Monica Seles announces myasthenia gravis diagnosis

Tennis superstar Monica Seles says she has been diagnosed with the neuromuscular autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis.

Seles told The Associated Press that she first noticed the symptoms when she was swinging her tennis racket and would see two balls instead of one.

She had been out of the spotlight since 2019, The New York Times reported. Telling the newspaper, “I thought, ‘OK just push through it.’ But a couple of instances happened when — on court and in daily life — I realized there was something going on."

“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 shared with the AP. “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.”

Seles, 51, was diagnosed three years ago, but is speaking about now, ahead of the upcoming U.S. Open, to raise awareness of the disease, the AP reported.

She said she never heard of the disease until a doctor referred her to a neurologist after she spoke about having double vision and arm weakness.

“Just blowing my hair out ... became very difficult,” Seles said, sharing that she also had weakness in her legs.

She said she is now living a “new normal” since the diagnosis.

“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 said.

She was stabbed between the shoulder blades on April 30, 1993, during a match in Hamburg by a fan of Steffi Graf. The injury healed but Seles was off the court professionally for two years, according to History. The man said he didn’t want to kill her, only hurt her so Graf would regain her No. 1 title. He was convicted of grievous bodily harm and was given a two-year suspended sentence.

“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,’” she added. “And that’s what I’m doing now.”

She told the Times that she can play tennis and pickleball. She also walks her dogs. But she makes sure that she is with people who understand what she is coping with, saying, “some days are very extreme.”

Myasthenia gravis symptoms, treatment

Myasthenia gravis, according to the Mayo Clinic, causes muscles to go weak and get tired quickly because the communication between nerves and muscles degrades.

Symptoms include:

Weakness in arm or leg muscles
Double vision
Drooping eyelids
Issues with speaking
Issues with chewing
Issues with swallowing
Issues with breathing

Anyone can be affected, but it is more common in women younger than 40 and men older than 60, the Mayo Clinic said.

The Times said the chronic autoimmune disease affects 150 to 200 people per million globally.

There is no cure, but treatment can help ease symptoms.

Seles’ history, what’s next?

Seles, who won the Orange Bowl Tournament in 1985 at the age of 11, was the No. 1-ranked player in 1991 and was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2009.

Her overall career record was 684-167 and was a 9-time major champion and a 4-time finalist with 59 career titles, according to the Hall of Fame.

Seles also won a bronze medal in women’s singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

She officially retired in 2008 at the age of 34, but her last professional match was in 2003.

Seles told the Times she plans to attend the U.S. Open later this month, not only to shine a light on her diagnosis but also to watch some matches.

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