Novak Djokovic sends his best wishes to Chris Evert after American's cancer recurrence

Novak Djokovic extended his best wishes to Chris Evert upon learning about her cancer recurrence.

Evert recently revealed that she has been re-diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which she had previously defeated. She shared that she underwent robotic surgery to eliminate all cancerous cells.

"Since I was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago, I've been very open about my experience. I wanted to give all of you an update. My cancer is back. While this is a diagnosis I never wanted to hear, I once again feel fortunate that it was caught early. Based on a PET CT scan, I underwent another robotic surgery this past week. Doctors found cancer cells in the same pelvic region. All cells were removed, and I have begun another round of chemotherapy," Evert said via ESPN.

Evert also urged people to acquaint themselves with their family history, as it can aid in the early detection of a disease like cancer.

"I encourage everyone to know your family history and advocate for yourself. Early detection saves lives. Be thankful for your health this holiday season," she added.

Novak Djokovic took to social media to express his best wishes upon learning about Chris Evert's diagnosis

"Sending prayers and strength to @ChrissieEvert 🙏 ❤️ ," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Novak Djokovic on COVID-19 vaccination row before 2022 Australian Open: "I was basically declared as a villain of the world"

Novak Djokovic Detained In Melbourne As Lawyers Appealed Deportation

The start of Novak Djokovic's 2022 was overshadowed by controversy. Before the commencement of the Australian Open that year, the Serb was granted a medical exemption, permitting him to participate in the Melbourne Slam despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19.

Upon arriving in Australia with his unvaccinated status, Djokovic began his preparations for the tournament. However, the public outcry surrounding his exemption grew to such an extent that he was ultimately detained and subsequently deported from the country following a protracted legal battle.

In a recent interview on the CBS program 60 Minutes, Novak Djokovic opened up about the intense backlash he faced due to his decision to remain unvaccinated. He expressed how people worldwide began to cast him as the "villain," with the majority of the world seemingly against him.

Djokovic, the World No. 1, admitted that although he had encountered hostility from people on the tennis court during a match, he had never encountered such vehement opposition beyond the confines of the court in his entire life.

"I was basically declared as a villain of the world, you know, and… And I had basically, yeah, most of the world against me. I had that kind of experience on the tennis court, with crowds that were not maybe cheering me on. But I never had this particular experience before in my life," he said.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion's refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine led to his exclusion from the Australian Open and the US Open in 2022.