Former tennis star Chris Evert says she was diagnosed with an early stage of ovarian cancer.
The 67-year-old Evert revealed the illness in a story posted Friday on ESPN.com; she is an on-air announcer for ESPN.
She learned of the cancer last month and began chemotherapy treatments this week.
“I’ve lived a very charmed life. Now I have some challenges ahead of me,” Evert said. “But I have comfort in knowing the chemotherapy is to ensure that cancer does not come back.”
In a tweet sharing the ESPN story, Evert wrote that she plans to “appear from home at times” during ESPN’s coverage of the Australian Open, set to begin Monday.
Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings and was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1995.
Her sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, died from ovarian cancer in February 2020 at age 62.
“Be your own advocate. Know your family’s history. Have total awareness of your body, follow your gut and be aware of changes,” Evert said in the ESPN story. “Don’t try to be a crusader and think this will pass.”
