🎾 Tennis superstar Monica Seles has been dealt a challenging new hand. The 51-year-old legend recently opened up about her journey with myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular autoimmune disease forcing her into a surprising “new normal.”
This disease, impacting around 20 people in every 100,000, undermines muscle strength and can disrupt eye movements, facial expressions, and even basic tasks like swallowing and breathing. Despite retiring from professional tennis in 2008, Seles felt the early tremors of this condition while swinging her racket at a family game three years ago. She recalls thinking, “I would miss a ball… I see two balls.”
Now, ahead of this month’s US Open, Seles is using her platform to raise awareness about a disease she had never even heard of before her diagnosis. When addressing her journey, she reflects on having to constantly adapt, likening her adjustments to a “series of resets” she’s faced throughout her remarkable career and life – from fleeing her home country at 13 to her recovery after being attacked in 1993. As she puts it, “You’ve got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you’ve just got to adjust. And that’s what I’m doing now.”
Monica’s story is not just about challenges but also about resilience. 🧡 Let’s rally behind her as she continues to inspire us with her journey. #MonicaSeles #MyastheniaGravis #TennisLegend