Citation

Spencer NE. J. Sport Soc. Iss. 2003; 27(1): 18-37.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0193732502239582

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The tennis rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova was among the most compelling in sport history. Although it ended with Evert’s retirement in 1989, memories of that rivalry were evoked by their inclusion in ESPN Sportscentury’s “top 50” athletes of the 20th century in North America. In this article, the author examines how the half-hour segments provide useful insights into the cultural construction of gendered and national identities. More specifically, this article scrutinizes how ESPN's coverage re-creates impressions of Evert as “America’s sweetheart”/“Chris America” while positioning Navratilova as Czechoslovakian/lesbian (read: “other”). Finally, this article explores how media representations work to naturalize difference, thus leaving the impression that identities are fixed and unrelated to historical and cultural conditions.