Monica Seles Adapting To ‘new Normal’ After Being Diagnosed With Neuromuscular Disease

Monica Seles says she was diagnosed pinch myasthenia gravis – a neuromuscular autoimmune illness – 3 years ago.

The nine-time expansive slam singles champion says she first noticed symptoms of nan illness while she was swinging her racket.

“I would beryllium playing pinch immoderate kids aliases family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, ‘Yeah, I spot 2 balls.’ These are evidently symptoms that you can’t ignore,” Seles said. “And, for me, this is erstwhile this travel started. And it took maine rather immoderate clip to really sorb it, speak openly astir it, because it’s a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life rather a lot.”

Seles, who won her first major, nan 1990 French Open, astatine nan property of 16 and played her past lucifer successful 2003, said she was diagnosed pinch myasthenia gravis 3 years agone and is speaking publically astir it for nan first clip earlier this month’s US Open to raise consciousness of nan condition.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it “a chronic neuromuscular illness that causes weakness successful nan voluntary muscles” and “most commonly impacts young big women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but … tin hap astatine immoderate age, including childhood”. There is presently nary known cure.

The 51-year-old said she’d ne'er heard of nan information until she was referred to a neurologist aft noticing symptoms specified arsenic double imagination and weakness successful her arms – “just blowing my hairsbreadth retired … became very difficult,” she said – and legs.

“When I sewage diagnosed, I was like, ‘What?!’” said Seles. “So this is wherever – I can’t stress capable – I wish I had personification for illustration maine speak up astir it.”

The illness tin besides origin trouble successful swallowing, speaking and impact facial expressions.

It’s been 3 decades since Seles returned to title astatine nan 1995 US Open, making it to nan final, much than 2 years aft she was stabbed astatine a tournament successful Germany.

“The measurement they welcomed maine … aft my stabbing, I will ne'er forget,” Seles said astir nan fans successful New York. “Those are nan moments that enactment pinch you.”

Seles says she is learning to unrecorded a “new normal” and characterized her wellness arsenic different successful a bid of life steps that required adapting.

“I had to, successful tennis terms, I guess, reset – difficult reset – a fewer times. I telephone my first difficult reset erstwhile I came to nan US arsenic a young 13-year-old [from Yugoslavia]. Didn’t speak nan language; near my family. It’s a very reliable time. Then, obviously, becoming a awesome player, it’s a reset, too, because nan fame, money, nan attention, changes [everything], and it’s difficult arsenic a 16-year-old to woody pinch each that. Then evidently my stabbing – I had to do a immense reset,” Seles said.

“And then, really, being diagnosed pinch myasthenia gravis: different reset. But 1 thing, arsenic I show kids that I mentor: ‘You’ve sewage to ever adjust. That shot is bouncing, and you’ve conscionable sewage to adjust. And that’s what I’m doing now.”

Seles won 9 expansive slam singles titles during her playing career, pinch Wimbledon being nan only awesome she missed retired on, though she did scope nan last successful 1992. Her 178 weeks astatine No 1 is sixth all-time successful WTA history.