Monica Seles Reveals Autoimmune Diagnosis

Monica Seles, the 51-year-old tennis legend, has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular autoimmune disease.

What is myasthenia gravis?

Myasthenia gravis is a disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles, commonly impacting young adult women and older men. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes it as a condition that can occur at any age.

How did Monica Seles discover her condition?

Monica Seles first noticed symptoms while playing tennis, including double vision and weakness in her arms and legs. She had never heard of the condition until seeing a doctor and being referred to a neurologist.

What is Monica Seles doing to raise awareness?

Monica Seles is partnering with argenx, an immunology company, to promote their Go for Greater campaign and raise awareness about myasthenia gravis. She wishes she had somebody like her to speak up about it when she was first diagnosed. Monica Seles won her first major trophy at age 16 at the 1990 French Open and played her last tennis match in 2003. She returned to competition at the 1995 U.S. Open, making it to the final, more than two years after she was attacked by a man with a knife at a tournament in Hamburg, Germany. The fans in New York welcomed her back, and she will never forget those moments. Monica Seles had to adapt to a "new normal" after her diagnosis, which she characterizes as another life step that required adjusting. She had to "reset" several times in her life, including when she came to the U.S. as a young 13-year-old and when she became a famous tennis player. And then, there was her stabbing incident, which required another huge reset. But Monica Seles is adjusting to her new reality, and she tells kids that she mentors to always adjust to the changing circumstances. She is doing the same now, learning to live with myasthenia gravis. Monica Seles was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis three years ago, and she is speaking publicly about it for the first time ahead of the U.S. Open, which starts on August 24. The U.S. Open is a significant event for Monica Seles, who has a long history with the tournament.