Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu has expressed her admiration and gratitude for two of the greatest players in the history of the sport, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. The duo recently shared their stories of battling cancer and supporting each other.
In a Washington Post article published on Sunday, July 2, the two legends revealed how they both faced a common enemy - cancer - in 2021.
Evert was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in January and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Navratilova, on the other hand, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 and had a lumpectomy and radiation.
The two supported each other through their treatments and shared their experiences with the public to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
Andreescu shared the article on Twitter on Monday, July 3, along with a folded hands emoji to signify prayer or gratitude, and a heart emoji to signify love or affection.
Evert and Navratilova, who dominated the women's game in the 1970s and 1980s, faced each other 80 times on the court, with the latter winning 43 matches and the former winning 37.
They were fierce rivals, but also loyal friends who helped each other through personal and professional challenges.
Bianca Andreescu aims for a strong start against Anna Bondar at Wimbledon
Bianca Andreescu will begin her quest for her second Grand Slam title at the Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday, July 4. The 23-year-old will face Anna Bondar of Hungary in the first round of the prestigious grasscourt tournament.
Andreescu, who is currently ranked No. 50 in the world, has had a mixed season so far. While she reached the semifinals of the Thailand Open and the fourth round of the Miami Open, the Canadian suffered early exits at the Berlin Open and the Dubai Open.
Andreescu’s best result at Wimbledon came in 2022 when she reached the second round and eventually lost to Elena Rybakina. She also has experience in big matches, having won the US Open, Toronto Open, and Indian Wells Masters in 2019.
However, Andreescu will not have an easy opponent in Bondar, who also shares the same rank as the Canadian. The Hungarian has had a decent start to the season, with a third-round appearance at the Rome Open.
This will be the first meeting between Bianca Andreescu and Anna Bondar on the main tour. Andreescu will be the clear favorite to win the match, given her superior achievements. However, Bondar will not give up easily and will try to cause an upset.