Tennis legend Chris Evert revealed on social media that she will not participate in the Wimbledon tournament next week, following the announcement that her ovarian cancer has returned. Evert stated that she learned this news after undergoing CT and PET scans over the weekend.
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In her statement, shared on Instagram and X, Evert expressed her commitment to transparency about her health journey. "I have already undergone surgery as the first step in my treatment and recovery, and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks," she wrote.
As a tennis analyst for ESPN, Evert had been scheduled to commentate at Wimbledon, which runs from June 29 to July 12. She indicated that she would be stepping back from her professional duties for several months to prioritize her health.
"Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle," she added. Evert expressed gratitude to her medical team, family, friends, and supporters for their kindness and encouragement.
Evert was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2022 and announced in 2023 that she was cancer-free. However, she received a second diagnosis about a year later and shared in July 2024 that she was cancer-free again. Recently, she discussed her health challenges on "Good Morning America" alongside her friend and former rival Martina Navratilova, who has also faced cancer twice.
Evert began her major tournament career at just 16 years old during the 1971 U.S. Open, becoming the youngest semifinalist in the event's history. Throughout her career, she secured 18 Grand Slam titles and held the world No. 1 ranking for 260 weeks. Evert retired from professional tennis in 1989 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995.