Monica Seles

Monica Seles is a retired professional tennis player whose powerful game and fierce competitiveness made her one of the most formidable players of her time. Known for her two-handed strokes on both forehand and backhand sides and for the distinctive grunts she made with nearly every shot, Seles dominated women's tennis in the early 1990s. A former world No. 1, she won nine Grand Slam singles titles, eight of them as a teenager while representing Yugoslavia, and the final one while representing the United States, and 53 WTA singles titles.

Seles turned professional in 1989, and her impact was immediate. At just 16, she won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1990, becoming the youngest-ever champion at Roland Garros. She went on to capture eight Grand Slam singles titles by the age of 19, including three Australian Opens, three French Opens, and two US Opens. Her aggressive baseline play and relentless intensity on the court set her apart from her peers.

Seles' career came to an abrupt halt at a 1993 match when she was stabbed in the back by a crazed fan of tennis rival Steffi Graf. The wound was not critical, but the attack forced Seles to take a two-year hiatus from professional tennis, significantly impacting her career trajectory. Though she enjoyed some success after rejoining the tour in 1995, including a fourth Australian Open title in 1996, she was unable to consistently reproduce her best form. She played her last professional match at the 2003 French Open, but did not officially retire until February 2008.

Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. Regarded by many in the sport as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by TIME Magazine. Several players and historians have stated that Seles had the potential to become the most accomplished female player of all time had she not been stabbed. Off the court, Seles has been involved in various charitable activities and has become an inspirational speaker, sharing her experiences of overcoming adversity and advocating for mental health awareness.