‘Good to go’: Tennis great Martina Navratilova says she’s cancer-free
Cancer-free FILE PHOTO: WTA Legend Ambassador Martina Navratilova cries as she listens to Katerina Siniakova of and Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic after defeating Su-Wei Hsieh of Chinese Taipei and Elise Mertens of Belgium in the Women's Doubles final match during Day 8 of 2021 Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara at Centro Panamericano de Tenis on November 17, 2021 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Navratilova said she is cancer-free after being diagnosed with breast and throat cancer. (HECTOR VIVAS/Getty Images for WTA,)
ByNatalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Three months after announcing she had throat and breast cancer, tennis great Martina Navratilova is back at the Tennis Channel in time for the Miami Open.
Navratilova said, “It’s great to be back. ... Thrilled to be here. So happy to be working. How many people can say that?” The Associated Press reported.
The 66-year-old, 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and International Tennis Hall of Famer was not able to appear during the Australian Open in January or the BNP Paribas Open this month. Her ongoing treatments make her lose her sense of taste and she lost 15 pounds.
It all started when she found an enlarged lymph node in her neck during the WTA Finals last year, CNN reported. A biopsy led to a stage one throat cancer diagnosis, her agent, Mary Greenham, told CNN earlier this year. Then during throat testing, they found a suspicious form on her breast which was also diagnosed as cancer. She had battled breast cancer in the past.
At first, she didn’t know if doctors would be able to help her.
“It puts you face-to-face with your mortality, No. 1, because at the beginning, I wasn’t sure if it was treatable, so that was hard,” Navratilova said, according to the AP. “But once I got into the program, it was a little easier emotionally, but more difficult physically. ... But I’m still standing.”
The words couldn’t be more appropriate. When she was undergoing her cancer treatments, the nurses would play whatever music she asked them to, and one time she picked Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing,” a song that she said he dedicated to her during a concert in Paris during one of her French Open tournaments, The Sun reported.
She told TalkTV’s Piers Morgan that doctors told her she’s cancer-free and that she should be “good to go” once she has additional radiation treatments, The Sun reported.
Navratilova retired in 1994 but returned to play doubles in 2000 in some tournaments. Her last championship was a mixed doubles with Bob Bryan at the 2006 U.S. Open a month before her 50th birthday, the AP reported.
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Through the years Czechoslovakian lawn tennis player Martina Navratilova in action against Christine Janes of Gibraltar during the first round of the Ladies' Singles of the 1973 Wimbledon Championships, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England, 25th June 1973. Navratilova, who is making her Wimbledon debut, won the match 6-1 6-4. (Photo by McCabe/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (McCabe/Getty Images)
Through the years Tennis: Virginia Slims Championship: Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova on back on court during match at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
Los Angeles, CA 4/1975
CREDIT: George Long (Photo by George Long /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X19433 TK5 R9 F4 ) (George Long/Sports Illustrated via Getty Ima)
Through the years Martina Navratilova of the United States holds the Rosewater Plate aloft after winning the Ladies Singles Final match against Chris Evert at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on 7 July 1978 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Steve Powell/Allsport/Getty Images) (Steve Powell/Getty Images)
Through the years American tennis players Chris Evert (left) and Martina Navratilova with the trophies after Evert beat Navratilova to win the Women's Singles at the French Open, Stade Roland Garros, Paris, 7th June 1986. Evert won the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. (Photo by Trevor Jones/Getty Images) (Matt Green/Getty Images)
Through the years Martina Navratilova clenches her fists with emotion during her Women's Singles match against Gigi Fernandez at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships on 30th June 1994 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Through the years Martina Navratilova and Leander Paes win a quarter final mixed doubles match September 6, 2004 at the 2004 US Open in New York. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) (Al Messerschmidt/WireImage)
Through the years Svetlana Kuznetsova climbs into the stands to hug tennis great Martina Navratilova after defeating Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 7-5, in an all-Russian, women's singles final September 11, 2004 at the 2004 US Open in New York. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) (Al Messerschmidt/WireImage)
Through the years Martina Navratilova teams with Anna-Lena Groenefeld to advance from the 2005 U. S. Open quarterfinals in women's doubles with a 6-7 7-5 7-5 victory September 7, 2005 in Flushing, New York. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) (Al Messerschmidt/WireImage)
Through the years Billie Jean King, Sheryl Crow and Martina Navratilova (Photo by M. Von Holden/Getty Images) (M. Von Holden/Getty Images)
Through the years INDIAN WELLS, CA - MARCH 12: Tennis legends Andre Agassi of the United speaks with Martina Navratilova of the United States after Navratilova participated in Hit for Haiti, a charity event during the BNP Paribas Open on March 12, 2010 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 24: Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King greet Queen Elizabeth II as she attends the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships on Day 4 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 24, 2010 in London, England. It is the first visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the Championships in 33 years. (Photo by Oli Scarff/WPA Pool/Getty Images) (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK - AUGUST 26: Tennis players Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert attend the premiere of ESPN Films' documentary "Unmatched" at Tribeca Cinemas on August 26, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Through the years NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Martina Navratilova stretches with a group of youngsters from the New York based Laureus Sport for Good projects prior to climbing 55 flights of stairs to the roof of the Bank of America Tower (New York's second tallest structure, 1200ft) to promote the Mount Kilimanjaro Climb in December, on November 10, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for Laureus) (Mike Stobe/Getty Images for Laureus)
Through the years LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Martina Navratilova of the USA (partnered by Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic) looks on during the Ladies' Invitation double match against Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Lindsay Davenport of the USA on Day Thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 3, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 07: Martina Navratilova (L) of USA and Jana Novotna of Czech Republic play on a pink clay court in the women's legends doubles semi final match against Nathalie Tauziat and Sandrine Testud of France during day 12 of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 7, 2012 in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) (Getty Images/Getty Images)
Through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Former tennis player Martina Navratilova walks through a guard of honour formed by some of the tournament's ballboys on Philippe-Chatrier court to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the WTA during day twelve of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 6, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Through the years MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 28: Martina Navratilova poses with the WTA Finals doubles trophy that bears her name as the Woman's Tennis Association announced she would return as an Official Legend Ambassador for the 2015 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore, presented by SC Global during the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images for WTA) (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Through the years MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Martina Navratilova poses with Serena Williams of the United States holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and Maria Sharapova of Russia holds the runner up plate afte their women's final match during day 13 of the 2015 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 31, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Through the years SINGAPORE - OCTOBER 29: Martina Navratilova of the USA in action while playing with Tracy Austin of the USA in a legends doubles round robin match against Marion Bartoli of France and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicari of Spain during the BNP Paribas WTA Finals at Singapore Sports Hub on October 29, 2015 in Singapore. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Through the years LAS VEGAS, NV - OCTOBER 10: Former tennis player Martina Navratilova warms up before competing in the World TeamTennis Smash Hits charity tennis event benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation at Caesars Palace on October 10, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Through the years LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 3: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks with ex tennis players Kim Clijsters (second from right) and Martina Navratilova (right) on day one of the Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, in Wimbledon on July 3, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - WPA Pool/Getty Images) (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Through the years GUADALAJARA, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 11: WTA Legend Ambassador Martina Navratilova looks on during Day 2 of 2021 Akron WTA Finals Guadalajara at Centro Panamericano de Tenis on November 11, 2021 in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images for WTA) (HECTOR VIVAS
/Getty Images for WTA,)
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