In 2023, gilded age tennis heroine Gaby Dabrowski had to battle with a life-altering circumstance. At only 31 years old, she was to be diagnosed with breast cancer. This diagnosis came after she noticed a hard lump in her left breast during the spring of that same year. Though the diagnosis was daunting, Dabrowski artfully juxtaposed her battle with health issues and her rising tennis career. On New Year’s Eve 2023, she took the courageous step of going public with her diagnosis. Then, she held the No. 1 doubles rank in the world. It was only a couple of weeks after she finished as the runner-up in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon.
Choosing to delay her cancer treatment, Dabrowski continued to compete in tennis, a decision that later culminated in significant achievements. She clinched an Olympic bronze medal in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics and triumphed at the season-ending WTA Finals in 2024. She fought heart surgery, racism and sexism along the way showing an amazing character and resilience. Her experience had a huge impact on how she viewed life and her sport.
Dabrowski's diagnosis prompted her to care for her body with unparalleled attention, a necessity she embraced with gratitude for the annual health screenings provided by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Thanks to these screenings, she was diagnosed early enough to take proactive measures.
"Okay, this was scary, but I’m also super grateful that I’m handling this quickly and I’m still at an early stage," Dabrowski expressed.
With each step in her recovery, Dabrowski experienced times of uncertainty about what lay ahead for her tennis career. She had a hard time even doing things like throwing a ball for a serve. That came just two weeks before the start of the grass-court season. There were days she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to play again at all. Her fortitude and can-do spirit carried her beyond these obstacles.
"I eventually got good news after good news after good news in terms of my staging, the size of the tumor, my Oncotype DX scoring which determines if you need chemo or not," she shared.
Her journey back to tennis was gradual. Less than six weeks after his diagnosis, Dabrowski had solutions to some of his most urgent concerns. Inspired by this sudden realization, he was eager to get back on the court. For this drive, it was more than just wanting to reclaim her place in the sport. It was equally about finding happiness and meaning along the way.
"But then over time, I would say probably a month and a half after my diagnosis when I’d had a lot of answers to a lot of the questions I had about coming back to play, I really had this itch to want to return," Dabrowski recalled.
During this time, Dabrowski transformed her relationship with tennis. She no longer saw it as the center of her identity. Rather, she revered it as an essential part of her existence that made her sparkle. This change of mindset allowed her to enjoy the game more. She took it one step at a time and stopped being concerned about the end result.
"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, and I no longer attach my identity to my performance," she reflected.
Her newfound approach yielded unexpected success. Dabrowski flourished under demanding rehabilitation routines and strict athletic training schedules. Rather than being outcome-driven, she focused on the little wins, which turned into big wins in the long run.
"I broke things down into very small, achievable wins … And then a good result came," Dabrowski explained.
The journey was not only inward-focused, as Catherine showcased art and connection to share awareness and hope with the community. Dabrowski hoped to educate other women about the benefits of early detection and treatment for breast cancer.
"I really wanted women to be able to know that, even though something like cancer is scary, if you get whatever you have checked out early, and you can handle it, breast cancer has a 99% chance of survival," she emphasized.
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