Interview with Tennis Legend Chris Evert: Mom to Mom

I had the most amazing chance opportunity to meet a celebrity who surprised me. I'd never guess a world-class champion athlete extraordinaire would be low key, easygoing, and quite humble about life in general. I thought that Chris Evert, the "Ice Maiden" of tennis who has won 18 Grand Slams and possesses the best ever winning percentage (.900) in the history of tennis, man or woman, would be super cool, aloof, and come off as Ms. Perfect, expertly juggling her roles as mom to three teenage boys, ESPN commentator, and owner/coach at her Florida tennis academy. But she was genuine and even relatable.

Chris was in town to present an award sponsored by Hood Simply Smart Milk, “Make a Difference, Taste a Difference,” which highlights local women who are making a difference in their communities. Sam Watson, from The SAMFund in Boston, was the East Coast winner who received a $5000 donation for her charity that assists young adult cancer survivors.

Photo courtesy of SHIFT

Before the event, Chris sat down with me to answer some questions I was eager to grill her with! She offered great insights in the video below but I especially appreciated her last answer:

Q: Have you pulled away any life lessons or strategies from your tennis games that you’ve applied to your personal life?

A: Life is very much like playing a tennis match in that you can be down 6-5 love and still win. Never give up in anything. Hard work in everything. You’ll get some type of success and some results. But with all the success and titles and money in the world, that does not make you happy. People realize this who’ve been in my position. Being number 1 in the world...for that moment you’re on top of the world but when you wake up the next morning, you’ve got to get on with your life. It’s more about giving than receiving. I think that’s what life is more about.

Smoothies are one of Chris's favorites as a snack or quick breakfast. Check out her recipe for this easy chocolately version! It's not too sweet and is packed with important minerals and protein needed at all ages. I changed the recipe slightly by using regular coffee and throwing in half a banana to thicken it up more. The shake has 190 calories, 11 grams protein, 0 grams fat, and 350 mg calcium.

Simply Smart Groundstroke Smoothie

1 T warm water

1 t instant coffee granules (decaf)

1 cup Simply Smart Chocolate Fat Free Milk

2 Simply Smart Chocolate Fat Free Milk ice cubes or regular ice cubes

Directions

Dissolve coffee granules in warm water. Place coffee, milk, and ice cubes in blender. Blend on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until frothy. Pour into tall glass and drink immediately.

Special thanks to Megan and Katie at SHIFT Communications