Chris Evert got introduced to tennis by her father Jimmy Evert. He was her first coach who guided her through the initial phase of her career. Though a strict coach, Evert learned a lot from him while growing up. Evert talked about his demise in an old interview and wondered if she should have mourned his death more, who passed away at the age of 91 in 2015.

Chris Evert became the torchbearer of women’s tennis in America and revolutionized the tennis realm. She contributed majorly to the rise of the popularity of the sport.

Chris Evert speaks on her father’s demise 

The American tennis legend won 18 grand slam titles during her glorious career. Evert has credited her father with shaping up her career from a young age. He himself was an athlete, so he maintained Evert’s form too. However, during the final years of his life, he had become very sick.

Evert talked about it in a podcast and said, “He did not have a good quality of life for about two years. So, I did not go into any hysterics.” She further talked about her inner thought and said, “Sometimes I wonder, thinking that I should have grieved more.”

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Evert described his health in the later stages of his life. She said, “Walking with a walker, kind of hunched over. He was an athlete.” She concluded by saying, “The quality of life diminished, it was almost a relief when he went.”

Evert had become America’s sweetheart because of her feminine image despite her astounding gameplay. People adore her for her calm and composed nature. People also gave her a nickname, ‘Ice Maiden’, as she never gave into her emotions on the court.

Evert – A favorite of everyone

Chris Evert was not just the queen of people’s hearts. Her rivals liked her equally. She and Martina Navratilova were each other’s arch-rivals and had met each other 80 times on the court. However, they still share a beautiful bond of friendship together, respecting the iconic rivalry they shared for years.

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Furthermore, she also used to play tennis with the former president George H. W. Bush. He admired her for her resilient and focused gameplay on the court without being affected by his status.