Chris Evert reacts to suggestions that Roger Federer should have a statue built at Wimbledon

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Chris Evert issued a frank response to whether Roger Federer should have a statue built at Wimbledon.

The Swiss Maestro left a legacy at many tournaments around the world, but none more so than at the All-England Club.

The 43-year-old ended his illustrious career with eight Wimbledon titles, more than any other male player in history.

Given his record at Wimbledon, the question has been asked if Roger Federer should be honoured with a statue but Chris Evert has other ideas.

Does Chris Evert think Roger Federer should be given a statue at Wimbledon?

There are several tennis icons whose legacy is built on their success at Wimbledon, and Federer is one of those players.

He first made an impression at SW19 when Federer claimed a shocking victory over Pete Sampras in 2001, before winning five titles in a row from 2003 to 2007.

Federer overtook Sampras’ record by lifting his eighth title in 2017, but there is one player who has enjoyed more success at Wimbledon than the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

Martina Navratilova has nine Wimbledon titles, the record for the most number of singles titles at the grass court Grand Slam for any player.

This prompted Chris Evert, a three-time champion in her own right, to mention Navratilova’s name when a fan asked on X if Federer should have a statue erected at Wimbledon.

“What about Martina who’s won it 9 times?,” said Evert, who is one of Navratilova’s closest friends and was one of her fiercest rivals in their playing days.

Comparing Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova’s Wimbledon records

Federer ended his illustrious tennis career with 105 wins at Wimbledon and just 14 defeats.

Federer won his first five Wimbledon titles from 2003 to 2007, equalling the record held by Bjorn Borg before friend and former rival Rafael Nadal ended his streak in 2008.

Navratilova on the other hand, also boasts an exceptional Wimbledon record. She won 120 matches at the All-England Club, which gives her a winning percentage of 90%.

The 68-year-old also claimed seven doubles titles at Wimbledon, and she won both the singles and doubles crown in the same year on five occasions.

Navratilova ended her career with 18 major singles titles, along with 31 women’s doubles titles and 10 major mixed doubles titles, giving her 5 overall, the most of any player in the open era.