Monica Seles never visited the International Tennis Hall of Fame until
this past July, when she served as the presenter for the induction of
IMG founder Mark McCormack.

Now that she knows her way there, Seles should have no trouble getting
to the Newport, R.I., site next summer when she is inducted as part of
the 2009 Hall of Fame class.

Though technically the list of inductees won't be official until
January, Seles' inclusion was cemented this past week when she was
placed on the ballot in an announcement during the U.S. Open.

"It is such a great honor," said Seles, who is among the greatest
women champions of all time. "Obviously, at some point I knew I was
going to get in but to get in this quickly ... that was a little bit
of a surprise."

It shouldn't be. Seles clearly belongs in the Hall of Fame of a game
she dominated at the height of her career.

The Sarasota resident transcended the sport to become an international
celebrity during a career spiced with intrigue. Her Greta Garbo-like
mystique off the court became legendary. Her shrieks when hitting the
tennis ball were her calling card and are imitated by a host of players.

She will also forever be remembered as the victim of a stabbing on the
court by a deranged tennis fan, an incident that robbed her of more
than two years of her playing career.

It was her success on the court that paved her way to the Hall of Fame.

Seles, who remains the youngest player to win the French Open (16
years, 6 months), was ranked No. 1 for 178 weeks and won nine Grand
Slam singles titles. She finished the year ranked No. 1 in the world
in both 1991 and 1992 and was clearly the best player in the game when
her career was interrupted in April 1993. She was stabbed just below
her left shoulder blade while she sat in a chair during a changeover
in a match played in Germany.

When Seles returned to the game, she won the first tournament she
played, got to the semifinals of the U.S. Open and won her final Grand
Slam event the following January in Australia. But she never dominated
like she had before the stabbing.

She last played at the 2003 French Open, where she lost in the first
round. Foot problems eventually ended her playing career.

"This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. It finishes the
career I had," Seles said about the Hall of Fame.

She is currently at the U.S. Open, where she is attending various
functions and preparing for a talk show she will host beginning today
on Siruis radio. The show, called "The Monica Seles Challenge: Five
Weeks to Jump Start Your Life," is designed to help inspire listeners
to have a happier, healthier, more confident life.

"It is really about women's issues, about weight loss and mind and
body connection," Seles said. "There won't be much sports, except that
I can draw on my background. It is about women talking and sharing
information. I am excited about that."

Seles is keeping a busy schedule, which includes writing a book,
speaking engagements and her pet project of enticing children to exercise.

"Just to get them to move and get some fresh air in their little
lungs," she says.

There had been a plan to play an exhibition match this week with
Martina Navratilova but a torn labrum in her shoulder will keep Seles
from picking up a tennis racket for several months.

Just because she isn't playing tennis doesn't mean that Seles is out
of shape. She has completely remodeled her body, which she believes
will help her relate to people in her new radio endeavor.

"I overcame my own weight loss and the emotional side that comes with
it," she said. "I believe in it so much. My heart is in it."

Seles admits that her recent appearance on the "Dancing with the
Stars" TV show was more difficult than she expected, yet she insists
she has no regrets.

"When I signed up for it I thought it would be different," she said.
"I didn't really think it through too much. I had never done any of
those artistic things. I was always more sports oriented."

Though she was the first female dancer to be voted off this past
season, she felt the time on the show gave America a chance to see a
different side of her.

"Most people had only seen me in tennis outfits and I always had an
aggressive look on my face because I was hitting a tennis ball," she
said. "People got to see that there was a woman out there.

"It was an exciting experience and I am happy I did it."

And the tennis world should be happy she made a career out of playing
the game.