Chris Evert announced on social media Thursday that her ovarian cancer has returned for the third time.
The 71-year-old tennis legend and 18-time Grand Slam champion said CT and PET scans over the weekend confirmed the recurrence.
She has already undergone surgery as the first step in her treatment and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks.
She will not be at Wimbledon, which begins June 29, and is stepping back from her ESPN analyst role and all professional commitments for the next several months.
"I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey," Evert wrote in her statement. "Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle. 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."
Evert was first diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2021 after undergoing genetic testing following her sister Jeanne's death from ovarian cancer in 2020.
She was found to carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. Her cancer went into remission before returning in December 2023. She beat it a second time and was again declared cancer-free in mid-2024.
This is her third recurrence. Roughly 70 percent of ovarian cancer patients experience a recurrence, a statistic Evert is now navigating for the third time.
The timing is particularly poignant. Her documentary Chris and Martina: The Final Set, exploring her decades-long relationship and rivalry with Martina Navratilova, who is herself a two-time cancer survivor, debuted on Netflix on June 26. Navratilova, who is now cancer-free, was among the first to send her well wishes publicly.
ESPN said they will miss her at Wimbledon and look forward to welcoming her back when she is ready.