Chris Evert Plastic Surgery – Chris Evert lost his sister to ovarian cancer in 2020 and said: “If it wasn’t for Jane’s death, I wouldn’t be alive.” Photography: Russell Wong Photography
Chris Evert: ‘Cancer left me in a fog and so scared – I tried to stop it’
Chris Evert Plastic Surgery
Chris Evert on ovarian cancer, Emma Radocano’s chances for greater glory, the future of women’s tennis and who is the best
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“I had the longest four days of my life,” says Chris Everett as she faced her death last December while awaiting a second cancer diagnosis. Everett, who won 18 Grand Slam titles from 1974 to 1986, had just undergone surgery for ovarian cancer. She then underwent tests to see if the cancer had spread to, she says, “the lymph nodes that are connected to my reproductive organs. If I tested positive in the lymph nodes, I was at stage three or four. My type of cancer, Cancer of ovarian cancer, it’s very insidious and insidious because there aren’t many signs that you have it. When you find out you have ovarian cancer, there are usually three or four stages, which basically means curtains.”
Clinical research shows that patients diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer have a 15% chance of surviving more than five years, while the prognosis for those with stage III increases to more than 25%. But Everett’s blunt response is understandable. The 67-year-old has been so familiar for so long, first as a remarkable tennis player and then in the commentary box, that it comes as a shock to hear that he is facing his own death. She was respected for her composure on the court, even when she first rose to fame after reaching the US Open semifinals in 1971 at the age of 16. Everett looks up with a confused expression when asked. For these test results.
“I was very worried because I had no control over the situation,” she says. “I prayed a lot and I prayed to my sister [Jane, who died in 2020 after a painful battle with ovarian cancer]. I was also in shock, like I was in a fog, and I was so scared. I used the powers in court and tried to stop him a little.
Everett was close to her sister and witnessed her many struggles. These memories overshadowed his four-day wait. “I thought a lot about Jane and it was terrifying to know what the journey would be for me if I was stage four, more so than dying. I had her in the ports on her breast and in her arms. I saw her go through the experimental drugs after the needles and chemotherapy. She got very sick and when she passed she weighed 80 kg. To see that four days come fast like fear. Sometimes. You should only surrender if you can’t change it.”
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Everett looks up and smiles in relief. “But I was clear. I was told I needed six rounds of chemotherapy and so I made an announcement [before the Australian Open in January]. I could tell everybody I had stage 1 ovarian cancer. And I’m going through chemotherapy and the doctor says there’s 90 to 95 percent chance the cancer won’t come back.I never have to complain about anything else in life after this experience.
Usually, during a long interview, you save the difficult topics for later. But it’s different with Everett. This is how we begin and it shows Everett’s willingness to talk about cancer as well as his desire to raise awareness. “Two years after Jane’s death, I got a call from the geneticist who had drawn her blood. A new variant had come out and Jane had a gene of uncertain significance. They tested it and it was B. She was positive for RCA [genetic evidence of susceptibility to breast or ovarian cancer] so right away they said, ‘You need to get tested.’ I tested positive for BRCA. The doctor said you need to have a hysterectomy right away. It was just a precaution because I felt very healthy. They removed my fallopian tubes and an ovary and cancer was found in the fluid around my reproductive organs.
“If it wasn’t for Jane’s death, I wouldn’t be alive. So I want to talk about genetic testing – not just ovarian cancer, but heart disease, diabetes, everything. Know your genetic history and if you’re three If you feel something different in your body during the day, see your doctor. Don’t wait three months.”
Everett supported the Women’s Tennis Association’s ACEing Cancer Charity prior to her diagnosis and is proud that a new research fund supported by the WTA has been named after her sister. Her traumatic times with cancer also mean she’s thinking about life openly. Everett still flinches when I mention that the US Open starts on Monday, 51 years after her unforgettable discovery in New York. “Oh my God,” she exclaims.
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Everett lit up the 1971 tournament, surviving several match points while defeating famous players, before losing to Billie Jean King in the semifinals. There was anger in the locker room at Everett, who suddenly found herself on the cover of Newsweek magazine, and explains how King defended her. “He told them, ‘Chris is going to bring more money into tennis and put money in your pocket.’ Also, how can you be rude to an innocent 16 year old girl? Billie Jean set her straight. It was lonely but my mom traveled with me and after the match I went back to my room and home. were you working
Last year Evert saw Emma Raducanu achieve something even more remarkable when she won the US Open as a qualifier. It was also an exciting, dream debut for the 18-year-old and Leila Fernandez, who turned 19 just days before her grand final.
“Thank you,” Everett said when I mentioned Fernandez. “She beat three of the girls in the top five. It was a
Raducanu still beats him, but since then the British teenager has dealt with injury, fluctuating form, scrutiny and criticism. His experience is a reminder that unexpected success comes at a price. “Always. Emma’s victory would definitely bring many challenges that she had never experienced before,” Everett remarked. “She still needs to improve, but she’s still a great champion. She won the US Open. She’ll have it for the rest of her life.
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“The hard part is bringing that momentum and sustaining it. She hasn’t, but she seems very wise in her comments: “I’m still developing my game, I’ll be patient. .” He’s saying all the right things. If he believes them, he’ll be fine.”
Is the US Open likely to be the pinnacle of Raducanu’s career? “I wouldn’t call him a one-slam wonder. I like his technique — it’s great,” says Everett. “I like her serve and ground strokes. She moves well. She has talent but how much does she want? Is she trying to win one more? Hunger is the key.”
Chris Evert to Emma Raducano. He has talent but how much does he want it? Is it spinning a bit?’ Photo: ZUMA/PA
An intense hunger for success is one of many traits that have helped Serena Williams, who recently lost 6-4, 6-0 to Radocano in Cincinnati, win 23 Grand Slams. This month, Williams announced her early retirement and the US Open is likely to be her last tournament. “It’s 40,” says Everett. “She’s lost to players she’d normally beat and hasn’t trained because of injuries. She’s also had a lot of amazing things in her life and that’s why it’s disappointing and down in the rankings. Instead of collapsing, this is the best time for her to come out.
Chris Evert: ‘cancer Left Me In A Fog And So Scared
Does Williams have a realistic chance of winning the final US Open? “It’s a big opportunity,” Everett added, “but if I were to pick 10 women who had an opportunity, they’d be there.”
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Is Williams arguably the greatest player of all time? “It’s such a difficult question. In her era she’s the best of all time. Then there’s the most successful career – how many tournaments you’ve won and how consistent you’ve been and I always think of Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova with Serena I add because in my era she was the greatest player of all time.
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Chris Evert (right) and Martina Navratilova with US Open champion Serena Williams after her 2014 victory at Flushing Meadows. Photo: Mike Seger/Reuters
Margaret Court won 24 Grand Slams, one more than Williams, but the Australian dominated the pre-Open era. “He won 11 Australian Opens, but just barely