Europe 1 with AFP 23:31 p.m., March 21, 2023

Former tennis champion Martina Navratilova opened up about her double cancer. Suffering from throat cancer and breast cancer, the player announced good news on television. The latter declared that she is now in remission.

Martina Navratilova has revealed that she has "no cancer", after "fearing not to see Christmas next" following a devastating double diagnosis. The former world number one, who won 18 Grand Slam titles during her long career, revealed in January that she had been diagnosed with throat cancer and breast cancer.

The 66-year-old still has to undergo preventive treatment with radiotherapy, but revealed in an interview with Piers Morgan to be broadcast Tuesday night on TalkTV that she would then be "good for the service". "As far as they know, I don't have cancer," Navratilova said, in quotes reported by the British press.

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"Completely panicked"

Navratilova, who has won 59 major singles and doubles titles, revealed her diagnosis made her fear the worst. "I was completely panicked for three days thinking that maybe I wouldn't see Christmas soon," she said in the TV interview. "The to-do list came to mind, along with everything I wanted to do. And it may sound very superficial, but I thought, 'What luxury car do I really want to drive if I live a year?'" she revealed.

Navratilova, who was previously treated for early-stage breast cancer in 2010, sought medical attention after noticing an enlarged lymph node in her neck, and tests later confirmed she had cancer. "It was the first week of December, (I thought) I'll see this Christmas, but maybe not the next one." But doctors explained that her throat cancer was "extremely treatable" and that she had a "95%" chance of making a full recovery.

Navratilova, born in Czechoslovakia and naturalized American in 1981, brought a new physical dimension to women's tennis, her powerful serve and agility at the net making her the dominant player of her era. She won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1978 and has lifted the trophy a record nine times, a record for both men and women. Navratilova retired after winning the mixed doubles with American Bob Bryan at the 2006 US Open, shortly before his 50th birthday.