Martina Navratilova announced on January 2, 2023 that she has been diagnosed with both throat and breast cancer. Navratilova, 66 at the time of the diagnosis, said in a statement: “This double whammy is serious but still fixable, and I’m hoping for a favorable outcome. It’s going to stink for a while but I’ll fight with all I have got,” according to ESPN. The tennis legend has 18 grand slam single titles under her belt as well as 31 grand slam doubles titles, in addition to several other wins and records.
Navratilova noticed swollen lymph nodes in November 2022 and, through a biopsy, she discovered that she had stage one throat cancer. According to Tennis.com, the cancer is “type HPV;” the outlet noted that people who undergo treatment for this type of cancer generally have positive results. Concurrent with her throat cancer diagnosis, Navratilova discovered that she also had breast cancer.
Read Related Also: Nick Cave defends decision to attend ‘weird’ coronation
In 2010, Navratilova was diagnosed with noninvasive breast cancer, per ESPN. She had a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation and was deemed cancer free at the time. While Navratilova will have to take time away from her in-person work as a tennis commentator, she hopes to join the Australian Open in late January 2023 via Zoom. We wish her a full and speedy recovery!
