In the heart of tennis legend Chris Evert lies an unwavering commitment to family. Even as she battled cancer for a second time, her tenacity was fueled by the joy of being a grandmother. It was her grandson Hayden James who gave her the strength to fight her life-threatening illness, she confided to the New York Times. Evert’s goal was to be a ‘fun grandmother’ for as long as she could, mirroring her passion on the tennis court.
Evert, 70, frequently shares her treasured moments with her grandson on social media. A recent post on Instagram showed her reading ‘Ilama Ilama Red Pajama’ to Hayden, her son Nicholas Mill’s baby boy with wife Rebbecca. The photo, capturing a special bond between a grandmother and grandson, was simply captioned “Granny…,”
Her family is her rock, her ex-husband, Olympian skier Andy Mill, and their three sons – Alexander, Nicholas, and Colton. Last month, she posted a picture of her son Nicholas holding baby Hayden, humorously captioned, “Like father, like son.”
Evert’s devotion extends to her niece, Remi, the daughter of her sister Clare. She often shares photos of Remi, affectionately referred to as “Princess Sofia,” and even posted a heartfelt birthday message for her on February 6.
Despite her retirement, Evert maintains a significant presence in the world of tennis. She uses her expertise to provide analysis at key events and currently works as a tennis commentator for ESPN. She recently praised the newly crowned champions at the Indian Wells Masters, Mirra Andreeva and Jack Draper, suggesting that their time in the spotlight is now.
However, Evert, along with fellow player Martina Navratilova, has voiced concerns over the organization of tour-level events in the Middle East. Evert’s post-retirement journey has been far from easy, from managing her Evert Tennis Academy to overcoming cancer twice, the American icon has faced numerous challenges.
Evert’s resilience perhaps stems from her upbringing in a strict Catholic environment, where she learned the ropes of the game at a tender age of 18. The veteran shared her journey, including her battle with cancer, in a touching narrative recently.
Evert was first diagnosed with early-stage Ovarian cancer in 2021, the same BRCA1 variant that caused the death of her sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, in 2020. She was in remission for a little over a year when the cancer returned in December 2023. Despite the odds, however, Evert remained hopeful.
In an interview with ‘We Are Tennis’, she pointed out how her career as a professional athlete prepared her for her fight against cancer. She explained that the ups and downs of being a professional athlete helped her tremendously during her health struggle, attributing it to her nature of being patient and emotionally resilient.
Evert continues to cherish and document her life’s precious moments with her family while preparing to retake the commentator’s mic soon. Her story is a testament to her strength, both on and off the court, and offers insight into her quiet joys as a grandmother.