Former world number six and seven-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist Carla Suárez Navarro has announced that she will undergo six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma.
The Spaniard, who has won two singles and three doubles titles on the WTA Tour, withdrew from the US Open last week and images on her social media page had shown her visiting hospital.
“We’ve been looking for medical reasons to explain why I was feeling unwell. I went through different tests to detect the cause. That forced me to stay at home resting and withdraw from the two New York events I planned to compete in. That was my illusion after so many months out of the competition,” said Suárez Navarro in a statement.
“The clinical results were confirmed: I was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. The doctors told me that it was small, curable lymphoma detected at an early stage. The treatment required is clear: I must complete a treatment with six months of chemotherapy.”
The world number 71’s announcement was met by a wave of support from across the tennis community. Several WTA players paid tribute to Suárez Navarro, most notably compatriot and former doubles partner Garbiñe Muguruza, who dedicated her opening round victory at the US Open to her. Rafael Nadal also paid tribute to Suárez Navarro.
The Spaniard had planned to retire at the end of the 2020 season though the coronavirus pandemic, which forced a five-month suspension of the sport, was what originally disrupted those plans. She last played in Doha in February.