Tennis icon Monica Seles has shared that she received a life-altering diagnosis of a neuromuscular condition three years ago. The 51-year-old decided to go public with her rare ailment, myasthenia gravis, just before the upcoming US Open.
Having clinched nine Grand Slam titles, the Serbian-American athlete triumphed at the Australian Open four times, the French Open three times, and the US Open twice during her illustrious career. Seles retired in 2008, with her final match taking place five years earlier.
Formerly ranked as world No.1, Seles now copes with a rare disorder that causes muscle weakness and can impact various body parts. She revealed that she first experienced symptoms approximately five years ago while playing tennis with family members, noticing a lapse in coordination that led to missing balls.
Acknowledging the challenges posed by the condition, Seles expressed the difficulty of accepting and discussing it openly. Symptoms such as double vision and arm weakness prompted her visit to a neurologist after initially being unaware of the ailment.
Seles, who is married to Tom Golisano and is a mother of two, is adapting to the ‘new normal’ brought about by the illness, likening it to a previous traumatic incident when she was attacked with a knife during a tournament in 1993. Despite setbacks, she made a remarkable return to the 1995 US Open, where she reached the final.
Reflecting on her life’s journey, Seles emphasized the importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity, drawing parallels between her various life challenges and the need for continuous adjustment.
