Monica Seles, victor of nine Grand Slam titles, has made known her diagnosis of myasthenia gravis – an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular junctions – three years prior.
The 51-year-old chose to publicly announce this rare, chronic ailment, characterized by muscle weakness, to promote greater understanding before the commencement of this month’s US Open.
Seles initially identified signs of the illness, which can impact diverse bodily functions, including muscular control of the eyes, roughly five years ago.
“While engaged in [tennis] activities with children or family, I found myself missing the ball,” Seles, formerly the world’s top-ranked player, shared with The Associated Press.
“My perception was, ‘Indeed, I am seeing two balls.’ Clearly, these symptoms demand attention.”
“Grasping the reality of it, and openly discussing it, demanded a considerable period, due to its challenging nature. It exerts a significant influence on my daily routine.”
Seles resolved to disclose her condition with the objective of leveraging her influence to inform the public about the ailment, for which a definitive cure remains elusive.
The American athlete secured eight major championships by the age of 19, commencing with her initial triumph at the 1990 French Open at the age of 16.
However, she only managed to secure one further title after being attacked with a knife by a spectator during a match in Hamburg in 1993, necessitating a period of recuperation away from the sport.
Seles participated in her concluding match in 2003, having amassed 53 tournament victories and maintained the number one ranking for a cumulative duration of 178 weeks.
