Chris Evert Is Facing Cancer for a Third Time. Inside the Tennis Star's 5-Year Journey with the 'Relentless' Disease
· Yahoo Sports
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NEED TO KNOW
- In June 2026, Chris Evert revealed her ovarian cancer had returned for a third time
- The tennis legend has undergone multiple surgeries and chemotherapy since her initial diagnosis in 2021
- Evert has advocated for genetic testing and early detection since her sister’s death from ovarian cancer
Chris Evert has been "open and honest" about her ongoing health journey since she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2021.
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The decorated tennis legend shared with ESPN that she had stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2022, the same disease that her younger sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, died of just two years prior. Eleven months after announcing that she was in remission, Evert said that her cancer had returned in 2023.
Less than two years after telling The New York Timesthat she was once again cancer-free, the tennis pro revealed that she had been diagnosed for a third time.
“Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle,” Evert wrote in a June 2026 post on Instagram. “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.”
Here's everything to know about Chris Evert's health journey, including what she's said about her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Evert was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2021
Chris EvertCredit: Courtesy Netflix
In 2017, Evert's younger sister, also a former tennis player, was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer, per ESPN. Though family members were not encouraged to pursue genetic testing at the time, advances in research later revealed that her sister carried a pathogenic BRCA1 gene variant, prompting Evert to get tested herself.
When she learned that she also carried the gene, she opted to get a preventive hysterectomy in December 2021. It was during that procedure that doctors first discovered she had stage 1C ovarian cancer. Like most women, the Wimbledon champion said she had no noticeable symptoms and no signs of the disease in her annual exams and bloodwork.
She underwent a double mastectomy in 2022
After her initial cancer diagnosis, Evert underwent six rounds of chemotherapy to treat the disease. However, she wrote in an essay for ESPN that the BRCA gene she carried put her at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. So in December 2022 — a year to the day that she had her hysterectomy — the former athlete had a double mastectomy.
"I held my breath while I waited for my pathology results," she wrote in the January 2023 essay. "Luckily, the report came back clean and clear, and my risk of developing breast cancer has been reduced by more than 90%."
Evert’s cancer returned the same year she announced she was in remission
Andy Mill and Chris Evert in 'Chris & Martina: The Final Set'Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
In December 2023, less than a year after announcing that she was in remission, Evert shared that her cancer had returned "in the same pelvic region."
“While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early,” the 18-time Grand Slam winner said in a statement shared by ESPN, adding that she had undergone surgery a week prior. "All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy.”
She told The New York Times in July 2024 that she was, once again, cancer-free.
Her treatment was documented in Chris & Martina: The Final Set
Evert received her second cancer diagnosis while filming her Netflix documentary with Martina Navratilova, Chris & Martina: The Final Set. Navratilova has undergone a similar health journey, having been diagnosed with breast cancer twice since 2010, as well as throat cancer.
Evert allowed cameras to accompany her to treatments and doctor appointments and document her son shaving off her hair after chemotherapy. The tennis great told PEOPLE at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2026 that she wanted to be vulnerable about the journey on-screen to raise awareness about genetic testing.
“It humbles you when you've had the highest of highs and then you get cancer," Evert told PEOPLE in June 2026. "It just makes you feel like you're just like everybody else, you know? I mean, hopefully we felt that way anyway, but it's like this is a terrible disease that anybody can get."
She added, "Part of the reason why we're doing this is just to get the word out about genetic testing and about getting your checkups. If you feel anything different in your body, get it taken care of right away.”
Evert was diagnosed with cancer for a third time in 2026
Chris Evert attends the Legends Ball on September 06, 2025, in New York CityCredit: Roy Rochlin/Getty
In June 2026, the tennis pro shared on Instagram that her cancer had returned for a third time. Doctors had detected it during an exploratory surgery after getting abnormal results from a routine CT scan, per The Athletic.
“I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey,” Evert wrote in her post. “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."
Navratilova also shared a message of support, writing on Instagram that her friend was "a champion of champions and as such she will slay this monster again."
Read the original article on People