Monica Seles

Biography

Monica Seles played tennis with a ferocity that rewrote what was possible for a teenager. Her two-handed grips on both sides created thudding groundstrokes that drove opponents backward, and her aggressive returns turned serves into liabilities. By 19, she had won eight Grand Slam titles and seemed destined to shatter every record. Then came Hamburg, 1993 - a deranged spectator jumped from the stands and stabbed her in the back. The physical wound healed, but the psychological scars ran deeper. She wouldn't play competitively for over two years. Her comeback produced one more Australian Open title, but the player who returned was never quite the same force of nature. What might have been haunts tennis historians; what was still ranks among the most dominant peaks the sport has ever witnessed.

Career Highlights

• 9 Grand Slam singles titles
• 178 weeks as World No. 1
• Youngest French Open champion (16)
• 8 Grand Slams before age 20
• Comeback from stabbing to win Australian Open

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