Monica Seles

Monica Seles (born December 2, 1973) is a former professional tennis player who represented Yugoslavia and the United States. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the WTA for 178 weeks (sixth-most of all time), and finished as the year-end No. 1 three times. Seles won 53 career singles titles, including nine majors: eight as a teenager while representing Yugoslavia and the final one while representing the United States. A teen phenomenon, Seles became the youngest-ever French Open champion in 1990 at 16. She went on to dominate the tour in 1991 and 1992, compiling a total of eight major championships while still a teenager. However, on April 30, 1993, Seles was the victim of an on-court attack when an obsessed fan of Seles' rival Steffi Graf stabbed Seles in the back with a knife as she was sitting down between games. Seles did not play professional tennis for over two years following the stabbing, struggling with depression and an eating disorder. After returning in 1995, Seles claimed a ninth major championship at the 1996 Australian Open, but was unable to consistently produce her best tennis. She played her last professional match at the 2003 French Open. Seles was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time. She was named the Yugoslav Sportswoman of the Year in 1985 and 1990, and the BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year in 1990 and 1991. Several players and historians have argued that Seles had the potential to become the most accomplished female player of all time had she not been stabbed. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009.