Martina Navratilova, a former world-ranked tennis player, revealed on Monday that she has been diagnosed with breast and throat cancer. With 59 Grand Slam championships in singles and doubles, the Czech-American is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest athletes in history, has been diagnosed with Stage 1 throat cancer.
In addition, an unrelated form of breast cancer was discovered during the examinations. Both cancers are in their early stages with great outcomes.
Thinking of you @martina __ — TENNIS (@Tennis) January 2, 2023
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable,” the 66-year-old said in a statement to WTA. “I’m hoping for a favorable outcome. It’s going to stink for a while, but I’ll fight with all I’ve got.” Czech-born Navratilova, who became a US citizen in 1981, was also diagnosed and beat breast cancer back in 2010. Navratilova added that the cancer was in Stage 1, and the prognosis is good, with treatments to begin next week. The cancer was first discovered in early November during the WTA finals when Navratilova noticed a swelling in her neck that did not go down.
“Martina noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck during the WTA finals in Forth Worth,” said Navratilova’s representative Mary Greenham. “When it didn’t do down, a biopsy was performed, the results came back as Stage 1 throat cancer.”At the same time as Martina was undergoing the tests for the throat, a suspicious form was found in her breast, which was subsequently diagnosed as cancer, completely unrelated to the throat cancer. “Both of these cancers are in their early stages with great outcomes.”
Greenham said that Navratilova, who now works as tennis presenter on television and radio, will not travel to Melbourne for the Jan16-29 Australian Open but hopes to contribute to the broadcasts remotely. “Martina won’t be covering the Aussie Open for the Tennis Channel from her studio but hopes to join in from time to time by Zoom,” said Greenham.