Tennis great Chris Evert reveals return of ovarian cancer, will not be part of Australian Open coverage
NEW YORK — Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert revealed the return of her ovarian cancer and that she’s again undergoing treatment, some two years after announcing it had gone into remission.
“My cancer is back,” she said in a statement shared by ESPN on Friday. “While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early.”
Doctors earlier this week uncovered cancerous cells in the same pelvic region as before, Evert said, adding that all the cells have since been removed and she’s currently going through chemotherapy.
Born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1954, Evert went on to become one of the most accomplished athletes in all of tennis, winning a women’s record seven French Open titles and a record six US Open titles. She was also the first player to win 1,000 singles matches as well as the first female athlete to earn $1 million in career prize money. She has most recently been working as an on-air announcer for ESPN.
While her health will prevent her from covering the upcoming Australian Open in Melbourne next month, Evert said she “will be ready for the rest of Grand Slam season.” She concluded: “I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself. Early detection saves lives.”
Evert’s younger sister, former professional tennis player Jeanne Evert Dubin, died from ovarian cancer in 2020 at the age of 62. Evert previously announced she’d been diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in January 2022. Four months later, she revealed she had completed her treatment after six rounds of chemotherapy.
