Monica Seles Reveals Diagnosis of Autoimmune Disease
Tennis legend Monica Seles has publicly shared her diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in voluntary muscles. The tennis player, a member of the International Hall of Fame, made the revelation, marking the first time she has spoken openly about this condition. Seles, who won nine Grand Slam titles during her career, noticed the first symptoms while playing tennis. “I was missing the ball. I was seeing two balls,” Seles commented. “These are symptoms that cannot be ignored. For me, this journey began here.”The 51-year-old tennis player, who won her first major title at the 1990 French Open at the age of 16 and played her last match in 2003, decided to speak publicly to raise awareness about myasthenia gravis (MG). The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes MG as “a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles.” It most often affects young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60), but can occur at any age, including childhood. They were told that they were unaware of the disease until they consulted a doctor and were referred to a neurologist after noticing symptoms such as double vision and weakness in their arms and legs. “When I was diagnosed, I said: ‘What?!'”, recalled Seles. “I wish I had someone like me to talk about this”. Currently, Seles has learned to live with a “new normal” and considers his health as another step in life that requires adaptation. “I’ve had to, in tennis terms, I think, reboot, thoroughly reboot, a few times,” Seles said. “I call my first reboot when I came to the United States at 13 [from Yugoslavia]. I didn’t speak the language; I left my family. It was a very hard time. Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it’s also a reboot, because fame, money, attention, changes [everything], and it’s difficult for a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then, obviously, my stabbing… I had to do a major reboot. “And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell the kids I guide: ‘You always have to adapt. The ball is bouncing, and you just have to adapt.’ And that’s what I’m doing now.”It took me a while to assimilate it and speak openly because it’s difficult. It affects my daily life.
Mónica Seles
