Dabrowski, an Olympic medallist, played the season following cancer surgery

Gabriela Dabrowski, a former U.S. Open doubles champion from Canada and a bronze medallist at the Olympics in Paris, revealed on Tuesday that she had breast cancer surgery earlier this year.

In April, the 32-year-old received a diagnosis.

The former Australian and French Open mixed doubles champion won the Nottingham grass-court championship in June alongside Erin Routliffe of New Zealand after undergoing two surgeries and taking a three-month hiatus from the WTA Tour.

The pair lost to Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the Wimbledon final as well.

In order to compete at Wimbledon and the Olympics, where she and Felix Auger-Aliassime won bronze for Canada in the mixed doubles, Dabrowski had put off additional medical care.

“I was terrified that cancer would permanently become a part of who I was when I was first diagnosed. I no longer feel that way. “Being able to call myself a survivor is a privilege,” Dabrowski posted on Instagram.

Prior to the U.S. Open in late August, where she advanced to the quarterfinals alongside Routliffe, the Canadian had radiation treatment.

“Fast forward through two surgeries at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, recovery, rehab, Patrick Daciek (coach) tossing the ball for me on my serve because my left arm could not raise high enough (this was 2 weeks before Nottingham),” Dabrowski said.

“It all seems unbelievable: radiation + exhaustion (between the US Open and Toronto), beginning endocrine therapy, finishing the season on the best possible note, and a small postponement of additional treatment to enable participation in Wimbledon and the Olympics.

After defeating Townsend and Siniakova to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh alongside Routliffe, Dabrowski ended the year ranked third in the world.

“It was sincere if you noticed me grinning more on the court over the last six months. “More long-lasting change was sparked by my cancer diagnosis,” Dabrowski continued.

“I only started to truly appreciate what I had when the risk of losing everything I had fought so hard for in my life became real.

“Through this lens I find it so much easier to find joy in areas of my life I previously viewed as a heavy weight.”