the tennis legends are opening up about their relationship both on and off the court. The documentary, “Chris & Martina: The Final Set”, premieres on Netflix on June 26.

Before its streaming debut, the film will receive its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 10. The project explores not only their rivalry for years but also the friendship that grew from it.

The two-time Emmy Award winner director Rebecca Gitlitz believes their relationship changed the sport in a unique way. “They shifted culture together,” Gitlitz added, talking exclusively with People’s Eileen Finan.

“They stood at the top of the mountain together, which meant that they pushed each other nonstop.”

While both have conquered countless opponents throughout their careers, their toughest challenge eventually became something neither could avoid. Both the tennis icons faced serious battles with cancer.

18 Grand Slam winner, Evert, now 71, was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer back in 2021. The diagnosis came just one year after her sister passed away from the same disease.

Navratilova, now 69, had first battled breast cancer in 2010 and underwent a lumpectomy. Years later, back in 2023, she learned that her breast cancer had returned and that she was also dealing with throat cancer.

Reflecting on their shared experience, Gitlitz pointed to the unusual parallels between their lives. “They have such a shared history and when they each got cancer, it became almost ironic that it came back to this parallel path.”

The documentary project actually began almost 2 and a half years ago following Navratilova’s second cancer diagnosis. However, the story took another emotional turn when the filming had already started.

In the later part of 2023, the production team learned that Evert’s cancer had returned. As a result, the documentary became even more intimate and personal than it was originally planned.

Evert, however, allowed cameras to follow her through doctor appointments and difficult moments during treatment. One especially emotional scene shows her son shaving the final strands of her hair after chemotherapy.

And as both the icons now prepare to share the screen together, expectations are high that their story will inspire and resonate with a new generation.

How Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s enduring friendship started

The Czech American former ace was just 12 years old when she first came across Chris Evert’s name in an issue of World Tennis Magazine. At the time, Navratilova could hardly have imagined how closely their futures would become connected.

A few years later, their paths finally crossed in person at the tennis circuit. They met for the 1st time during Navratilova’s first professional tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1973.

Navratilova approached Evert and greeted her. However, the other American was busy playing a game of backgammon and had little idea who the young player standing before her was.

What began as a brief and rather ordinary meeting soon evolved into one of the greatest rivalries in modern tennis history. Their first match against each other came later that same year at the Akron Tennis Open.

Over the years, they pushed one another to new heights and helped shape the sport. Eventually, the fierce competitors who spent years battling at the tennis court became close friends who stood beside each other through life’s biggest challenges.

Now, their story carries a deeper purpose beyond tennis. According to Gitlitz, both women wanted to share their experiences for an important reason. They hoped their journeys would encourage other women to seek screenings early and remind patients that they are not facing cancer alone in the world.

The trailer already offers powerful glimpses into those experiences as well. “Sometimes it takes terrible things to happen for you to realize how you really feel about things,” Evert says in the trailer. “There’s no competition of whose cancer was worse,” Navratilova added in the film trailer. “We’re in the same boat.”

Their connection was first built through one of the greatest rivalries in tennis history. Navratilova, who won a total of 167 singles titles and 59 Grand Slams, including doubles and mixed doubles, faced Chris Evert 80 times, including 14 Grand Slam finals. 

Navratilova held a 43-37 advantage in their legendary H2H rivalry. “Every time I practice, I’ll be practicing shots that hopefully I’ll use against her,” a fairly young Evert says in the trailer. “Chris was the enemy and she’s the one I had to beat to get to No. 1,” Navratilova added afterwards.

By the end of their careers, both women had spent years at the top of the WTA ranking. Navratilova held the No. 1 ranking for 332 weeks, while Evert on the other hand, spent 260 weeks at the summit. 

Now, as their extraordinary rivalry, enduring friendship, and shared cancer journeys prepare to reach audiences on screen, their story stands as a powerful reminder that some of the strongest bonds in sports are forged through both fierce competition and life’s hardest battles.