The Rivals- Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova Their Epic Duels and Extraordinary Friendship Description:

The Rivals: Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova Their Epic Duels and Extraordinary Friendship review:
4 stars (Match Point (4.5 Stars)) - This is a well-written account of women's tennis between the years of 1971 and 1987 as told through the stories of Martina and Chrissie (no last names needed!).



In those years, there really weren't any other women stars with staying power, and these two women were the face of the sport. The contrast in their childhood upbringings and off-court relationships and training practices are covered well and thankfully not in laborious detail.



I would have liked to hear more from Tracy Austin, Hana Mandlikova, and other players to help balance the Martina/Chrissie rememberances, but other than that, this book is very good.
5 stars (Aces, straight sets, a winner) - For those of us old enough to remember the growth of tennis, particularly women's tennis, in the early 70's through 80's, this is an insider's walk down memory lane. Well researched, well written, and sensitive, it tells the inside story of what (and who) made the two title women tick, but also provides the necessary background for what was going on around them. Fans of women's sports,heck, sports in general, but particularly tennis, will enjoy this read.
5 stars (Best sports book I've ever read) - I thought I knew so much about Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova until I read Johnette Howard's extraordinary book. From start to finish, I couldn't put it down. The narrative is so compelling. It's not so much a biography as a wonderful story that unfolds page after page. The book is full of anecdotes that stay with you, and Howard draws detailed, insightful, often poignant portraits of Martina and Chris that go far beyond anything I've ever read about them before.

Most importantly, to me, Howard excelled at putting Chrissie and Martina's rivalry in human terms. And she provides the sort of historical context that makes this not just a sports book, but a book that reads like a short cultural history of the time that Martina and Chris came along. The chapter about Martina's defection is especially amazing.

I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story. You don't have to love tennis or even sports.