WTA Finals: Evert and Navratilova to hand over trophies; Groups named after American greats Nancy Richey, Rosie Casals, Pam Shriver and Tracy Austin

WTA legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova will hand over the winners' trophies at the season-ending WTA Finals at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, next weekend. Meanwhile, the groups at the event have been named after American greats Nancy Richey, Rosie Casals, Pam Shriver and Tracy Austin.

With 18 Grand Slam singles titles apiece — including a double career Grand Slam — Evert and Navratilova are bonafide legends of the sport. Apart from their singles prowess, the duo, especially Navratilova, also excelled on the doubles circuit.

While Evert won three women's doubles titles, Navratilova won a staggering 31 women's doubles titles — including at least seven at all four Grand Slams. In 1984, Navratilova won the calendar year Slam in doubles. The left-hander has also won ten mixed doubles titles — completing the career Grand Slam.

As announced by the WTA, Evert and Navratilova will attend the season-ending event in Fort Worth as Legend Ambassadors. The former is a four-time winner of the singles event at the WTA Finals, while the latter has done so eight times. Navratilova has also won the doubles title 13 times at the event. During the week, Evert and Navratilova will "join forces to promote the game through a series of community engagement, sponsor and media initiatives."

The two groups in singles action have been named after Tracy Austin and Nancy Richie. Austin is a former World No. 1, two-time US Open winner and 1980 WTA Finals champion. The 30-time singles titlist is the youngest WTA winner (14 years, 28 days) in history. Richie, on the other hand, is the first Open Era Grand Slam singles champion (1968 Roland Garros) and is a 69-time singles titlist.

Meanwhile, the two doubles groups have been named after Rosie Casals and Pam Shriver. Casals is a two-time WTA Finals doubles winner and won a staggering 112 doubles titles, including five at Wimbledon. Shriver won 106 doubles titles, including 21 at Grand Slams. The ten-time winner at the season-ending championships has won 79 doubles titles with Navratilova — including the 1984 calendar year Grand Slam.

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Evert and Navratilova thrilled to be part of WTA Finals at Fort Worth

Navratilova (left) and Evert enjoyed legendary careers.

Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova are understandably elated to be a part of the first WTA Finals in the USA in nearly two decades.

“All these years later, it’s gratifying to reflect on the growth and global nature of women’s tennis, and I am thrilled to be part of the WTA Finals Fort Worth as our championships celebrate a wonderful milestone,” Evert said.

Navratilova added:

“I have great memories of playing the WTA Finals and can’t wait to see our sport's elite singles and doubles players in action in Fort Worth -- a city I used to call home."

A stellar singles field will be headlined by World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, while Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have qualified for both singles and doubles.