The tennis realm boasts some of the most iconic tennis rivalries of all time. One, extremely beloved is that of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. The two did not share a bond just on the court as rivals, even off of it, they were each other’s best cheerleaders. Eventually, after retiring, this same bond continued. So much so that, Evert considers them as two peas in a pod. To commemorate that, Evert gifted a heartfelt souvenir to Navratilova.

But as luck would have it, the stories of the two friends took a dreadful turn in their lives after their retirement. The most challenging ones are their fights with diagnosed cancers.

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova get organic about their relationship 

The iconic duo created a storm in the WTA realm as their rivalry grew intense with time. Crowds flooded the stadium to see their face-offs. And Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova gave their fans what they craved. Challenge, strife, drama. However, this deeper understanding of their rivalry eventually led them to form the deepest of friendships with each other. In an interview with Washington Post, the two talked about the deeper dynamics of their relationship.

Evert gifted Navratilova a Cartier box which had three rings of white gold on her 60th birthday. It depicted their friendship and Evert made sure to make it symbolic. She added with a laugh, “I guess I’m kind of the guy in our relationship, giving her jewelry.” 

However, things spiraled down quicker than the two had anticipated. Evert was diagnosed with 1C Ovarian cancer in January 2022.

Consequently, Navratilova felt scared for her friend and as a gesture of prayer, she wore the rings given by her all the time. She added, “I wore it all the time when I wanted her to get well.”

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But eventually, some bizarre coincidence happened and Navratilova was forced to take off the rings given by her dearest friend Evert.

What led Navratilova to take off the rings given by Evert? 

Martina Navratilova was praying for her friend’s quick recovery from the cancer diagnosis. She knew how scary things could be because she herself was once diagnosed with cancer in 2010.

But what she did not know was that she herself would have to go through the same ordeal once again. In December 2022, Navratilova had to remove the rings because of radiation. She stated, “I finally had to take it off when I got zapped.” The doctors diagnosed her with cancer once again and this time it was a double trouble. There were two early-stage cancers found in her breast and her throat.

Looking back upon it, Navratilova and Evert went through a lot facing similar life-threatening issues. But on the flipside, the two have come stronger valuing their friendship more than ever.

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