Chrissie vs. Martina. Steffi vs. Monica. Venus vs. Serena.
For decades, women’s tennis was blessed with first-name-basis rivalries that remain etched in the public’s consciousness.
But as tennis fans salivate at the prospect of a long-awaited first United States Open meeting between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the women’s game finds itself without a must-see matchup.
“There’s no rivalry whatsoever right now,” said Chris Evert, whose battles with Martina Navratilova stretched across the 1970s and ‘80s, including 14 Grand Slam finals and 80 total matches.
“Great rivalries bring in more people, more fans and more interest, even for people not interested in sports,” Evert added.