"Greatness admiring greatness" - Chris Evert on Serena Williams' awestruck reaction to Lionel Messi scoring match-winner on MLS debut

Lionel Messi's 94th-minute freekick for Inter Miami CF left Serena Williams stunned, and Williams' reaction prompted another one from tennis great Chris Evert.

Messi made an impressive debut for Inter Miami on Friday, July 21. The 36-year-old Argentine legend produced a scorcher of a goal in the final minutes against Cruz Azul in Major League Soccer at the DRV PNK Stadium to win the match for his team.

Among those watching Lionel Messi in action was tennis legend Serena Williams. When the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner scored the goal from a free-kick, it prompted a priceless reaction of shock and awe from Williams.

Chris Evert's attention was drawn to Williams' response and she tweeted about it.

"Because she gets it….. Greatness admiring Greatness….," captioned Evert.

Considered an all-time great, Serena Williams lifted 23 Major titles in her magnificent career that spanned over two decades. The American star's performances changed the face of modern tennis.

Williams retired in 2022 after making a farewell appearance at that year's US Open.

Chris Evert, on her part, also left a notable impact on the sporting world. The former World No. 1 bagged 18 Major titles before retiring from professional tennis in 1989.

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"You can't be a first-round casualty" - When Serena Williams opened up about winning her debut US Open match

Williams stated that she could not become a first-round casualty in her 1998 US Open debut

Serena Williams made her US Open debut in the 1998 edition, aged just 16 years old. Ranked No. 20 in the world at the time, Williams beat Australia's Nicole Pratt in the event's opening round.

In a post-match conference after her first-ever Slam match win, Williams spoke about her zealous mindset and the confidence that propelled her to emerge victorious. The-then teenager said that she could not imagine being a first-round casualty, which ultimately enhanced her morale.

"I guess it was pretty exciting, particularly for me because I definitely wanted to win," Williams said. "I didn't want to go out in the first round. I kept saying to myself: 'Serena, you can't be a first-round casualty.' It just would have been horrible. I didn't want that to happen. So I had to keep concentrating: 'Okay, come on, Serena, come on.'"