Some sports documentaries simply recount history. The best of this genre illuminates something much larger than sport. Chris & Martina: The Final Set unquestionably belongs in the latter category.
Just days before the film was released on Netflix, Chris Evert revealed that her ovarian cancer had returned and that she was beginning another round of treatment. That announcement does not alter anything that appears on screen because the diagnosis came after the film was completed. However, that knowledge changes how the audience experiences it. A story that was already deeply moving somehow became even more so.
That theme resonated especially strongly in our household. The Trophy Husband is still undergoing chemotherapy for brain cancer, so the parallel journeys of Evert and Martina Navratilova struck particularly close to home. We watched the documentary together on the evening it was released, and it sparked conversations that extended well beyond tennis.
For example, Evert reflects on how difficult it has become simply to walk half a mile and acknowledges that playing tennis is currently out of the question. That immediately caused us to reconsider our own situation. These days, the Trophy Husband gauges success by whether he feels well enough to complete a full mile on his walk. On especially good days, he can even get through a tennis match. It is a subtle shift of perspective.
As filmmaking, the documentary is exceptional. The storytelling feels deliberate without ever becoming slow. Evert and Navratilova carry much of the narrative themselves, but they are joined by remarkably insightful commentary from John McEnroe, Mary Carillo, Billie Jean King, and Sally Jenkins. Each adds meaningful context rather than simply recounting events. The result is a film that is emotionally powerful without becoming emotionally manipulative.
McEnroe offers one observation that perfectly captures the larger story. He argues that the defining characteristic of a great rivalry is not simply that two competitors frequently met each other, but that they make each other better in the process. When that happens, the sport itself improves. There is a compelling argument that the Evert-Navratilova rivalry was not only the greatest in tennis history but also one of the greatest rivalries in all of sport. The documentary carefully explores how that competition shaped their games, complicated their friendship, and ultimately elevated women’s tennis to new heights.
Among my favorite moments were the scenes showing Evert and Navratilova watching old matches together. Their commentary is warm, insightful, and occasionally humorous as they revisit moments they experienced from opposite sides of the net. If anything, those scenes left me wanting more. I would happily watch the unedited versions of those match screenings because the conversations surrounding them were just as fascinating as the tennis itself.
Those archival matches also serve as an unexpected time capsule. They remind viewers how dramatically the sport has evolved, not only in playing styles but also in the way elite competitors conducted themselves. Watching those exchanges alongside modern tennis provides an interesting perspective on how both the game and its culture have changed over the past four decades.
Ultimately, this documentary is about much more than their iconic rivalry. It is about friendship forged through sport, mutual respect earned over decades, and the unexpected ways life continues long after the competition has ended. The present-day cancer journeys simply reinforce those themes rather than define them.
I absolutely loved this documentary. I would recommend it without hesitation to tennis fans, sports fans, and even viewers with little prior knowledge of either Chris Evert or Martina Navratilova. It is beautifully told, thoughtfully paced, emotionally authentic, and ultimately a reminder that the greatest rivalries are often measured not simply by what happens during competition, but by what remains after the final point has been played.
