Tennis legend Chris Evert’s ovarian cancer has returned, she announced on Thursday, June 25.
“I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey,” she wrote in a statement via X. “This past weekend, after undergoing CTD and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned.”
Evert, 71, continued, “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.”
Evert was scheduled to be in London for the tournament, both to promote her new Netflix documentary alongside Martina Navratilova, Chris & Martina: The Final Set, and to work as a commentator for ESPN.
Instead, she will stay behind in Florida, where she had her surgery.
“Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle,” Evert vowed. “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.”
ESPN PR shared a statement on Tuesday from ESPN executive vice president for production, Mike McQuade, wishing Evert the best.
“Our thoughts are with our ESPN tennis colleague Chris Evert as she deals with this personal health issue,” the statement read. “We will certainly miss her at Wimbledon and wish her all the best. We look forward to having her back with us whenever she feels ready to return.”
Evert was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021, just over a year after her sister died of the disease. In 2023, she announced that she was cancer free with a “90 percent chance that the ovarian cancer will never come back.”
“My sister’s journey saved my life,” she towrote for ESPN at the time. “I hope by sharing mine, I just might save somebody else’s.”
Amid her sister’s battle, Evert became a proponent for genetic testing. When she learned she had the same BRCA-1 variant that her sister had, putting her at a higher risk for breast cancer and other diseases, she took immediate action.
After a preemptive hysterectomy, Evert learned she had a tumor in her left fallopian tube. Had it gone untreated, the tumor could have progressed, leaving her with “very few options” in just a few months.
When Evert gained her strength back from her chemotherapy, she realized she had “one mountain left to climb.”
“The risk for me was bigger than ovarian cancer alone,” she said. “BRCA mutations are associated with an up to 75 percent risk of developing breast cancer, and an increased risk of prostate and pancreatic cancer as well.”
In 2022, Evert had a preemptive double mastectomy, reducing her risk for breast cancer by more than 90 percent.
“My sister, like many people, was so busy taking care of everybody else, she ignored what her body was trying to tell her,” Evert said. “My advice is: Trust your gut, know your family history, learn about genetic testing and be your own advocate.”
