"Martina Navratilova claims I tell the dirtiest jokes, a revolt against my upbringing": When Chris Evert shed light on unknown side of her personality

Chris Evert once shed light on an unknown side of her personality. It included telling the dirtiest jokes and sometimes cussing when she felt angry during her practice sessions.

Evert was the "it" girl of tennis when she broke onto the scene in 1971 at just 17 years old and quickly became a formidable opponent, giving top players a run for their money. Despite her on-court resilience and grit, the American was calm and composed, earning her the moniker "Ice Maiden."

With no grunts or groans—and few smiles—she exemplified gracious sportsmanship. She also broke stereotypes of her time, as most female tennis players then did not embody traditional femininity, which was the norm.

Despite her public image being perceived as majestic, Chris Evert revealed her human side in an old interview with ESPN. She mentioned that her close friend Martina Navratilova would claim that she tells the dirtiest jokes. The 69-year-old also admitted to cussing when she got angry during practice.

"Martina [Navratilova] claims I tell the dirtiest jokes around -- probably as a semirevolt against my strict Catholic upbringing," Evert said. "And when I've become angry in practice, every four-letter word imaginable has graced these lips."

Evert also recalled how she was "very shy" when she was younger and "petrified" of people, with tennis serving as her comfort zone.

"I was very, very shy as a younger girl, just petrified of people. Tennis helped give me an identity and made me feel like somebody. When I was younger, I was a robot. Wind her up and she plays tennis," Chris Evert said.

"And this went on for four years. I was the ice queen and they wanted to see me melt. They wanted to see me cry, probably show some emotion. But I carried it inside myself," she added.

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Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova won 18 Grand Slams each

Martina Navratilova (L) and Chris Evert pictured at the 2024 French Open

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova each won 18 Grand Slams. The former was particularly dominant on clay courts, while the latter excelled on grass.

Evert won the French Open seven times (1974, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986), the most titles won by any woman at the Paris Major. Her list also includes six US Open (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982), three Wimbledon (1974, 1976, 1981), and two Australian Open (1982, 1984) trophies.

Navratilova dominated the Grasscourt Major, winning it a record nine times (1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990). She also secured four New York Major titles (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987), three Melbourne Slams (1981, 1983, 1985), and two Claycourt Majors (1982, 1984).