Tennis legend Martina Navratilova became visibly emotional while discussing her friend Chris Evert's ongoing battle with ovarian cancer. Speaking on the BBC's coverage of the Wimbledon women's semi-finals, Navratilova shared that Evert has begun treatment for her third diagnosis with the disease.
"Chris just started the treatment, third time (with) cancer, she will be OK," Navratilova said, fighting back tears. "It’s tough, I cannot talk about it without crying because we just found out before the tournament that the cancer came back, but she will be OK. She’s tough as nails."
Navratilova also noted Evert's strength in their recent conversations. "I talked to her last week, she sounded so strong and like I am the weak one here. She’s a champion."
Fellow tennis icon Billie Jean King, also present in the BBC studio, shared her own recent conversation with Evert. "She said: 'Billie I might have this six more times, it’s not a death sentence at all'. She’s so brave," King relayed.
Evert, a 71-year-old 18-time Grand Slam winner, revealed in the days leading up to Wimbledon that her ovarian cancer had returned. She had already undergone surgery as the first step in her treatment and planned to begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks, leading her to step back from professional commitments.
"I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey," Evert said in a statement. "This past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned."
Evert was first diagnosed with stage 1 BRCA-related ovarian cancer in December 2021. She completed chemotherapy in May 2022 and shared in early 2023 that she was in remission. However, the cancer returned, and she announced a recurrence in December 2023.
"While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early," Evert stated in December. "I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself. Early detection saves lives."
Evert's initial diagnosis came two years after her sister died from the same disease at age 62. Her third diagnosis was revealed shortly after the release of the Netflix documentary "Chris & Martina: The Final Set," which candidly discussed their respective cancer journeys. Navratilova was diagnosed with stage 1 throat cancer and early-stage breast cancer in January 2023 and later received an all-clear from her doctors.
Both Evert and Navratilova achieved 18 Grand Slam singles titles during their careers. Evert's career highlights include seven French Open titles, six US Open titles, two Australian Open titles, and three Wimbledon championships. She also won three doubles titles, two of which were with Navratilova.