American tennis great Chris Evert spoke about the happiness of being a grandmother as her grandson Hayden James turned one on May 24, 2025.
The sporting legend posted a heart-warming message on Instagram expressing the strong connection she has with her expanding family.
Chris Evert Is a Proud Mother of Three Sons
Evert entered a new milestone in 2024 when her son Nicholas Mill and his wife Rebecca gave birth to Hayden James. It is a precious moment for Evert, who has always been committed to her family.
She and her ex-husband, Olympic skier Andy Mill, have three sons: Alexander, Nicholas, and Colton. Nicholas, born in 1994, has taken a different route from that of his mother’s sporting glory, co-hosting a podcast called “Mill House” with his father, discussing sports and lifestyle issues.
To mark Hayden’s first birthday, Evert posted on Instagram a sweet picture of the toddler, along with a sweet message. She penned:
“Happy First Birthday to Hayden. You bring joy to my life and I treasure every day I’m lucky enough to spend with you. I love you little pumpkin.”
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When Chris Evert Opened Up About Her Journey into Grandmotherhood and Family Growth
Earlier this year, Evert told BNPParibas.com about the joy of becoming a grandmother and her growing family. She warmly called her daughter-in-law Rebecca the “daughter she never had.”
“Well, first of all, my daughter in law is the daughter that I always wanted,” Chris Evert said. “I mean, she’s perfect. My grandchild Hayden is, wow, again, I never everyone kept saying, ‘Wait until you have a grandchild.’ I thought nothing can top having a child.”
Evert described grandparenthood as double the fun and shared her excitement about being involved in her grandson Hayden James’s life.
“But having a grandchild is double the fun, because you’re also seeing your son being a father. Your child has become a father. Then I have this little grandson. It’s wonderful. I will be, for sure, a fun grandmother. I will right around as long as I can,” she added.
When asked what he might call her, she playfully suggested “Nana,” “Gammy,” or “Grandma,” but said she’d let Hayden decide.
“Well, we haven’t figured that out yet,” Evert said. “I’m going to let him figure it out.”
“We have so many different names, you know: Nana, Gammy, Grandma. Just so many names. I’m, like, I want him to naturally come out with something,” the 70-year-old added.
