Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has revealed that she is currently battling both throat and breast cancer.
The 66-year-old Czech-American athlete shared this news in an interview with Tennis.com on Monday, noting that her conditions were caught early and she is optimistic of a “favorable outcome.”
Navratilova was diagnosed with Stage 1 throat cancer and breast cancer, discovered while she was getting a throat screening. Despite this, she remains confident in her response to treatment and is determined to fight.
This isn’t the first time the tennis star has faced cancer; she was previously diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, but was declared cancer-free after six months of treatment.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable,” Navratilova said.
Navratilova, a tennis icon and one of the most successful women’s players in the game, has been celebrated for her 18 Grand Slam singles titles between 1978 and 1990 and for her activism outside the arena.
After retiring from singles play in 1994, she continued playing doubles and mixed doubles events, eventually winning the mixed doubles tournament at the U.S. Open in 2006 at age 49.
Navratilova was also a pioneer in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, coming out as a lesbian in 1981 and continuing to advocate for the community.
Since retiring, she has also become a prominent tennis broadcaster, providing commentary for many Grand Slam tournaments.