Gaby Dabrowski, a prominent figure in women’s doubles tennis, achieved remarkable success in her sport last year while bravely navigating a personal health crisis. Now 34, Dabrowski found a lump on her left breast. In late March 2023, when she finally made it to an urgent care clinic, doctors diagnosed her with early-stage breast cancer. Her experiences as a cancer patient and survivor became a pivotal moment in her career. She built off that success to win a historic first Olympic bronze medal in mixed doubles at these Paris Olympics and the women’s season-ending WTA Finals title.
Dabrowski’s health crisis first started in the spring of 2023, when she first discovered the suspicious lump. After her cancer diagnosis she underwent rigorous treatment and was forced to be hyper vigilant with how she took care of her body. Dabrowski was able to power through these difficulties and still achieve incredible competitive success. Just two weeks before the grass-court season started, she suffered a crushing blow. She struggled with just throwing the ball up into the air to serve.
In a moving disclosure, Dabrowski revealed what she felt on New Year’s Eve when she first went public with her diagnosis. She reflected on the mental toll it took on her, stating, “Honestly, I went to sleep thinking about how I was going to survive the next day.” She encouraged attendees to consider how addressing her challenges in terms of “really small, tangible wins” focused her priorities during the dark days.
In the course of her recovery, Dabrowski was forced to grapple with what her future would look like—not just in tennis, but in life in general. “In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what my future would hold,” she admitted. Eventually, she began to hear good news about her diagnosis. With each piece of good news, her hope and her desire to return to the court increased. Over time, she said, “I really had this itch to want to come back.”
Dabrowski recently got good news about her cancer staging and treatment possibilities. She was relieved to find out her low Oncotype DX score and no lymph node involvement indicated she was chemotherapy-free. “I was super grateful that I’m handling this quickly and I’m still at an early stage,” she remarked.
Her journey has been focused not only on her own resilience but on bringing visibility to women’s health issues. In an earlier article, Dabrowski said she wants the same for everyone — to realize the impact of early detection. “I really wanted women to be able to know that…if you get whatever you have checked out early…breast cancer has a 99% chance of survival,” she stated.
On the court, Dabrowski’s accomplishments started to accumulate even as she battled her anxiety issues. Together with partner Erin Routliffe, she made it all the way to the finals in mixed doubles at Wimbledon. Soon, they were celebrating their joint victory at the WTA Finals. So it’s no wonder her Olympic experience was a pretty amazing one. Her achievements won her a bronze medal alongside Félix Auger-Aliassime at the Paris Olympics, but that victory sparkles more brightly, especially in light of her health struggles during that period.
Reflecting on her journey and its impact on her performance, Dabrowski noted that her successes stemmed from finding joy in tennis rather than merely chasing results. “What I noticed is that the results I had last year didn’t come because I wanted them; they came because I was enjoying what I was doing…really finding this joy,” she explained.
Through the past several years, Dabrowski has learned that who she is isn’t just about how she does between the lines. “Although tennis has been all-encompassing from a very young age for me, I don’t feel like it’s the number one thing about who I am as a person,” she shared. Through this lens, she’s been able to enter the world with a much more playful and less competitive spirit. “I’m able to take this life a little bit lighter; even if good results don’t come, I’m okay with them.”
As Gaby Dabrowski continues to navigate her career and health journey, she stands as a testament to resilience and determination. She continues to expertly juggle her life’s challenges with a slew of notable business successes. This ferocious might spurs on all those fighting their own war against such tyranny.
Leave a Reply