Chris Evert — 18-time Grand Slam champion, tennis legend, and two-time cancer survivor. Discover her age, net worth, marriages, children, and remarkable legacy.
Chris Evert is one of the greatest tennis players in history — a name synonymous with grace, grit, and relentless excellence. Born on December 21, 1954, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she dominated women’s tennis for nearly two decades, winning 18 Grand Slam singles titles and holding the world No. 1 ranking for 260 weeks. Her career winning percentage of nearly 90% remains the highest in professional tennis history, male or female.
Beyond the baseline, Evert has defined herself as a trailblazer, a philanthropist, and a fierce health advocate. Her public battle with ovarian cancer — which she has fought and survived twice — has made her an inspiring figure far beyond the tennis court.
Quick Facts About Chris Evert
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Christine Marie Evert |
| Date of Birth | December 21, 1954 |
| Age | 71 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA |
| Profession | Former Professional Tennis Player, TV Analyst |
| Grand Slam Titles | 18 (Singles) |
| Net Worth | Approx. $16 million (2025) |
| Marriages | John Lloyd, Andy Mill, Greg Norman |
| Children | Alexander, Nicholas, and Colton Mill |
| Education | St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale |
| Famous For | Record 7 French Open titles, record 6 US Open titles, highest career winning % in tennis history |
Early Life and a Tennis Family
Chris Evert grew up in a household where tennis wasn’t just a sport — it was a way of life. Her father, Jimmy Evert, was a professional tennis coach who introduced all five of his children to the game on public clay courts in Fort Lauderdale. That early foundation on clay would shape Chris into one of the most lethal clay-court players the sport has ever seen.
She attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, where her talent was already outpacing her peers by miles. Even as a teenager, she was competing at national and international levels. She officially graduated in 1973, by which point she had already made her mark on the professional circuit.
Her family background also carries a deeply personal dimension. Her younger sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, passed away from ovarian cancer in February 2020 — a loss that would later shape Chris’s own health journey in profound ways.
Education and Early Training
Evert’s formal education took a backseat to her blossoming tennis career during her high school years. She trained intensively under her father’s coaching and developed a two-handed backhand that would revolutionize the sport. While she graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas in 1973, her most formative “education” was happening on the court — building the mental toughness and technical precision that defined her entire career.
A Record-Breaking Tennis Career
Evert turned professional in December 1972 at just 18 years old, and she wasted little time announcing herself to the world. Her breakout moment had actually arrived a year earlier, at the 1971 US Open, when the 16-year-old amateur stunned audiences by reaching the semifinals. The tennis world took notice.
She quickly built a winning streak that became the stuff of legend. In 1974, she won the French Open, the Italian Open, and Wimbledon, and ran up a remarkable 56-match winning streak. She retained her French and Italian titles in 1975, and from that year through 1978, she won four consecutive US Open titles — the first woman to achieve that feat since Helen Hull Jacobs. Her total of six US Open crowns remains a joint record to this day.
On clay, Evert was almost unbeatable. She won a record seven French Open titles across her career and holds the WTA Tour record for career winning percentage on clay. Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova — spanning the 1970s and 1980s — is widely regarded as the greatest in tennis history, captivating fans and elevating both players to extraordinary heights.
Over her 18-year career, she compiled a singles record of 1,309 wins and 146 losses, finished the year ranked No. 1 five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, and 1981), and reached at least the semifinals in 34 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. She retired from professional tennis in 1989, leaving behind a legacy that no record sheet can fully capture. Her total career prize money stands at approximately $8.9 million.
Life Off the Court: Marriages and Family
Chris Evert’s personal life attracted nearly as much media attention as her tennis. She was engaged to fellow tennis star Jimmy Connors in 1974 — a romance that captivated fans after both players won Wimbledon that same year — but the couple called off their engagement before marrying.
In 1979, she married British tennis player John Lloyd and played as Chris Evert Lloyd for several years. The marriage ended in 1987. The following year, Navratilova introduced her to Olympic downhill skier Andy Mill, and the two married in 1988. Their marriage produced three sons — Alexander, Nicholas, and Colton — before they divorced in 2006. In June 2008, Evert married Australian golf legend Greg Norman, but the marriage lasted just 15 months, ending in divorce in December 2009. She has remained single since, though she has maintained warm relationships with several of her former partners and spoken openly about that chapter of her life.
Health Battle: Twice a Cancer Survivor
In December 2021, Evert underwent a preventive hysterectomy — inspired in part by her sister Jeanne’s death from ovarian cancer. During that procedure, doctors discovered Stage 1C ovarian cancer. She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, and by May 2022, she was declared cancer-free.
The disease returned, however, and Evert publicly shared her recurrence with characteristic courage. She underwent further chemotherapy treatment and has used her platform to urge women to know their family histories, get regular checkups, and advocate for themselves in medical settings. She has been candid that the experience changed her profoundly — not just physically, but in how she views relationships and resilience. As of her most recent updates, she has continued to recover and remain active as a tennis analyst and public figure.
Net Worth and Business Ventures
Evert’s estimated net worth as of 2025 sits at approximately $16 million. Her wealth comes from career prize money, long-running endorsement deals with brands like Adidas, Rolex, and Head, and a sustained post-retirement career in broadcasting and media. She has served as a prominent analyst for ESPN and has authored books including Love Match: A Memoir of Friendship, Tennis, and Triumph. She also co-founded the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, in 1996 alongside her brother John, which trains young players today. She is a publisher and contributor to Tennis Magazine, and has launched a sportswear line with Tail Activewear.
Awards, Legacy, and Philanthropy
Evert was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995. She received the WTA Player Service Award, the Flo Hyman Award, and the Philippe Chatrier Award, among many other honors. She was named AP Female Athlete of the Year on multiple occasions during her career.
Off the court, her footprint is equally impressive. She founded the Evert Tennis Foundation in 1989 to support at-risk children and served as president of the Women’s Tennis Association for 11 years. In 2025, she marked 50 years since winning her first US Open title, writing and speaking publicly about what that milestone means — not just in trophies, but in the lives she has touched through the sport.
Wrapping Up
Chris Evert’s story is one of sustained brilliance — built on talent, sharpened by discipline, and defined by an unshakeable will. Few athletes in any sport can claim a career record as dominant, a legacy as enduring, or a personal journey as moving.
From a clay court in Fort Lauderdale to the grandest stages in tennis, and now as a voice of the sport and an advocate for women’s health, Evert continues to matter. She changed the way the game was played, the way women in sport were perceived, and the way champions are remembered.
Her story isn’t finished — and that, perhaps, is the most Chris Evert thing of all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Chris Evert?
Chris Evert is a retired American professional tennis player, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Born on December 21, 1954, she won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and held the world No. 1 ranking for 260 weeks across her career. She is currently a tennis analyst for ESPN and a health advocate.
Q2: How many Grand Slam titles did Chris Evert win?
Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record seven French Open titles and a record-tying six US Open crowns. She also reached 34 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals — a record that still stands today.
Q3: What is Chris Evert’s net worth?
As of 2025, Chris Evert’s estimated net worth is approximately $16 million. Her wealth comes from career prize money, endorsements with brands like Rolex and Adidas, broadcasting work, book authorship, and her tennis academy.
Q4: How many times has Chris Evert been married?
Chris Evert has been married three times — to British tennis player John Lloyd (1979–1987), Olympic skier Andy Mill (1988–2006), and golf legend Greg Norman (2008–2009). She has remained single since her divorce from Norman and has three sons with Andy Mill.
Q5: Did Chris Evert have cancer?
Yes. In late 2021, Evert was diagnosed with Stage 1C ovarian cancer following a preventive hysterectomy. She became cancer-free in 2022, but the disease later recurred. She has undergone further treatment and has spoken powerfully about early detection and women’s health advocacy.
Q6: What is Chris Evert doing now in 2026?
Evert continues to work as a tennis analyst and commentator. She remains involved with the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Florida, and is an active ambassador for women’s health causes. She marked the 50th anniversary of her first US Open title in 2025 with public reflections on her legacy.
Q7: What was Chris Evert’s rivalry with Martina Navratilova like?
The Evert–Navratilova rivalry is considered the greatest in tennis history. The two played 80 matches over two decades, with Navratilova holding a 43–37 edge. Their contrasting styles and mutual respect captivated tennis fans worldwide throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and the two remain close friends to this day.
