LONDON — Tennis great Chris Evert said she will not attend this year's Wimbledon Championships after announcing that her ovarian cancer has returned for a third time, forcing her to step back from broadcasting and other professional commitments while she undergoes treatment.
Evert, 71, disclosed the recurrence in a statement released on social media on Thursday, saying recent CT and PET scans revealed the cancer had returned. She said she has already undergone surgery and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks, preventing her from working at Wimbledon, where she has been part of ESPN's broadcast team in recent years.
"I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey," Evert said in the statement. "This past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned. I have already undergone surgery as the first step in my treatment and recovery, and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks." She added that she would not attend Wimbledon and would step back from her professional commitments over the next several months to focus on her health.
Evert first revealed in January 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage 1C ovarian cancer after preventive surgery prompted by the death of her sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, from the disease and genetic testing that identified a BRCA1 mutation. She completed chemotherapy later that year and announced she was cancer-free before disclosing a recurrence in late 2023. She again entered remission in 2024 before this latest recurrence.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in tennis history, Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including three Wimbledon championships, and spent 260 weeks ranked world No. 1. Since retiring from competition, she has remained prominent in the sport as a television analyst.
ESPN said it supported Evert as she begins treatment and wished her a full recovery. Fellow tennis players and longtime rivals, including Martina Navratilova and Andre Agassi, also publicly expressed support following her announcement.
In her statement, Evert said, "Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle. 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." Wimbledon is scheduled to begin on June 29, while Evert said her immediate focus will be surgery recovery and the start of chemotherapy in the coming weeks.
