Monica Seles Reveals Battle Against Autoimmune Disease
Tennis legend, Mónica Seles, has publicly shared her battle against myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in voluntary muscles. The announcement was made three years after her diagnosis, marking a significant moment in her life and career. Seles, winner of nine Grand Slam titles, recounted that the symptoms began to manifest while she was playing tennis. She noticed unusual difficulties, such as missing shots and experiencing double vision. These indications led her to seek medical attention and, eventually, to the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.The 51-year-old tennis player decided to speak openly about her condition to raise awareness about myasthenia gravis (MG). This disease, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, is a chronic condition that affects voluntary muscles and is more common in young adult women and older men. They were told that they had never heard of the disease before being diagnosed. Initial symptoms included double vision and weakness in arms and legs. The news of the diagnosis was shocking, but the tennis player has learned to adapt and live with a “new normal”. In her adaptation process, Seles has compared her situation to the “resets” she has had to make throughout her life, from her arrival in the United States at age 13 to her recovery after the attack she suffered. Now, she faces this new challenge with the same determination that characterized her on the courts. The tennis player now advises young athletes and has emphasized the importance of adapting to adversity.“I was playing with some kids or family members, and I missed a ball. I thought, ‘Yes, I see two balls’. These are obviously symptoms that cannot be ignored. And, for me, this is where this journey began. And it took me quite a while to really assimilate it, to speak openly about it, because it’s difficult. It affects my daily life quite a bit,” commented Seles.
Monica Seles
