Tennis icon Martina Navratilova has breast and throat cancer

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Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in July

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HANNAH MCKAY/ REUTERS

Former tennis star Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with early stages of larynx and breast cancer.

The 66-year-old Czech, who also has US citizenship, said this in a WTA announcement on Monday.

A swollen lymph node prompted her to take tests.

"This double whammy is serious but still fixable and I hope for a favorable outcome," Navratilova wrote in a statement.

It will be miserable for a while, "but I will fight with all my might," announced the 18-time Grand Slam tournament winner.

A spokeswoman for the tennis icon pointed to the doctors' good forecasts.

Navratilova wants to start cancer treatment in New York as early as next week.

Trip to the Australian Open canceled

In 2010, she was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer, and after six months of treatment, the former world number one was considered cancer-free.

At the time, she "cried for about 15 seconds" and then asked the doctor, "Okay, what can we do, what's the next step?" Navratilova once said.

Because of her illness, she will not be traveling to the Australian Open, which begins in two weeks.

However, Navratilova hopes to occasionally be able to express her assessment of sporting events via video link.

ngo/dpa