Monica Seles

Seles Bids Adieu to Tennis

One of the most beloved figures in the history of women’s tennis recently said her final goodbye to a sport that she thoroughly dominated in the 90s.

Playing powerful two-handed strokes off both wings, Monica Seles ‘grunted’ her way to 53 career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles including 9 Grand Slam triumphs and became World No. 1 for the first time in 1991, a spot she held for a total of 178 weeks. Her Hall of Fame career was interrupted at its peak when she was stabbed by a fan during a match in April 1993.

The adopted American by way of the former Yugoslavia made an inspirational and fruitful return to tennis 27 months after the incident, winning the Rogers Cup in Toronto- her first tournament back. Seles proceeded to make the prestigious Tour stop a second home of sorts, claiming four consecutive titles on Canadian soil and came within one match victory of making it five straight. She was guest of honor at the Rogers Cup in 2005 after compiling a stellar 31-3 career tournament record, an event where a semifinal showing in 2001 was remarkably her worst performance.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life. I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I have now decided not to pursue that," Seles said. "I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity events and promote the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.”

Seles’ last match was a first round loss at the French Open, a Grand Slam event she won 3 times and also became the youngest Roland Garros champion (16 years, 6 months). Since then, her legion of fans around the world has been hopeful that the reigning tennis darling and her engaging personality would make a much anticipated return to the court.

"Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and an inspiration and role model for millions of fans throughout the world," said Larry Scott, Chairman & CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that she has always been off the court.”