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6. Chris Evert
1954-

Each won 18 Grand Slam titles; together, their rivalry elevated women's tennis.

Czech ex-patriate Navratilova wore her emotions on her sleeve and played an all-out, attacking game.   Manny Millan

Just as the NBA had Bird and Magic, as boxing had Ali and Frazier, and as golf had Nicklaus and Palmer, so did women's tennis once boast an epic rivalry. For upwards of 15 years, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova matched each other shot for shot, fighting over the sport's most coveted titles and playing an ongoing game of leapfrog for the No. 1 ranking. "Everywhere I went, Chris was there to meet me," says Navratilova. "Everywhere she went, I was there to meet her."

Heightening their rivalry was the fact that Navratilova and her nemesis were a study in contrasts. Martina, a Czech expatriate who embraced America's freedoms, was unabashed about her homosexuality and freely loaned her name to dozens of political causes. Evert, known forever as Chrissy, was, as the nickname implied, the image-conscious girl-next-door with whom fans felt an instant familiarity. Their games betrayed their disparate personalities as well. Evert was the picture of consistency, keeping her foes at bay with classic, impeccably positioned strokes and a will of iron. Navratilova was a relentlessly aggressive athlete who attacked at every opportunity and forced the action.

Off the court, "Chrissy" was the smiling girl-next-door, but on it she was the iron-willed Ice Princess.   Manny Millan

For all their differences, they were remarkably evenly matched. Evert won 157 career singles titles, and Navratilova claimed 167. Evert was the better clay-court player but reached the semifinals or better on the lawn of Wimbledon a staggering 17 times. Navratilova was at her best on grass but twice won on the red clay at the French Open. Appropriately, they each finished their careers with 18 Grand Slam singles titles. Head-to-head, Navratilova held a 43-37 edge, but Evert, who's two years older, won 23 of their first 29 meetings. Replicating the path of a ball in a tennis match, the "who's better?" debate will continue back and forth in perpetuity.

Beyond the numbers, their rivalry was marked by a profound mutual respect. Chris hated losing to Martina as much as Martina hated losing to Chris, but they felt a shared kinship. "I think we both realized that we pushed each other and, in the end, made the other one a much better player," says Evert, now 44. They were inextricably entwined throughout their playing careers, and it was somehow fitting that when the two players retired, they chose to settle in the same community, Aspen, Colo. As Evert joked at the time, "We just can't seem to shake each other.

--L. Jon Wertheim

Athletes were selected by Sports Illustrated For Women, Sports Illustrated and CNN/SI editors, writers and correspondents who considered the athletes' on-field performance and achievements, plus their contributions to women's sports. Because athletic achievement was a key criterion, women whose contributions were made solely in administration and coaching are not included.

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