The American caught the deadly disease early, and has undergone a round of chemo. By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 13, 2022

American legend Chris Evert revealed that she was diagnosed with Stage 1c ovarian cancer, the disease that killed her sister Jeanne in 2020.

Evert’s doctor found a malignant tumor in her fallopian tube in early December, following a preventative hysterectomy. This week, according to ESPN, the 18-time Grand Slam champion and Queen of Clay began her first of six rounds of chemotherapy.

“I wanted to share my stage 1 ovarian cancer diagnosis and the story behind it as a way to help others,” Evert posted on Twitter on Friday. “I feel very lucky that they caught it early and expect positive results from my chemo plan.”

https://t.co/LVUsO3QqfD pic.twitter.com/B8WwKxsFmc

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) January 15, 2022

Evert lost her sister Jeanne, who was 62, in 2020 and later discovered through genetic testing, which showed that she had a pathogenic variant of the BRCA1 gene. She elected for the hysterectomy, which allowed her surgeon to catch the cancer early.

My friend has shared her story… please read. https://t.co/f9mJpAeFn9

— Chris McKendry (@ChrisMcKendry) January 15, 2022

As Evert undergoes her chemo regimen, she plans to appear on ESPN’s Australian Open coverage from home. More important, she wants to share her experience, so that others may take proper precautions if they are at risk. "Ovarian cancer is rare," Evert’s doctor, Dr. Cardenas told ESPN. "However, if a patient has a family history, we encourage genetic testing and counseling."

The Serbian Tennis Federation issues strongs support for world No. 1.
The Serbian Tennis Federation has Novak Djokovic's back.

The world No. 1's home federation (TSS) issued a strong statement of support for Djokovic after Australia canceled his visa for a second time on Friday to launch the deportation process.

More: Djokovic's Visa Revoked Again, He Will Appeal Deportation

Nine-time Australian Open champion Djokovic is appealing the ruling by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke and is now in a race against time to defend his title at the season's first Grand Slam, which starts on Monday at Melbourne Park. If Djokovic loses his appeal he is facing a potential three-year ban from Australia.

The TSS said in its statement that Djokovic validly met the medical exemption rule set by Tennis Australia and asserted it's "unacceptable" he should be deported for simply following the AO rules.

"The Tennis Association of Serbia strongly supports our champion Novak Djokovic in the fight with the Australian authorities for the right to play in the Australian Open, the first of four Grand Slam tournaments in 2022," the TSS said in a statement. "The precedent in the world of tennis, which has always been considered a gentleman's sport, to politically and judicially aminate the participation of the nine-time Australian champion in the tournament is unacceptable for the entire sports world on the planet and contradicts the sacred Olympic principles, which are well known. as organizers of the Olympic Games.

"We remind you that the best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, validly fulfilled all the prescribed requirements and rules of the organizers of the Australian Open and the host country to participate in the tournament, which was confirmed by a court decision of the same country. The new visa withdrawal, caused by political pressures, has led to a new withdrawal of not only the Serbian, but also the world sports ace in court and detention."

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve