Chris Evert has congratulated ESPN after the broadcaster announced its enhanced Wimbledon coverage for 2025. ESPN penned a new long-term deal with the All-England Club in 2021, which extended their relationship to 2035. As a result, ESPN is promising more than 250 hours of live tennis across the championships this July.
Specifically, ESPN will show expanded coverage in Wimbledon’s middle weekend, and a highlights segment entitled Wimbledon Match Point from June 30 to July 4. The organization’s streaming channel, ESPN+, guarantees “first ball to last ball” tennis from every court each day of the tournament. They have also brought together a stellar team of commentators, pundits, and analysts.
Leading that team is 18-time singles champion Chris Evert. She’ll work alongside John McEnroe, the irrepressible 7-time Grand Slam winner. Evert shared ESPN’s announcement on her X account, and couldn’t conceal her excitement at the forthcoming festival of tennis that will occur in London. Evert posted:
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"Can't wait; we have a GREAT team..."
Evert and McEnroe will be joined by ESPN's usual top team of broadcasters - including Rennae Stubbs, Darren Cahill, Pam Shriver, and Brad Gilbert. The lineup will also include Sam Querrey and journalist Jeff Darlington for the first time.
Chris Evert won three Wimbledon titles in the 1970s and 1980s
Chris Evert would admit that grass was not her favored surface. A dedicated baseliner, Evert relied on precision and a stubborn defense to overcome her opponents. Her long-term rivalry with Martina Navratilova emphasized the difference in their approach. Navratilova's aggressive serve and volley game was ideally suited to the grass.
Despite that, Evert still managed to win three Wimbledon titles in 1974, 1976, and 1981. Navratilova won nine singles championships at the All-England Club. The pair played five Wimbledon finals against each other, all of which were won by the Czech-born Navratilova.
Since retiring, Evert and Navratilova have become best of friends, and often undertake speaking tours together to discuss their great rivalry. In 2022, Evert acknowledged Navratilova's dominance over her at Wimbledon and on the grass generally, answering on X a question about one of the 80 matches they played on the WTA tour:
"Did you beat me that match? Oh, yes, it's on grass. I'm sure you did!!!"
Of those 80 matches, Navratilova led the head-to-head 43-37, and also won more of their final encounters, 36-24. The pair dominated the women's game between 1975 and 1987, during which at least one of them was WTA-ranked World No. 1 for all but 23 weeks.
