Monica Seles has announced her retirement today, and with it, comes to an official end of another era. Seles had a fabulous carrier turned into pieces by a knife that was pierced in her back in 1993. She was a victim of her own popularity.
Seles was a champion in women’s tennis who climbed the ranks very early in her carrier. From a young Tennis Player from former SFR Yougoslavia (in today’s Serbia), she rose to challenge the big names of the game and dominated the game in 1991 and 1992. She won her first Grand Slam title– French open at the age of 16 and became the youngest player to win the tournament. And went on to win 7 more till 1993.
Such was her rivalry with Steffi Graf that she overtook Steffi in 1993. Bewildered by the thought that Steffi had lost her top spot a mad fan of her stabbed Seles in her back during a Match in Hamburg. The incidence left the Tennis World stunned and Seles didn’t return to the circuit for more than two years. And after she did return, she couldn’t gain her top ranking again.
Tennis doesn’t consider, what- if- buts. Still People argue what would have happened if that incident had not happened. To me, as far as I had seen Seles play, her game was not changed after 1993. It was more or less the same. What was changed was Steffi. She had overcome all her personal trauma and dominated the Game again.
Still, Seles’ legacy can not be forgotten. Although she naturalized as an American Citizen, Seles has inspired a whole generation in her homeland. Today’s Women’s World no. 2 Ana Ivanovic took the racket after watching Seles on TV.
Not just Ana, but Jelena Jankovic, Novak Djokovic and a bunch of Serbian Players are all successors of her. She was often criticized for her grunts on the court, something which she started and a lot of Gen-next followed with increased decibels. She was a girl with a high ambition and was ready to give everything for it. She set her own standards and never agreed on anything bellow it.
Seles was a champion in women’s tennis who climbed the ranks very early in her carrier. From a young Tennis Player from former SFR Yougoslavia (in today’s Serbia), she rose to challenge the big names of the game and dominated the game in 1991 and 1992. She won her first Grand Slam title– French open at the age of 16 and became the youngest player to win the tournament. And went on to win 7 more till 1993.
Such was her rivalry with Steffi Graf that she overtook Steffi in 1993. Bewildered by the thought that Steffi had lost her top spot a mad fan of her stabbed Seles in her back during a Match in Hamburg. The incidence left the Tennis World stunned and Seles didn’t return to the circuit for more than two years. And after she did return, she couldn’t gain her top ranking again.
Tennis doesn’t consider, what- if- buts. Still People argue what would have happened if that incident had not happened. To me, as far as I had seen Seles play, her game was not changed after 1993. It was more or less the same. What was changed was Steffi. She had overcome all her personal trauma and dominated the Game again.
Still, Seles’ legacy can not be forgotten. Although she naturalized as an American Citizen, Seles has inspired a whole generation in her homeland. Today’s Women’s World no. 2 Ana Ivanovic took the racket after watching Seles on TV.
Not just Ana, but Jelena Jankovic, Novak Djokovic and a bunch of Serbian Players are all successors of her. She was often criticized for her grunts on the court, something which she started and a lot of Gen-next followed with increased decibels. She was a girl with a high ambition and was ready to give everything for it. She set her own standards and never agreed on anything bellow it.
