Chris Evert says ovarian cancer returned for third time
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- Chris Evert revealed her ovarian cancer has returned for a third time after CT and PET scans over the past weekend, having been first diagnosed in December 2021.
- Evert has already undergone surgery as the first step in treatment and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks, writing on Instagram that the disease is 'relentless' but she remains optimistic.
- The 18-time Grand Slam champion will not attend Wimbledon this year and is stepping back from all professional commitments, including her role as an ESPN tennis pundit.
- Only Serena Williams (23) and Steffi Graf (22) have won more women's singles majors in the Open era than Evert, who claimed three Wimbledon titles among her 18 Grand Slams.
- Long-time rival Martina Navratilova called Evert 'a champion of champions' and said she will 'slay this monster again,' while ESPN executive Mike McQuade said the network 'will certainly miss her at Wimbledon.'
- Evert has been a regular BBC and international broadcaster since retiring from professional tennis in 1989 and said she is 'deeply grateful' to her medical team, family, and fans.
Why it matters: Evert's third cancer recurrence halts one of tennis's most prominent broadcasting voices at the start of the Wimbledon calendar, and her openness about the diagnosis — first shared publicly in 2022 — continues to raise visibility for ovarian cancer, which often recurs even after successful initial treatment. The immediate consequence is concrete: ESPN loses its lead tennis analyst for a major Grand Slam, and Evert faces another chemotherapy round after surgery.
