Chris Evert revealed Thursday she has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the third time.
The tennis legend and ESPN analyst canceled her anticipated Wimbledon appearance in a message posted to social media informing her fans that her cancer had returned and that she had already undergone surgery and would be continuing with treatment. She first diagnosed in 2021 and then announced it had returned in 2023.
“I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey,” Evert said. “This past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned. I have already undergone surgery as the first step in my treatment and recovery, and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks. Because of this, I will not be attending Wimbledon this year, and I will step back from my professional commitments over the next few months to focus on my health.”
She added: “Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle. I am deeply grateful to my medical team, my family, friends and everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement. I look forward to seeing everyone again soon.”
She learned she had Stage-1 ovarian cancer back in 2021 and underwent a double mastectomy in 2022 after learning she had the BRCA gene. After undergoing treatment, Evert announced her cancer was in remission in early 2023 before making a follow-up later in the year that it had returned.
Evert is an 18-time Grand Slam winner who won 157 singles titles and 32 doubles titles during her playing career. She also won the Australian Open twice, in 1982 and 1984.
The news comes on the eve of her Netflix documentary “Chris and Martina: The Final Set.” The film chronicles her and Martina Navratilova’s dominance of women’s tennis and their friendship that grew through competition.
