Caitlin Clark’s influence on women’s sports has rarely been far from the spotlight, but the recognition of her impact has long fueled debates about how the WNBA should embrace its biggest stars. For one tennis legend, the answer is straightforward: the league should celebrate what Clark has brought to the game instead of letting the conversation around her becoming divisive.

“The WNBA should be celebrating her…💃💃💃,” Former World No. 1 Chris Evert wrote on X.

She was replying to a viral post claiming Clark had been named “the most powerful female athlete in the world” by Forbes, but this claim isn’t entirely accurate.

On October 22, 2025, Forbes released a list titled “America’s Most Powerful Women In Sports 2025,” which saw Clark listed at number four, behind New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson, FanDuel CEO Amy Howe, and Nike President Amy Montagne. Clark was technically the highest-ranked active athlete, but the list only included Americans, which is not what the post Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam winner, was replying to claimed.

The next highest active athletes on the list were Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, who were collectively placed at the ninth spot for their on-court play, as well as being the co-founders of the Unrivaled league.

Other notable players included former tennis great Serena Williams at 11, current tennis player Coco Gauff at 13, and then-four-time MVP A’ja Wilson at #15.

Clark’s rise has been accompanied by astounding statistics. During her rookie season, the WNBA recorded more than 54 million unique viewers across the national networks, with total attendance increasing by 48% from the previous year. Of course, this wasn’t entirely due to Clark, but her arrival was a major part of the surge.

The Indiana Fever even set a home attendance record for the team, seeing 340,715 fans attend games, shattering the previous record of 250,565 set by the New York Liberty back in 2001. That success has continued this season.

In the 2026 season, Clark continued to be perhaps the highest viewership draw in the league. She and the Fever were part of the most-watched WNBA games on CBS (July 18 vs. the Liberty), ESPN (August 16 vs. the Atlanta Dream), and ION (August 14 vs. the Dallas Wings), while delivering the second-most-watched WNBA game in ABC history on August 8, against the Chicago Sky.

Notably, Evert’s latest comments are not a new position.

Back in December 2024, Clark was named TIME’s Athlete of the Year, and in response, Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson argued that the magazine should have put the whole WNBA on the cover instead. Evert was one of many criticizing her, and said that Clark “deserves this award” on X.

Then, in June 2025, the former World No. 1 came to Clark’s defense after a she was poked in the eye by Jacy Sheldon during a game between the Fever and the Connecticut Sun.

“When will these ladies realize, accept, and appreciate @CaitlinClark22 is the best thing that ever happened to women’s basketball. This is a bad look for the sport and what’s happened to sportsmanship?” Evert wrote on X.

She was replying to a post from Clark’s biographer, Christine Brennan, who noted that it was a “terrible decision” to let Marina Mabrey, who escalated tension following the foul on Clark, stay on the court. Sophie Cunningham, who similarly came to Clark’s defense on the court, was ejected from the game.

Then, just a few weeks ago, when Clark and the Fever were eliminated from the first round of the WNBA playoffs by the Las Vegas Aces, Evert replied to a parody account of Clark, simply stating “GOAT forever…,” and her newest interaction continues that pattern of supporting Clark.

Evert’s latest words show just how strong her position on Clark is and reinforce a years-long belief.