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Tennis legend Monica Seles defeated some of the biggest names in the game in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Now, she’s facing a new kind of challenge.
The nine-time Grand Slam winner revealed today that she’s battling an incurable autoimmune disease.
Monica Seles reveals battle with myasthenia gravis
In a new interview with the Associated Press, Seles, 51, revealed that she’s been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) — a neuromuscular autoimmune illness with no known cure.
“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,” Seles told the outlet.
“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 said, adding that every day activities like “blowing out my hair … became very difficult.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, MG, which causes muscle weakness and loss of eye coordination, affects 20 out of every 100,000 people in the world.
“The actual number may be higher, as some people with mild cases may not know they have the condition,” the clinic notes. “In the United States, there are approximately 60,000 people affected by myasthenia gravis at any given time.”
Monica Seles’ long history of overcoming adversity
In one of the most horrifying moments in sports history, Seles was stabbed mid-match by a man who ran onto the court in Hamburg, Germany in 1993.
She says that the assault forever changed her and forced her to make adjustments to the way that she approached tennis and life.
Seles is taking a similarly philosophical approach to her battle with myasthenia gravis.
“But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor,” she told the AP.
“‘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.”
While there’s no known cure for myasthenia gravis, many treatment options are available, and Seles assures fans that she’s in good hands.
We’re sure the tennis legend will continue to adapt and make adjustments for many years to come.
We wish Monica and her loved ones all the best as they face yet another challenge together.
