Latest news with #Monica Seles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Tennis star Monica Seles reveals her diagnosis with myasthenia gravis
Monica Seles first noticed the symptoms of myasthenia gravis — a neuromuscular autoimmune disease she discussed during a recent interview with The Associated Press — while she was swinging a racket the way she'd done so many times during, and after, a career that included nine Grand Slam titles and a place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 'I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, 'Yeah, I see two balls.' These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore,' Seles said. 'And, for me, this is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.' The 51-year-old Seles, who won her first major trophy at age 16 at the 1990 French Open and played her last match in 2003, said she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis three years ago and is speaking publicly about it for the first time ahead of the U.S. Open, which starts on Aug. 24, to raise awareness about what is known as MG. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it 'a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles' and 'most commonly impacts young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but ... can occur at any age, including childhood.' Seles said she'd never heard of the condition until seeing a doctor and being referred to a neurologist after noticing symptoms such as double vision and weakness in her arms — 'just blowing my hair out ... became very difficult,' she said — and legs. 'When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?!'' said Seles, who is partnering with argenx, an immunology company headquartered in the Netherlands, to promote their Go for Greater campaign. 'So this is where — I can't emphasize enough — I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it.' It's been three decades since Seles 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 way they welcomed me ... after my stabbing, I will never forget,' Seles said about the fans in New York. 'Those are the moments that stay with you.' She talks about learning to live a 'new normal' nowadays and characterized her health as another in a series of life steps that required adapting. 'I had to, in tennis terms, I guess, reset — hard reset — a few times. I call my first hard reset when I came to the U.S. as a young 13-year-old (from Yugoslavia). Didn't speak the language; left my family. It's a very tough time. Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it's a reset, too, because the fame, money, the attention, changes (everything), and it's hard as a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then obviously my stabbing — I had to do a huge reset," Seles said. 'And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: 'You've got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you've just got to adjust,'' she added. "And that's what I'm doing now.' ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis: Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
What is myasthenia gravis? The rare condition plaguing tennis icon Monica Seles explained
It's a little known autoimmune condition, but Serbian–American tennis legend Monica Seles has revealed that she has secretly been battling myasthenia gravis (MG). Affecting just 140,000 people in the US, the disease occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the communication between nerves and muscles. It can lead to weak muscles, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and breathing and blurred vision. Seles, 51, who won nine grand Slam titles throughout her career on the court, said she was diagnosed with MG three years ago, but hopes that now, by speaking out about the disease, it will help to raise awareness. Dr Johnny Parvani, an emergency medicine physician, told that MG is very rare and in his 10 years of practice, he had only a few encounters. He revealed that the condition can be severely debilitating with muscles weakening throughout the body and it can 'significantly affect' Seles' ability to play sports or keep active. He explained: 'With MG an immune response is mounted, much like the process when the body is fighting off an infection, and the signal to the muscle can be interrupted by a blockade of the neurotransmitter activity or damage to the muscle membrane. 'Depending on the severity of the autoimmune reaction or damage, that can result in varying degree of muscle weakness.' Seles, who shot to fame when she won her first major trophy at age 16 at the 1990 French Open, first noticed the symptoms of MG while she was swinging a racket. 'I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, "Yeah, I see two balls." These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore,' said Seles, who was stabbed during a match in 1993. 'And, for me, this is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.' The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls MG a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles and most commonly impacts young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but it can occur at any age, including childhood. There is no cure for the condition. Some of the symptoms can be relieved through a combination of medications, surgery, and other therapies. In some cases, surgical removal of the thymus gland (thymectomy) may be considered. The removal of the thymus gland - which is located in the upper part of the chest, behind the breastbone and between the lungs - can help lessen the symptoms of MG by reducing the production of harmful antibodies that disrupt communication between nerves and muscles. While it's not a cure for everyone, a thymectomy can lead to symptom improvement and reduced reliance on medications. Seles said that she had been completely unaware of the condition before she saw a doctor for her symptoms. 'When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?' Seles told the Associated Press. 'So this is where - I can't emphasize enough - I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it.' She was referred to a neurologist after noticing double vision and weakness in her arms. Seles revealed that even drying her hair had become a challenge. Dr Parvani said there isn't much that an be done to prevent MG other than keeping your general health in check. Illness can trigger or worsen symptoms of MG. Infections, in particular, are known to exacerbate MG, causing flare-ups or crises. While no specific virus or pathogen is definitively linked to MG, the body's response to illness can disrupt the immune system and worsen the condition. Dr Parvani adds: 'There isn't much that can be done to avoid or exacerbate MG other than reducing risk of immune system overstimulation through infection prevention and avoidance of medications/triggers that may do the same. 'The exact triggers are still not well understood, but likely attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental or lifestyle factors. 'It is my opinion also that the chronic exposure to novel chemicals through modern living can increase the stress burden on the body and trigger aberrant responses.' The International Tennis Hall of Famer admitted that she has had to take time to adjust to her 'new normal,' learning to live life with her condition. 'I had to, in tennis terms, I guess, reset - hard reset - a few times. I call my first hard reset when I came to the US as a young 13-year-old (from Yugoslavia). Didn't speak the language; left my family. It's a very tough time. 'Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it's a reset, too, because the fame, money, the attention, changes (everything), and it's hard as a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then obviously my stabbing - I had to do a huge reset,' Seles said. 'And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: 'You've got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you've just got to adjust,' she added. 'And that's what I'm doing now.'
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Tennis legend Monica Seles diagnosed with rare disease
Tennis great Monica Seles revealed she has been diagnosed with a rare muscle-weakening condition. Seles, 51, started experiencing double vision and extremely depleted strength in her arms and legs in 2019, The Sun reports. A long string of tests and scans - delayed by the Covid pandemic - ruled out brain tumours and motor neurone disease. The nine-time Grand Slam champion was eventually diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 2022. Now Seles has gone public on neuromuscular auto-immune disease - which currently has no cure - and will raise awareness for the condition with an event around this month's US Open. MG affects most of the body but particularly the muscles that control the eyes - although symptoms can vary from day to day. Approximately 15-20 people per 100,000 - or 0.015 per cent of the population - are affected by MG, which sees the immune system attack the neuromuscular junction where nerves and muscles communicate. 'I would be playing (tennis) with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball,' Seles told AP. 'I was like, 'Yeah, I see two balls.' 'These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore. 'It took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. 'It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.' Seles won seven of her nine Grand Slams by the age of 18. That included reaching eight Major finals in a row - winning seven - before she was tragically stabbed in April 1993 on court during a match in Hamburg by a fixated fan of Steffi Graf. The Yugoslavia-born star - who switched nationality to USA - returned in 1995 after a two-year absence. She reached the US Open final in her first Major since the stabbing then won the 1996 Australian Open, her ninth and final Grand Slam title. The lefty, who played with a double-handed forehand and backhand, officially retired in 2008 five years after her final competitive match. Now living in Florida, she told The Athletic about her MG diagnosis: 'I thought, 'OK, just push through it.' 'But a couple of instances happened when — on court and in daily life — I realised there was something going on. 'After coming out of my former country to the IMG Academy, I had to totally reset. 'When I became No1, it was a huge reset because everybody treats you differently. 'Then obviously when I got stabbed, that was a huge reset. And then when I was diagnosed, it was a huge reset. 'The day-to-day part of managing it, depending on my symptoms, is really adjusting, you know. I think anybody else who has Myasthenia Gravis knows it's a continuous adjustment. 'After my stabbing, I had to deal with that internally for quite a few years to process it and my MG diagnosis was kind of very similar. 'I had to understand my new normal of day-to-day life, what I can do work-wise and different things.'
CNN
6 days ago
- Health
- CNN
9-time grand slam champion Monica Seles reveals her diagnosis with myasthenia gravis
Monica Seles first noticed the symptoms of myasthenia gravis — a neuromuscular autoimmune disease she discussed during a recent interview with The Associated Press — while she was swinging a racket the way she'd done so many times during, and after, a career that included nine grand slam titles and a place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 'I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, 'Yeah, I see two balls.' These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore,' Seles said. 'And, for me, this is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.' The 51-year-old Seles, who won her first major trophy at age 16 at the 1990 French Open and played her last match in 2003, said she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis three years ago and is speaking publicly about it for the first time ahead of the US Open, which starts on August 24, to raise awareness about what is known as MG. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it 'a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles' and 'most commonly impacts young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but … can occur at any age, including childhood.' Seles said she'd never heard of the condition until seeing a doctor and being referred to a neurologist after noticing symptoms such as double vision and weakness in her arms — 'just blowing my hair out … became very difficult,' she said — and legs. 'When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?!'' said Seles, who is partnering with argenx, an immunology company headquartered in the Netherlands, to promote their Go for Greater campaign. 'So this is where — I can't emphasize enough — I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it.' It's been three decades since Seles returned to competition at the 1995 US 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 way they welcomed me … after my stabbing, I will never forget,' Seles said about the fans in New York. 'Those are the moments that stay with you.' She talks about learning to live a 'new normal' nowadays and characterized her health as another in a series of life steps that required adapting. 'I had to, in tennis terms, I guess, reset — hard reset — a few times. I call my first hard reset when I came to the US as a young 13-year-old (from Yugoslavia). Didn't speak the language; left my family. It's a very tough time. Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it's a reset, too, because the fame, money, the attention, changes (everything), and it's hard as a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then obviously my stabbing — I had to do a huge reset,' Seles said. 'And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: 'You've got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you've just got to adjust,'' she added. 'And that's what I'm doing now.'
CNN
6 days ago
- Health
- CNN
9-time grand slam champion Monica Seles reveals her diagnosis with myasthenia gravis
Monica Seles first noticed the symptoms of myasthenia gravis — a neuromuscular autoimmune disease she discussed during a recent interview with The Associated Press — while she was swinging a racket the way she'd done so many times during, and after, a career that included nine grand slam titles and a place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 'I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, 'Yeah, I see two balls.' These are obviously symptoms that you can't ignore,' Seles said. 'And, for me, this is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it, because it's a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot.' The 51-year-old Seles, who won her first major trophy at age 16 at the 1990 French Open and played her last match in 2003, said she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis three years ago and is speaking publicly about it for the first time ahead of the US Open, which starts on August 24, to raise awareness about what is known as MG. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it 'a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles' and 'most commonly impacts young adult women (under 40) and older men (over 60) but … can occur at any age, including childhood.' Seles said she'd never heard of the condition until seeing a doctor and being referred to a neurologist after noticing symptoms such as double vision and weakness in her arms — 'just blowing my hair out … became very difficult,' she said — and legs. 'When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?!'' said Seles, who is partnering with argenx, an immunology company headquartered in the Netherlands, to promote their Go for Greater campaign. 'So this is where — I can't emphasize enough — I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it.' It's been three decades since Seles returned to competition at the 1995 US 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 way they welcomed me … after my stabbing, I will never forget,' Seles said about the fans in New York. 'Those are the moments that stay with you.' She talks about learning to live a 'new normal' nowadays and characterized her health as another in a series of life steps that required adapting. 'I had to, in tennis terms, I guess, reset — hard reset — a few times. I call my first hard reset when I came to the US as a young 13-year-old (from Yugoslavia). Didn't speak the language; left my family. It's a very tough time. Then, obviously, becoming a great player, it's a reset, too, because the fame, money, the attention, changes (everything), and it's hard as a 16-year-old to deal with all that. Then obviously my stabbing — I had to do a huge reset,' Seles said. 'And then, really, being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: 'You've got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you've just got to adjust,'' she added. 'And that's what I'm doing now.'
