CNN —
Tennis great Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with both stage 1 throat and breast cancer, her agent told CNN in an email on Monday.
“This double whammy is serious but still fixable,” the 66-year-old said in a statement on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) website.
“I hope for a favorable result. It will stink for a while, but I will fight with all my might.”
Navratilova, who won 59 Grand Slam titles in her career, battled breast cancer back in 2010.
The latest prognosis is said to be good and she will start treatment this month.
Navratilova’s agent Mary Greenham said the tennis legend discovered an enlarged lymph node in her neck during the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, which took place from October 31 to November 7.
A biopsy was taken and she was later diagnosed with stage one throat cancer, her agent said. When Navratilova underwent a larynx test, her agent said a suspicious shape was found in her breast, which was later diagnosed as cancer.
Greenham said both cancers were in the early stages with great outcomes.
Navratilova has had a long playing career, during which she has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam doubles titles and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She still holds the WTA Tour’s all-time record of 167 titles.
After retiring from singles in 1994 at the age of 38, she continued to play doubles – and win titles – well into her 40s.
She remains associated with the sport as a coach, presenter and WTA Tour ambassador, and emphasizes the importance of screening to help fight certain diseases, such as breast cancer.
Navratilova was due to cover the upcoming Australian Open from the Tennis Channel Studio but instead hopes to join occasionally from Zoom, Greenham added.