From Baseline to Boardroom: Chris Evert’s Enduring Fight for Women’s Sports

For anyone who watched tennis in the 1970s and 1980s, Chris Evert’s image is indelible: the two-handed backhand, the icy focus, the unbroken streak of consistency that produced 18 Grand Slam singles titles. But what often gets overshadowed by her on-court brilliance is the quiet, sustained work she did off the court to reshape the landscape of women’s athletics. Evert was never the most vocal activist of her era—that mantle belongs to Billie Jean King—but she was nonetheless a crucial force in normalizing the idea that female athletes deserve equal respect, equal pay, and equal airtime. Her story is not just one of athletic triumph; it is a masterclass in leveraging elite sports stardom to advance a broader social cause.

Early Career and the Making of a Champion

Christine Marie Evert turned professional in 1972, at the height of the women’s rights movement in the United States. She was 17 years old, fresh off a stunning upset of King in the semifinals of the US Open. That match, broadcast live on national television, introduced America to a new kind of female athlete: poised, disciplined, and unflinchingly competitive. Unlike the power-baseline game that would dominate decades later, Evert’s style was built on precision and mental toughness. She famously never hit an overhead smash in competition until she was 13, preferring instead to hit high-bouncing backhands with a two-handed grip that became her signature.

Her success was immediate and sustained. Over 20 years, she won 157 consecutive weeks as world No. 1, a record that still stands. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova pushed both women to unprecedented heights, and their matches drew record television ratings for women’s sports. By the time she retired in 1989, Evert had amassed 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 34 Grand Slam finals appearances, and a career winning percentage of .900—the highest in the history of professional tennis for both men and women.

But numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Evert’s poise under pressure and her refusal to engage in the kind of emotional outbursts that male players were often praised for helped shift public perception of women’s sports. She made athletic excellence look both elegant and inevitable. In a time when many still viewed women’s sports as a curiosity rather than a serious pursuit, Evert’s consistency forced the conversation to change. She was not just a great female player; she was one of the greatest players, period.

Advocacy for Women’s Sports: Beyond the Baseline

When Evert retired, she could have simply enjoyed the spoils of her fame. Instead, she doubled down on her role as an advocate. Her voice carried weight because of her credibility: she had lived the experience of a top-tier female athlete in an era when the Professional Tennis Association (ATP) offered prize purses significantly larger than those of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). She had seen firsthand how hard it was to build a career as a woman in a sport that was still catching up to the men’s game.

Evert channeled that frustration into action. She became a board member of the WTA and later served as its president. She spoke publicly against the pay disparities that persisted even after the US Open became the first Grand Slam to award equal prize money in 1973. In a 1998 interview with Sports Illustrated, she noted, “We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a sense that women’s sports are second-tier. That mindset has to change.” She used her platform to call out networks that gave women’s matches second-rate coverage and tournament directors who devalued the women’s draw.

Her advocacy wasn’t limited to professional tennis. She also recognized that systemic change would require grassroots efforts. “You can’t just talk about equal pay at the highest level if girls aren’t given the chance to pick up a racket,” she said in a 2006 interview. That philosophy would guide much of her post-playing career.

Fighting for Equal Pay and Equal Respect

The fight for equal prize money in tennis is often credited to Billie Jean King, who threatened to boycott the 1973 US Open unless women received the same pay as men. But the battle didn’t end there. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, many tournaments continued to pay women significantly less. Evert used her status as a champion to push back. At the 1990 French Open, she lobbied tournament officials to increase the women’s prize fund, arguing that the quality of women’s tennis had never been higher. She also co-signed letters with other legends, including Navratilova and King, demanding parity at Wimbledon, which did not equalize prize money until 2007.

Evert’s influence extended to endorsement deals and media rights. She was one of the first female athletes to negotiate significant sponsorship contracts, and she used those negotiations as a template for younger players. “When Chris sat down with a sponsor, she didn’t just ask for more money for herself,” recalls former WTA executive Anne Worcester. “She made the case that women’s tennis as a whole should be treated as a premium product.” This strategic advocacy helped lay the groundwork for the billion-dollar media rights deals that the WTA enjoys today.

Her efforts were recognized in 2020 when the WTA established the Chris Evert Award for Excellence in Advocacy, given to a player who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing women’s issues both on and off the court. The award is a clear acknowledgment that Evert’s role in the equal pay fight was not incidental but central.

Promoting Youth and Education: The Chris Evert Charities

In 1990, Evert founded the Chris Evert Charities, a philanthropic organization focused on supporting children and families in South Florida. While the charity initially targeted a wide range of causes, it quickly zeroed in on youth sports and education. The flagship program, the Chris Evert Tennis Academy at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, provides world-class training while also emphasizing academic achievement and character development. Today, the academy has produced dozens of collegiate and professional players, many of whom credit Evert’s mentorship for their success.

But Evert’s commitment to youth goes beyond elite training. She has been a vocal advocate for Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, including school sports. She has spoken at multiple Title IX anniversary events, urging policymakers to close loopholes that allow schools to shortchange girls’ athletics. “We can’t assume the fight is over just because we’ve won some battles,” she said at a 2022 White House event. “We have to keep reminding people that every girl deserves the same chance to compete that boys get.”

Her foundation also partners with local schools and community centers in Broward County to provide free tennis clinics, scholarships, and mentorship programs for underprivileged youth. Since its inception, the foundation has raised more than $25 million, much of it directed toward giving girls and young women access to sports.

Evert’s belief in the power of sports to build life skills—confidence, discipline, resilience—has been the driving force behind these efforts. She once told a gathering of young athletes: “Sports taught me how to lose, and that was just as important as learning how to win. Those lessons stay with you forever.”

Media and Public Engagement: A Steadfast Voice

After retiring, Evert became a tennis analyst for ESPN and the Tennis Channel, where she has worked for over three decades. Her commentary is characteristically precise and unemotional, but she rarely misses an opportunity to highlight issues of gender equity. Whether discussing prize money differences, media coverage imbalances, or the unique pressures women face in the public eye, Evert uses her broadcast platform to keep the conversation alive.

In 2017, during an ESPN segment on the gender pay gap in tennis, she pointedly noted that “women’s tennis has been the most successful women’s sports league in history, but our broadcast revenue still lags behind the men’s. That’s not a reflection of the product; it’s a reflection of outdated thinking.” That kind of direct talk, delivered in her signature deadpan style, has made her one of the most respected voices in sports media.

She has also appeared in documentaries such as Battle of the Sexes and Unmatched, where she reflects on her rivalry with Navratilova and the broader context of women’s sports history. In those appearances, she often credits the women who fought before her—especially King—and calls on current players to continue the fight. “We stand on their shoulders,” she has said. “It’s our job to make sure those shoulders are sturdy for the next generation.”

Legacy and Impact

Chris Evert’s legacy is written every time a young girl picks up a tennis racket without being told that “sports aren’t for girls.” It is visible in the WTA’s multi-billion-dollar media rights deal and in the fact that the US Open, Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and the French Open now all offer equal prize money. It is evident in the growing number of women’s sports documentaries, the increased column inches devoted to female athletes, and the very presence of a women’s professional tour that is financially stable enough to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995 and has received numerous other honors, including the WTA Player of the Year award seven times and the USTA’s Service Award. But perhaps her most meaningful honor came in 2021, when she was awarded the WTA’s Margaret Court Award for Leadership, recognizing her sustained contributions to the advancement of women in the sport.

Her impact on individual players is equally profound. Serena Williams has repeatedly cited Evert as an inspiration, both for her tennis and for her advocacy. “She showed us that you could be fierce on the court and still be a voice for change off it,” Williams said in a 2019 tribute. Venus Williams, who pioneered equal pay at Wimbledon alongside King, has also credited Evert with helping to shift the culture. “Chris was one of the first to make it okay for female athletes to talk about money,” Venus once noted. “She didn’t apologize for wanting to be paid what she was worth.”

Even players who never met Evert in person feel her influence. Iga Świątek, the current world No. 1, has spoken about watching Evert’s matches on YouTube and studying her mental approach. “She was so focused, so calm,” Świątek said. “I think that mental toughness is something I try to bring to my own game. And I know she used that toughness to fight for all of us.”

The Continuing Work

At 70, Evert remains active in the advocacy space. She continues to commentate, serve on the board of the WTA, and raise money for her foundation. In recent years, she has spoken out about the mental health challenges faced by athletes, a topic that has gained increased attention since Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles stepped away from competition to prioritize their well-being. Evert has been empathetic but also pointed: “When I was playing, you didn’t talk about anxiety or pressure. You just dealt with it. That wasn’t healthy, and I’m glad players today feel safe enough to be honest,” she said in a 2021 interview.

She has also lent her voice to efforts to expand sports opportunities for girls in developing countries, working with organizations like the ITF and UN Women to establish tennis programs in underserved regions. In 2023, she traveled to Kenya to visit a program that teaches tennis and life skills to girls in the Mathare slums. “It’s amazing what a racket and a ball can do,” she said afterward. “It gives them a reason to dream.”

Conclusion: More Than a Champion

Chris Evert’s contributions to women’s sports advocacy are inseparable from her identity as a champion. She used the platform she earned through two decades of relentless excellence to push for something bigger than herself. She didn’t just play the game; she changed it—not by shouting, but by showing up, working behind the scenes, and never letting the world forget that women’s sports matter.

As she once said in an interview with WTA Insider: “I didn’t set out to be an activist. I set out to be the best tennis player I could be. But when you’re in that position, you have a responsibility to use your voice. I just tried to do what I thought was right.” And she did—quietly, powerfully, and with a two-handed backhand that will never be forgotten.

Explore more about her foundation’s work at the official Chris Evert Charities website. To learn about the WTA’s ongoing efforts for equity, visit the WTA Equal Pay page. For more on the history of women’s tennis advocacy, the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative offers valuable resources.