Chris Evert Reveals She's Battling Ovarian Cancer A Third Time: 'i Will Stay Optimistic And Determined'

Tennis fable Chris Evert is battling ovarian crab for nan 3rd clip and will not be Wimbledon this year, nan 18-time Grand Slam champion and longtime ESPN expert said Thursday on Instagram.

“This past weekend, aft undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian crab has returned,” Evert, 71, wrote. “I person already undergone room arsenic nan first measurement successful my curen and recovery, and will statesman chemotherapy successful nan coming weeks.

“Because of this, I will not beryllium attending Wimbledon this year, and I will measurement backmost from my master commitments complete nan adjacent fewer months to attraction connected my health.”

Evert was first diagnosed pinch ovarian crab successful December 2021. Two years later, she revealed her crab had returned.

“Ovarian crab is relentless, but I will enactment optimistic and wished successful continuing to conflict this battle,” Evert wrote. “I americium profoundly grateful to my aesculapian team, my family, friends and everyone who has reached retired pinch kindness and encouragement. I look guardant to seeing everyone again soon.”

Evert was 1 of nan astir ascendant women’s tennis players of nan 1970s and 1980s, winning a grounds 7 French Open titles to spell pinch six astatine nan U.S. Open, 3 astatine Wimbledon and 2 astatine nan Australian Open. She won astatine slightest 1 Grand Slam for 13 consecutive years (1974-1986) and retired successful 1989 pinch a profession grounds of 1,309-146.

Her on-court rivalry pinch Czech American tennis awesome Martina Navratilova during that play is legendary, pinch Navratilova beating Evert successful six of their 10 Grand Slam finals against 1 different and 43 of their 80 wide matches arsenic opponents. They besides won nan French Open successful 1975 and Wimbledon successful 1976 arsenic doubles partners.

A caller Netflix documentary, “Chris & Martina: The Final Set,” covers their history together, which besides includes a decades-long relationship and support for each different done galore battles pinch crab (Navratilova was diagnosed pinch early-stage bosom crab successful 2010 and shape 1 pharynx crab and bosom crab successful January 2023; she announced she was cancer-free successful June of that year).

Navratilova was 1 of nan first group to remark connected Evert’s Instagram post.

“My friend Chrissie is simply a champion of champions and arsenic specified she will slay this monster again,” Navratilova wrote. “We are each pulling for you, and cognize you will travel retired connected nan different broadside crab free again- tons of love, m.”

Other erstwhile on-court rivals and chap International Tennis Hall of Fame members besides offered their heartfelt support successful nan remark conception of Evert’s post.

“You hit maine 18 consecutive times, truthful you tin hit crab 19 consecutive if you person to,” wrote Pam Shriver, who mislaid 19 of her 22 profession matches against Evert. “Much emotion and respect to 1 of nan top competitors ever, Pammie”

Billie Jean King, who mislaid 19 of her 26 matches against Evert, wrote: “You are a champion and a fighter, and you will hit this. Sending emotion and prayers from some of america for a beardown recovery.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.