"There were never bitter feelings, there was always a caring" - When Chris Evert turned emotional about her split from ex-husband John Lloyd
Chris Evert once reflected on her relationship with ex-husband John Lloyd, sharing that they maintained a good bond even after their divorce. During their marriage, the two were one of tennis' most high-profile couples.
Evert has a history of dating fellow tennis players, with her most notable and controversial relationship being with Jimmy Connors. The two got engaged in 1974, but their wedding was called off the same year due to personal issues that later came to light.
Following that turbulent chapter, the 18-time Grand Slam champion found love again with another tennis star, John Lloyd. They married in 1979, but their relationship ultimately couldn't withstand the test of time, leading to their divorce in 1987.
However, in a 1987 interview with Sports Illustrated, Chris Evert shared that despite their separation, there was never any bitterness between her and John Lloyd. Even after their divorce, they remained in touch and continued to care for each other.
“The most important thing right now is that John and I still maintain the friendship we always had," she said.
"I'm very happy now that we've both come out of it, because there were never bitter feelings. There was always a caring and a sadness. So we'll be in each other's lives in a caring sort of way," she added.
Evert later married Andy Mill in 1988, but their marriage eventually ended in divorce. She then tied the knot with Greg Norman in 2008, though that relationship also ended in separation.
Chris Evert shares her experience of dating non-tennis players
After parting ways with John Lloyd, Chris Evert married Andy Mill in 1988. A former alpine ski racer, Mill was a two-time Olympian for the U.S. team.
Evert later told Sports Illustrated why she stopped dating fellow tennis players, choosing to look outside the sport. She explained that she wanted to be with someone who didn’t constantly remind her of tennis.
“It seems that I've always been so much into the tennis world," she said. "I married a tennis player. I was engaged to a tennis player [Jimmy Connors] before that. So it's nice to be with somebody who can take me away from tennis when I'm not playing. When I am playing, he's a real motivator. I seem to play very well when he's around.”
In 2008, the tennis legend married Australian golf star Greg Norman, but their marriage lasted only a year. Now happily single, she remains close to Andy Mill, with whom she shares three sons.