Tennis Legend Martina Navratilova announced she was diagnosed with cancer of the breast and throat. “I’m hoping for a favorable outcome,” she said in a statement on Monday.
Navratilova, 66, told The Times she was diagnosed with throat and breast cancer after discovering a lump on her neck two months ago.
Navratilova noticed an enlarged lymph node in her neck while attending the season-ending WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, in November, and a biopsy showed early stage throat cancer. The breast cancer was discovered while Navratilova was undergoing tests on her throat, she said.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable, and I’m hoping for a favorable outcome,” Navratilova said. “It’s going to stink for a while but I’ll fight with all I’ve got.”
Navratilova defected from Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1975 at age 18 after turning pro. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 59 major tennis titles overall. Navratilova dominated women’s tennis, often beating her closest rival Chris Evert in numerous women’s tennis finals in the 1970s and ’80s.
She is pictured with Chris Evert (R) and Serena Williams (C) at the 2014 women’s US Open singles final match on Sept. 7, 2014 in Queens, NY.
Navratilova was the world No. 1 ranked women’s tennis player for a total of 331 weeks (second only to Steffi Graf).
Navratilova officially retired from tennis in 1994.
Navratilova will not be a regular part of Tennis Channel’s coverage of the Australian Open later this month. She “hopes to be able to join in from time to time” via video conference, according to her statement on Monday.
