Everybody needs a mentor to show them the right way to do things. And to remind you what is correct and incorrect while you concentrate on your goal. There have been many successful mentor-player associations in the tennis world, including Venus and Serena Williams, and King Richard. Yet there is still another WTA mentor-player team that gets along really well. We are talking about the 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert, who is also a mentor to Ajla Tomljanović.

The 68-year-old tennis player has consistently assisted the Australian great in the best way possible during thick and thin. Not only that, but when the 30-year-old was preparing to face Serena at her farewell event. Evert’s counsel that helped her get through the match was featured in the second episode of the Netflix docuseries BreakPoint.

Chris Evert’s strong advice for Ajla Tomljanović 

The US Open marked the end of the remarkable career of the 23-time Grand Slam champion, who announced her retirement from the professional circuit last year. And despite making it to the third round of the competition, Williams lost to the 30-year-old Australian player. But for Tomljanović, standing against the crowd cheering for her opponent and playing against the legendary tennis player, it was not easy.

The world number 58 tennis player’s opinion on the encounter against Williams was chronicled in the third episode of BreakPoint’s second half. The Australian got a call from her friend and mentor, Evert, the evening before the historic flash.

During their phone conversation, the 68-year-old tennis legend advised her to be who she was on the tennis court. Evert said, “Look, you gotta show some balls out there tomorrow night. You gotta show some balls. Not just in your tennis playing, but just don’t. She’s American; they’re going to be cheering for her. Don’t let that bother you, okay? Honestly, it’s nothing personal. It’s nothing personal.” 

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In addition, she shared one of the greatest pieces of advice: do not let the passionate crowd support get on her. Subsequently, the former world number one tennis star shares a close bond with the Australian, and their bond was displayed during the docuseries. Earlier in the series, the 30-year-old also referred to Evert as her second mom.

Chris Evert is like a second mother to Tomljanovic

The Wimbledon quarterfinalist on the show discussed how the 68-year-old tennis player progressed from just being Chris Evert. From a tennis court legend to a friend and mentor and now almost like a second mother to her. “Chris Evert went from being Chris Evert, the legend to mentor/friend, almost like, you know, a second mom,” Tomljanović said in the Netflix docu-series. The 18-time Grand Slam winner expressed similar sentiments when she referred to the Australian star as her daughter.

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Furthermore, she mentioned that she only has three sons, and Tomljanovic is her daughter. The 30-year-old tennis player also recently posted a photo with her mentor on her Instagram account, which garnered a tonne of love from the sporting world and showed off Evert’s new hairstyle.