Chris Evert cites Serena Williams’ father Richard as positive example of tennis parents today, laments not having that help in her generation…

WTA legend Chris Everts recently discussed the challenges she faced while building her professional tennis career.

She revealed that criticism took a heavy toll on her and highlighted the key difference between her journey and that of the legendary Williams sisters, Venus and Serena.

Chris Evert grew up in a Catholic household in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and developed a passion for tennis at the early age of 5. She honed her skills under the guidance of her father, Jimmy Evert, a former professional player and respected coach who won the men’s singles title at the 1947 Canadian Championships.

By 1969, she climbed up to the top as the No. 1 ranked under-14 girls player in the United States. When asked about the biggest challenge of being a legend, Chris Evert pointed to the differences in parental support between her generation and today’s players.