Tennis legend Chris Evert gives heartbreaking health update – ‘This is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear’

Tennis great Chris Evert has given a devastating about her health as she has revealed that her cancer has returned, barely a year after she was declared cancer-free.

The former world No 1 first announced her stage 1 ovarian cancer diagnosis in January 2022 and in May last year she confirmed that she had completed her chemotherapy.

In an open-ed in January 2023, Evert announced that she was cancer-free adding that doctors had told her that there was a 90% chance the cancer “will never come back”.

However, the 18-time Grand Slam winner has revealed the sad news about her cancer returning and starting chemotherapy again through a statement on ESPN.

“Since I was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago, I’ve been very open about my experience. I wanted to give all of you an update. My cancer is back,” the American said.

“While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early. Based on a PET CT scan, I underwent another robotic surgery this past week. Doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy.”

As a result, the 68-year-old Evert, who retired in 1979 having won 157 career singles titles, will not be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for the 2024 season-opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, in January.

She added: “I will be unable to join my colleagues when ESPN makes its return to Melbourne for the Australian Open next month. But I’ll be ready for the rest of the Grand Slam season!

“I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself. Early detection saves lives. Be thankful for your health this holiday season.”

Evert’s sister Jeanne Evert Dubin, who was also a professional tennis player, died at the age of 62 in 2020 after a two-and-a-half-year battle with ovarian cancer, but tennis great revealed during her January announcement that the “genetic road map my sister left behind” was key to her hopefully making a recovery after she completed her chemotherapy.

“Jeanne wasn’t BRCA positive, but genetic testing revealed she had a BRCA-1 variant that was of ‘uncertain significance,'” she wrote at the time.

“I got a call saying they had reclassified her BRCA variant — the significance was no longer uncertain, it was now very clearly pathogenic, and we should be tested. I was shocked, I didn’t even know that was possible.”