"When we decide to start a family, that'll be the end" - When Chris Evert made admission about difficulties of managing motherhood as an athlete
Chris Evert once made an honest admission about the challenges of juggling motherhood with a professional tennis career. The American, who was married to British tennis player John Lloyd at the time, shed light on how starting a family would likely impact her career plans.
After getting married to Lloyd in 1979, Evert continued to dominate on tour, as she won the French Open title, reached the Wimbledon fina, and finished as the runner-up to Tracy Austin at the US Open. Despite her professional success, the then-World No. 1 was contemplating the end of her career.
Speaking to the press at the New York Major, Chris Evert admitted that when she and John Lloyd decided to have children, she would likely retire due to the difficulty of balancing motherhood with the life of a professional tennis player.
"When we decide to start a family, I think that'll be the end of my tennis," Evert said (via the New York Times).
Lloyd echoed his wife's sentiments, disclosing that he wouldn't want the American to compete on tour after having a child. The Brit highlighted the challenge of making a comeback after a lengthy break and the complexities of having to travel with a nanny.
"I don't want her to have a child and come back on the circuit. If she has nine months off, it's much harder to come back then. And we would need a nanny to bring the baby around with us. That's not the way to do it," Lloyd said.
However, Chris Evert and John Lloyd eventually divorced in 1987 without having children together. Nevertheless, the 18-time Grand Slam champion's prediction about retiring before becoming a mother proved correct after she tied the knot with skier Andy Mill in 1988.
Evert ended her career in 1989 before welcoming three sons, Alexander in 1991, Nicolas in 1994 and Colton Jack in 1996.
"It's very empowering for them" - Chris Evert on Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Naomi Osaka making tennis comebacks after having children
Although Chris Evert chose to step away from tennis before starting a family, she disclosed that it was "empowering" to see other players make a comeback to the tour after giving birth.
In a 2023 interview with Eurosport, the 18-time Grand Slam champion praised Naomi Osaka for following in Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka's footsteps by making the decision to continue her career after welcoming her daughter Shai.
"She [Naomi Osaka] says she's going to come back, which seems to be the common thread now, in women's tennis. Kerber is going to have a child and she says she wants to come back, Vika (Azarenka) came back and Serena [Williams] came back. More and more players are taking this taking this route, and I think it's very empowering for them," Evert said.
Chris Evert also acknowledged that women's bodies underwent a significant change after giving birth but emphasized that many come back stronger "physically, mentally and emotionally." She further asserted that it's becoming "more feasible" to balance a tennis career and motherhood.