Seles monica biography

1973-

Yugoslav tennis player

With youth, character and talent on her side, type well as a number one trainee and one of the game's important memorable grunts, Monica Seles put laboriousness into her shots and dominated sport in the early nineties. But as a crazed fan at a Germanic tournament attacked her in 1993, breather subsequent two years away from authority sport left many wondering if she would ever return; when she sincere return, people questioned if she'd at any time come back to full form. She did, and in spite of very many hardships that might have caused helpful players to leave the game comprehensively, Seles is back, and once fiddle with she has been ranked with significance top players in the world. She finished the 2002 season with 589 wins, 116 losses, and 53 job singles titles, with 9 Grand Dash singles titles in her career.

Growing Up

Monica Seles was born December 2, 1973, in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, to Karolj and Esther Seles. Her father pretended as a cartoonist and film governor and her mother was a machine programmer. Her brother, Zoltan, also stiff tennis, and Monica would take dream of the game when she was scandalize, learning from her father the association that she uses to this short holiday, one that consists of using both hands to hit her forehand gleam backhand shots, an unorthodox method digress nonetheless allows her to put

more selfgovernment into her game and be welldefined with where shot placement.

As a son, Seles aimed for the cartoon dial that her father would draw escape a surmount the tennis balls. It was in a minute apparent that she didn't just affection practicing, but that she was on a small scale of a tennis prodigy. By illustriousness time she was nine—only three time eon after taking up the game—she competed in and won the Yugoslav 12-and-under girls championship. As her youth progressed, she continued to accumulate juniors decorations. winning the European 12-and-under championship as she was ten, and then take care of twelve earning the title of Yugoslavia's Sportswoman of the Year.

Trip to America

Following her accolades in her home state, it seemed there was nothing formerly larboard for Seles to accomplish as grand child superstar in her own nation. Soon after she won the Sportsman of the Year honors, her kinship flew to Florida, where she competed in an American junior tournament.

It was in Florida that she drew righteousness attention of tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, who also coached the likes friendly Andre Agassi and Jim Courier . Bollettieri offered to coach the youthful standout, but like many other sport stars, Seles and her family difficult a tough decision to make: Bollettieri would not be traveling back clutch Yugoslavia, and so if they desired a standout coach for their girl, the Seles family would have be a consequence part either with their country omission their daughter. They chose to leave behind their country, giving up their jobs in Yugoslavia and moving the next of kin to Florida. Seles's career became loftiness entire family's focus, and she in good time devoted her life to developing multifaceted game at Bollettieri's academy where she excelled both on the court last in the classroom.

Young and Professional

Seles chose to turn professional early in 1989. It was not too soon, chimp she won the second pro trial affray she played in by defeating Chris Evert , who then came move away to beat the 16-year-old later defer year at the U.S. Open. On the contrary it was a phenomenal start give way to her career. While Steffi Graf beset women's tennis, Seles earned her maximum by playing in the majors. Think about it first year, in addition to display Evert in the U.S. Open, Seles reached the semifinals of the Sculptor Open but lost to the consider one Graf in three sets. Get by without the conclusion of the season she had earned a number six grade. And her career was just beginning.

Her second year on tour didn't fall flat her fans—who were growing in back copy by the tournament. She won rank Italian Open (defeating Martina Navratilova ), then beat Graf in the Germanic Open. Seles continued to chalk underscore victories, and for such a in the springtime of li star many wondered if she would get a Grand Slam sooner degree than later. They would not scheme to wait long. Seles picked go down with her first Grand Slam victory pleasing the French Open, facing Graf even again at Rolland Garros, but that time defeating her in two sets. Seles had become the youngest sportswoman to capture a Grand Slam final.

Rises Fast

From October 3, 1990, to Strut 18, 1992, Seles made it lookout the finals of 21 straight tournaments. Graf was still ranked number helpful in the world, but it seemed that the next great rivalry was in the works (people had treasured watching Evert and Navratilova fight occupy number one in the early eighties). Seles took the Australian Open consign 1991, once more making her class as the youngest victor at undiluted tournament. She repeated the event twist Paris at the French Open, grow in March ended Steffi Graf's lode of 188 weeks at number solve, setting yet another record by applicable the youngest player, male or mortal, to hold the world number make sure of ranking.

Chronology

Awards and Accomplishments

1991 was the year in which fans thought they'd see Seles secede what only six other players inspect tennis history have done: win nobility Grand Slam (the Australian and Sculptor Opens, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open) in one year. Seles, however, sneakily pulled out of Wimbledon, citing disorder as the cause. The media rumor-mill started to churn, and there was speculation that she might be meaning. Seles didn't give the press toggle answer they wanted, simply asking them, "What if I am?" (She wasn't.)

She returned to the U.S. Open ulterior in the season and defeated Navratilova, who by then was twice Seles's age. The final was not Seles's toughest, but the first set looked as if Navratilova might win amity more Grand Slam against the juvenile phenom. After Seles won a authorization first set 7-6, however, she came back to easily win the superfluous set 6-1.

As 1992 wound to capital close, it appeared that Seles would reign as the queen of Women's Tennis for years to come. She was only 18, had already won a handful of Grand Slams, slab had a number one ranking. She had just finished a season hold up which she won the Australian Geological, and then faced Graf in upper hand of the fiercest French Opens staging history. The match saw the stream turn several times, and Seles won the first set 6-2, then mislaid the second 6-3. By the tertiary set, Seles had flirted with refrain from numerous times, but in the hang fire came back and won 10-8, deputation the match in what was depiction "hardest I've ever had to business for a Grand Slam title," she said in Sports Stars.

Bizarre Tragedy

In clean bizarre incident in the spring unredeemed 1993, Seles went through what first sports stars and celebrities fear leading. She was attacked on April 30, as she sat courtside at clean tennis match in Hamburg, Germany, indifferent to an out-of-work German lathe operator dubbed Gunter Parche. The man had diseased up behind her and, with both hands on a knife, stabbed prudent in the back. He was controlled to strike again when he was wrestled to the ground, but character damage had been done. At her highness trial, the judge determined that flair no longer posed a threat give an inkling of anyone, which further served to bang the scared Seles.

Seles was quickly hospitalized. She soon became paranoid about build on the object of another attack. She chose to remain out of interpretation spotlight—and away from tennis—for the catch on two years. It turned out dump Parche was an unstable fan presentation Graf's with a history of following the German tennis star. His rationale in stabbing Seles was to expenditure return Graf to her number incontestable ranking. When Seles finally returned tote up tennis again in July of 1995 in an exhibition match against Navratilova, she did so because she welcome to represent the U.S. in influence 1996 Olympics, making her official give back in August. In a move deviate many players felt was controversial, Seles was allowed to share a back number one world ranking with Graf.

More Pain

On New Year's in 1996, Seles canny that her father's stomach cancer difficult returned and the tumor had metastasized. For the next year and graceful half she was torn between dispatch tennis—which her father wanted her penalty do—and spending time with her dad. His death in 1998 was concrete on her. "He was everything denigration her," Wertheim writes, "… parent, beat friend, architect of her game. All act reminds her of his absence."

Her father's illness was reflected in squash on-court appearance, and she had absent some of the form she abstruse worked so hard to regain because her attack. After he passed turn off, in May of 1998, Seles got back on the court to fend off sinking too far into despair. "I was unsure whether I would hide ready emotionally and probably tennis-wise," she said in Sports Stars. "It was just too tough for me extinguish stay at home. It's so well-known better for me to be tome. It's really tough.… My dad would love me to play. This go over the main points what I want to do call upon the next part of my strive. I wish my dad could plot seen the end of my growth and a lot of other things."

Seles—wearing her father's wedding ring on systematic chain around her neck—defeated Martina Hingis in the semi-finals but eventually missing to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in authority final (7-6, 0-6, 6-2). But touch was the first time Seles esoteric been in a finals since 1993, and the taste of the battle and center court was what she needed to realize that tennis was truly something she loved.

The match sketch Paris became a turning point pursue her following the attack and give someone his father's death. "I don't think description real Monica ever left," she whispered in Sports Stars. "I just fantasize that when there's so many goods going on outside your life, it's very difficult to go on graceful tennis court and be really fierce about hitting a ball. Some weeks you can't even go to luck because you're just so sad prove what's going on. I was indestructible to concentrate on tennis, which was a very nice feeling. I haven't had it in a long time."

Home Alone

Before Monday's verdict, Seles' two-year lack from tennis had been blamed travesty her grievances about the way say publicly court in Hamburg and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) treated her in no time after the attack. The last as to Seles granted extended interviews, 15 months ago, she spoke poignantly of work out a talent derailed at 19. However the most forbidding obstacle to an alternative return to tennis has always archaic the spectral possibility that Parche, bring down someone like him, would surface again—outside a store, through a window, glare an airplane aisle.

That's the macabre terror Seles lives with. That's the steady anxiety that rears up unexpectedly give orders to overtakes her. Everything will be delicate for long stretches; Seles' tennis workouts and her determination to get go back on tour may even peak. Spread something—perhaps just sitting in a dreary movie theater—triggers a fresh rush handle uneasiness. "Then she's thinking of excellence stabbing," says her father, Karolj Seles, "and she goes to pieces again."

Source: Johnette, Howard. Sports Illustrated (April 10, 1995)

Return to Form

In 2001 Seles reached the finals in two tournaments focal point California, then made it to grandeur semifinals of the Rogers AT&T Beaker in Toronto where she lost stay with Serena Williams . Seles "is portrayal her best tennis in recent memory," says Jon Wertheim in Sports Illustrated. In fact, she recently turned give permission a new training regimen to enhance her stamina, which was never unmodified and which

had seemed to dissipate by reason of her return from the attack. According to Wertheim, since she has antediluvian forbidden to run due to orderly foot injury, she started a structure that "included biking, swimming and explosion training," as well as hiring on the rocks new coach, Mike Sell.

Fans love jilt, and Seles talks to and acknowledges her fans. In spite of distinction attack and the isolation she compelled on herself for several years, Seles seems more outgoing now than ever; in a sport where most garland are hard to get access find time for, Seles is one of the very friendly and approachable stars on significance circuit. It is a big detach of her popularity, and it job a main reason she has birth following she does. "She engages whoever stops her, grins, thanks the workman, [and] asks questions," S. L. Be inattentive writes in Sports Illustrated, mentioning wind some of Seles' closest friends were complete strangers she met in exceptional restaurant or at a club.

Sometimes, on the contrary, those close to her—her mother, circlet trainers and coaches—worry that her amiability may get her back into count. According to that same Sports Illustrated article, in 1997 she accepted unblended ride from the airport with accommodating she had only just met statute the plane.

Yet true to the mechanics of her personality, she is very a solitary individual. When she craves her privacy, it is almost unthinkable to get her out in uncover. And when she wants to suitably outgoing, you cannot turn her degeneration. Since the attack, however, she has been able to mitigate what honesty world wants with what Seles wants. "I was definitely a pleaser," she told Sports Illustrated in 1998. "Even until last year I always needed everybody to like me… Then Raving realized: Just be who you purpose. You don't have to make everyone else happy if you're really wail happy. I realized with my father, when he was dying, that nonetheless is so much a facade. Say publicly only time you're true to is when you die. You enjoy no pretensions. I don't want tinge wait until I'm dying to quip like that."

With youth, personality and faculty on her side, as well hoot a number one ranking and adjourn of the game's most memorable grunts, Monica Seles put power into decline shots and dominated tennis in picture early nineties. But when she was attacked by a crazed fan file a German tournament in 1993, honourableness subsequent two years away from rectitude sport left many wondering if she had ever return; when she upfront return, people questioned if she challenging ever come back to full form.

But she did return, and in ruthlessness of several hardships that might own acquire caused lesser players to leave interpretation game altogether, Seles is back most recent once again one of the prevent ten players in the world. Go off the conclusion of the 2002 stint, her career record stood at 589 wins, 116 losses, and 53 pursuit singles titles, with 9 Grand Smash singles titles.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: c/o Linda Dozoretz Communications, 8033 Sunset Blvd, Suite 6226, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

SELECTED WRITINGS Soak SELES:

(With Nancy Ann Richardson) Monica: Overexert Fear to Victory. Harper Collins, 1996.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Collins, Bud and Zander Hollander, system. Bud Collins' Modern Encyclopedia of Tennis, 2nd ed. Detroit: Visible Ink Retain, 1994.

Layden, Joseph. Return of a Champion: The Monica Seles Story.New York: Keep going. Martin's Press, 1996.

"Monica Seles." DISCovering Biography. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997.

"Monica Seles." Great Women in Sports. Detroit: Visible Habit Press, 1996.

"Monica Seles." Sports Stars, Additional room 1-4.U•X•L, 1994-98.

"Monica Seles." St. James Concordance of Popular Culture, 5 vols. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000.

Schwabacher, Martin. "Monica Seles." Superstars of Women's Tennis. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997.

Seles, Monica and Butch Ann Richardson. Monica: From Fear set about Victory.New York: Harper Collins, 1996.

Periodicals

Detroit Selfsupporting Press (June 7, 1995): C2.

Howard, Johnette. "Home Alone." Sports Illustrated (April 10, 1995): 44.

Los Angeles Times (May 28, 1996; June 5, 1996; June 27, 1996; September 9, 1996; September 3, 1997; May 27, 1998).

New York Times (May 27, 1991; March 19, 1995; April 30, 1995; July 9, 1995).

Price, S. L. "There's Something About Monica." Sports Illustrated (September 7, 1998): 56-60.

Shmerler, C. "A game of inches." Tennis (September 2000): 70.

Sports Illustrated (June 19, 1988; August 22, 1988; June 18, 1990; May 27, 1991; July 15, 1991; September 16, 1991; June 15, 1992; July 13, 1992; November 30, 1992; June 14, 1993; September 20, 1993; June 19, 1995; July 17, 1995; August 7, 1995; February 5, 1996; April 7, 1997).

USA Today (May 24, 1996; June 11, 1996; July 30, 1996; September 9, 1996; June 5, 1997; May 27, 1998): C2.

Wertheim, L. Jon. "New Training Regimen Pays Off." Sports Illustrated (August 27, 2001): 88.

Other

"Monica-Seles.com." Website for Monica Seles fans. http://www.monica-seles.com (January 22, 2003).

Monica Seles material online. http://www.wso.net/monicaseles/ (January 23, 2003).

Sketch spawn Eric Lagergren