"It took me quite some time to really absorb it" : Tennis icon Monica Seles reveals chronic health diagnosis

Monica Seles, tennis icon, revealed that she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), a rare neuromuscular autoimmune illness that causes weakening in voluntary muscles, three years ago.

The 51-year-old International Tennis Hall of Famer, who has won nine Grand Slam titles and spent 91 straight weeks ranked No. 1 in the world, claimed the symptoms started slowly but were impossible to ignore.

Speaking about the illness to The Associated Press, Monica Seles said:

"I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, 'Yeah, I see two balls.' These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore."

Seles added:

"And, for me, this is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot."

Monica Seles stated that she had never heard of the illness until she visited a doctor and was referred to a neurologist. She said that “just blowing my hair out … became very difficult.”

Speaking about the time she got diagnosed, she said:

"When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?!' So this is where -- I can't emphasize enough -- I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it."

Seles was diagnosed with a chronic neuromuscular disease, which she learned about only after undergoing thorough testing over a two-year period.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, descibes it as:

"A chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles and most commonly impacts young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but ... can occur at any age, including childhood."

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Monica Seles' plan for a comeback

For Monica Seles, the illness MG represents another setback in her life, reflecting on the challenges she faced both on and off the court. She called it a significant “reset” in life. She recalled a few moments from her life:

"I had to, in tennis terms, I guess, reset -- hard reset -- a few times. I call my first hard reset when I came to the U.S. as a young 13-year-old [from Yugoslavia]. Didn't speak the language; left my family. It's a very tough time. Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it's a reset, too, because the fame, money, the attention, changes [everything], and it's hard as a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then obviously my stabbing -- I had to do a huge reset."

Seles added:

"And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: 'You've got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you've just got to adjust.' And that's what I'm doing now."

According to Monica Seles, “some days are very extreme,” but she tries to make an effort to play with people who understand what she is dealing with. She still plays tennis, pickleball, and walks her dogs.

Seles will be collaborating with the pharmaceutical company Argenx to raise awareness about MG through the Go for Greater campaign, as the pharmaceutical company is a sponsor at the U.S. Open. While she’s there, she will also try to follow the games. She spoke about women’s tennis, saying:

“Women’s tennis right now. None of us know who’s going to win whatever tournament is up next, and that’s great.”

She added more, talking about those ‘moments,’ even as a former player:

“Former players, you know, you’ve been on both sides of it. When I got bageled, I can remember those matches 30 years later, but also when I won my Grand Slams. As a former player, it’s really interesting to watch it from that angle, let’s say, as compared to, you know, when my mom watches it as a fan.”

Other than watching the match, Monica Seles wants to do some television commentary. She loved it the last time and would want to do it again. She loves Evert’s commentary, claiming her among the sport’s most accomplished players. She said:

“I personally love listening to Chrissy (Evert), obviously, because she can cover so many different generations and the expertise. She has so much life experience, which I think for the younger generation is so important to hear.”

Monica Seles continues to fight the illness and spread awareness.

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