{"id":728211,"date":"2026-06-27T00:26:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T00:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/728211\/"},"modified":"2026-06-27T00:26:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T00:26:20","slug":"tennis-legend-chris-evert-is-battling-ovarian-cancer-a-third-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/728211\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis legend Chris Evert is battling ovarian cancer a third time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tennis legend Chris Evert<\/a> is battling ovarian cancer for the third time and will not attend Wimbledon, the 18-time Grand Slam champion<\/a> and longtime ESPN analyst said Thursday on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned,\u201d Evert, 71, wrote. \u201cI have already undergone surgery as the first step in my treatment and recovery, and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evert was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2021. Two years later, she revealed her cancer had returned.<\/p>\n

\u201cOvarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle,\u201d Evert wrote. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evert was one of the most dominant women\u2019s tennis players of the 1970s and 1980s, winning a record seven French Open titles to go with six at the U.S. Open, three at Wimbledon and two at the Australian Open. She won at least one Grand Slam for 13 consecutive years (1974-86) and retired in 1989 with a career record of 1,309-146.<\/p>\n

Her on-court rivalry with Czech American tennis great Martina Navratilova<\/a> during that period is legendary, with Navratilova beating Evert in six of their 10 Grand Slam finals against one another and 43 of their 80 matches overall. They also won the French Open in 1975 and Wimbledon in 1976 as doubles partners.<\/p>\n

A new Netflix documentary, \u201cChris & Martina: The Final Set,\u201d covers their history together, which includes a decades-long friendship and support for each other through numerous battles with cancer (Navratilova was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2010 and stage 1 throat cancer and breast cancer in January 2023; she announced she was cancer-free<\/a> in June of that year).<\/p>\n

Navratilova was one of the first people to comment on Evert\u2019s Instagram post.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friend Chrissie is a champion of champions and as such she will slay this monster again,\u201d Navratilova wrote. \u201cWe are all pulling for you, and know you will come out on the other side cancer free again- lots of love, m.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other former rivals and fellow International Tennis Hall of Fame members also offered their heartfelt support.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou beat me 18 straight times, therefore you can beat cancer 19 straight if you have to,\u201d wrote Pam Shriver<\/a>, who lost 19 of her 22 career matches against Evert. \u201cMuch love and respect to one of the greatest competitors ever, Pammie\u201d<\/p>\n

Billie Jean King<\/a>, who lost 19 of her 26 matches against Evert, wrote: \u201cYou are a champion and a fighter, and you will beat this. Sending love and prayers from both of us for a strong recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/p>\n