Evert, 68, a tennis analyst for ESPN, said in a statement that she will miss the Australian Open in January but added that she would be ready to cover tennis’ other Grand Slam events next year.
Evert said she learned the cancer had returned after she underwent a series of medical tests earlier this week, ESPN reported.
“Since I was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago, I’ve been very open about my experience. I wanted to give all of you an update. My cancer is back. 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 champion and former women’s No. 1 player said in her statement. “Based on a PET CT scan, I underwent another robotic surgery this past week. Doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy.”
Evert revealed in January 2022 that she had been diagnosed with an early stage of ovarian cancer.
Known as America’s tennis sweetheart, Evert was also called the “Ice Maiden” for her stoic approach to the game. Her patience and baseline game as a singles player helped her win three Wimbledon titles, seven French Open crowns, two Australian Open championships and six U.S. Open titles.
Evert learned of her cancer in December 2021 and began chemotherapy treatments in January 2022, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy after her initial diagnosis. The Athletic reported.
“I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself,” Evert said in her statement. “Early detection saves lives. Be thankful for your health this holiday season.”
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Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert is greet at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale after returning home from the 1971 U.S. Open. Evert reached the semifinals. ( Lynn Pelham/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert, left, and her sister, Jeanne Evert, in their hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in February 1972. Jeanne Evert Dubin, died from ovarian cancer in February 2020. (Bettman/Getty Images )
Photographs: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert gets a kiss from her father, Jimmy Evert, after defeating Evonne Goolagong Cawley during a 1972 match in Ohio. (Bettmann/Getty Images )
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert was the runner-up to Billie Jean King, left, in the 1973 Wimbledon women's singles final. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Photographs: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert was 19 when she defeated Olga Morozova of the Soviet Union to win the Wimbledon women's singles final in 1974. It was the first of three Wimbledon singles titles for Evert. ( Leonard Burt/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert meets with Florida Gov. Reubin Askew in July 1974 to celebrate her first Wimbledon victory. (Tom Chapman/Getty Images )
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors were the romantic couple of tennis during the early 1970s and were even engaged in 1974, but they split before walking down the aisle. (Paul DeMaria/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert in 1975. (Jean-Yves Ruszniewski/TempSport/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert shows off her trophy after winning the 1977 Virginia Slims Championship. (Dan Farrell/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert shows determination en route to her fourth straight U.S. Open women's singles title in 1978. (Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert pats Tracy Austin on the head after losing to the 16-year-old in the finals of the 1979 U.S. Open in New York. (Bettmann/Getty Images )
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert celebrates after winning her third Wimbledon women's singles title in 1981. (Steve Powell/Allsport)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert with her first husband, John Lloyd, at Wimbledon in 1980. The couple was married from 1979 to 1987. (Stuart Clarke/Evening Standard/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert and Andy Mill attend 10th Annual Women's Tennis Association Awards Banquet in August 1987. Evert and Mill were married from 1988 to 2006. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert prepares to hit a forehand during a 1989 tournament in Monaco. ( Dimitri Iundt/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert and family in 2004. ( L. Cohen/WireImage)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert shares a laugh with Venus Williams during the opening ceremonies at the 2006 U.S. Open. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert caddied for Greg Norman during the Par 3 Contest before the 2009 Masters Tournament. Evert and Norman were married for 18 months before splitting up in December 2009. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert jokes with actor Rainn Wilson during their exhibition doubles match during the 2013 U.S. Open. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Tennis royalty: Serena Williams is flanked by Chris Evert, right, and Martina Navratilova after Williams won the 2014 U.S. Open women's singles final. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert poses with the WTA World Number One singles trophy named in her honor in 2018. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were fierce rivals on the court, but could laugh about their epic matches during a 2018 appearance in Singapore. They 80 times during their career, with Navratilova winning 43 times. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert at the microphone providing commentary during Wimbledon in 2018. ( Karwai Tang/WireImage )
Photos: Chris Evert through the years Chris Evert, and Martina Navratilova, left, work on some pottery during the 2021 Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara in Mexico in November 2021. (Hector Vivas/Getty Images for WTA)
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