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Martina Navratilova-Chris Evert documentary “Unmatched” premieres on ESPN tonight

"Unmatched"

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UNMATCHED: All you had to do was watch this year’s lopsided women’s US Open final (won by Kim Clijsters) to realize just how remarkable the rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova was.

When those two tennis legends took the court – and they faced off against each other 80 times – it was usually quite a tussle with all kinds of pride – and usually history – on the line.

From 1975 through 1986, they not only dominated women’s tennis, they were women’s tennis. They were locked in a see-sawing battle for all the major titles – Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open and French Open – and it seems fitting that the end of their careers, each had won 18 majors.

They talk about that and more in the ESPN documentary Unmatched, part of ESPN’s ongoing 30 for 30 series.

In her review of the documentary, Los Angeles Times Television Critic Mary McNamara writes: A tone of fond nostalgia casts a rosy glow over the proceedings, but neither woman shies away from discussing the difficulty of maintaining a relationship based on constant competition. Evert admits that she withdrew from the friendship when Navratilova began beating her. Navratilova too made a conscious decision, spurred on by basketball player Nancy Lieberman, to put the competition before the friendship, spending hours in the gym to develop a powerful physique that would overwhelm Evert.

But while Evert was battling with the psychology of suddenly losing, Navratilova was coping with an often hostile press. When she began winning a lot, she says, she was cast as the bad guy. “I’m playing the American girl next door,” she says, “and here I was this big muscular lesbian from a communist country.”

For those of us who came of age during the Navratilova and Evert years, and for those born later, “Unmatched” is a wonderful reminder of how one relationship can truly change the world. Long after the titles and cups and medals have been won, Evert and Navratilova are still teaching us how to be champions.

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FILE UNDER: Tennis

Comments

(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)

3 Remarks

  1. The doc was spectacular! I have a new found appreciation and love for Chris. As for Martina, Ive been a fan of hers since I was a kid. It was wonderful to see both of them talk so openly about their friendship and rivalry and just as wonderful to see how both are still such important parts of each others lives.

  2. I was fortunate to stumble upon this at the beginning of the program. It was so touching, and interesting since I didn’t realize how close of friends they have been at times, especially now. And they both looked very good for their age!

  3. yeh.. i grew up watching them and i only ever got to see wimbledon once a year as the rest of the tour was then never televised . i was all chrissie and she was of course what got me into tennis. watching her do her thing in such an elegent way, but as we learnt later. a force to win, and no one saw the tough cookie she was back then.THE ICE MAIDEN .. mmm ……… And then came Martina at first i loved it, because Chris would beat her over and over. and thats how i thought back then but as we know in tennis someone always comes along to rival you .. i hated martina .. how crass of me but thats how it became maybe not so much today because tennis has changed a lot, for one person to stay near equal for 30 years is rare . but back then those two where lock into it for so long it went down bigtime in tennis history ..you cant say one name without the other . i was always always facinated by those two ..and later i would cry when chris lost and hate martina but ….when she came out i found myself leaning her way as im gay myself …and when through whatever means of gossip or writings i found out i was amazed they where really matey with each other. which then pulled me more to liking martina .. me being all chris before… so now im all for both of them and have read everthing connected with both …and finally i get to see the ducumentry about them … and wow.. pure bliss.. and such honesty and great women they are to humble each other on tv the way they have and for us fans to see is just amazing . i hope the tennis stars of today all see what those two done for that sport there is no other rivals and friends like martina and chris xx

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