By Matt Baron, Inside Edge PR

Next month, Monica Seles will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of
Fame.

At the same time, she is donating all of her career trophiesâ€"including those
she received in nine Grand Slam titles during her storied careerâ€"to the Hall
of Fame site in Newport, Rhode Island.

Her motive is to help inspire youngsters. On Saturday at Five Seasons Sports
Club in Northbrook, she stirred youngsters and adults with advice about the game
that brought her global fameâ€"as well with insights about how to overcame
adversity that happens off the court,

In recognition of her efforts, Greg Handzel, co-organizer of a charity
tournament that Five Seasons hosts, gave Seles a trophy. She said she would keep
the memento, which recognized her donating time and service to support the 10th
annual Handzel Open.

Seles was also gracious in signing autographs, posing for photographs, playing a
handful of light-hearted points with Five Seasons tennis pros, and offering tips
on tennis fundamentals to dozens of junior players at the club, 1300 Techny
Road.

Her 2 ½-hour visit began with a talk inside the club’s café to a crowd of
about 75, including many junior players who are among the premier Illinois
competitors in their age groups. She urged them to pursue the game for the love
of it, and to remember that sacrifice is part of any successful journey.

“The most important thing is have fun with what you do…and make sure you
work hard at it,” said Seles. “I was lucky enough to find that passion early
on. That was a big part of my life, and now I’m trying to discover what my
next passion is after tennis.”

Seles also fielded questions on variety of topics:

*On her induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame:

“It’s a great honor because as a little kid back in my former country of
Yugoslavia, picking up a racquet at 7, I never imagined where it would take
me…. I just wish my father (Karolj), who was really one of the main reasons I
loved playing sports, was here to see it. But I know his sprit is there.”

*On focus:

Seles said that maintaining focus was one of her strengths. One time, when a
reporter asked if Maria Sharapova’s grunting bothered her, Seles reacted with
surprise.

“I said, `What?’ I didn’t even notice she was grunting,” Seles recalled.
“I was just so in my world about playing the point. If I lost the point or
lost the game, I was like `OK, I want to win the next one.’”

*On the adrenaline and excitement that comes with playing in big matches:

“There’s no feeling like walking out there, especially like the U.S. Open or
Wimbledon, and it’s the finals, and you know the margins are so small between
you and the other player. You’re hoping, hoping that you play your best tennis
that day. Sometimes I was able, sometimes I wasn’t.”

*On overcoming her off-the-court battles, particularly with her weight, which
rose from 135 pounds to more than 170 during her final years on the professional
tour:

Echoing what she notes in her recently published memoir, “Getting A Grip: On
My Body, My Mind, My Self,” Seles told the crowd about “a very dark
period” when she “was not a happy camper.”

In 1993, at the height of her career, a deranged man stabbed her during a match
in Germany. Two years later, she mounted a comeback. Around that time, her
father, with whom she was extremely close, died of cancer.

“My main goal was to inspire people out there who are struggling with their
weight and who are going from one diet to the other, as I had done for nine
years,” said Seles. “I just became a happier person out of it, but most
importantly I hope the book also inspires whoever picks it up to be the best
that they can be.”

During her visit, Seles met Agata Jurkowska and her 4-year-old son, Jon. They
are from Poland, and he recently underwent successful surgery in Chicago that
was paid for by the Gift From the Heart Foundation, the Handzel Open
beneficiary.

The organization facilitates the medical treatment of seriously ill and disabled
children from Poland and Eastern Europe, who do not have any chance for such
treatment in their own countries.

“It’s a chance for more children to get treatment in this country,” said
Izabela Rybak, treasurer of the Gift From the Heart Foundation. “It’s
wonderful what they’re doing.”

Over the last decade, the Handzel Open has raised about $40,000 to help a
variety of causes.

Jacek Dabrowski, a tennis pro at Five Seasons, and Greg Handzel, an insurance
broker, are the event organizers. They expressed deep gratitude for Seles’
support of the cause.

“Monica is not only a champion on the tennis court, but in life,” said
Dabrowski. “Everyone was so impressed with her genuine heart to help and her
down-to-earth spirit.”

This is the fourth year that Five Seasons has hosted the Handzel Open. Matches
in various divisions are based on gender, age and skill level. The tournament
began on Friday, June 5, and concludes with finals on Sunday, June 14.

To see video clips of Seles’ visit, go to www.youtube.com and type “Monica
Seles Five Seasons” into the search engine. For more information, visit Five
Seasons online at www.fiveseasonssportsclub.com and the Handzel Open at
www.handzelopen.com.

You can also see a Triblocal photo gallery featuring a variety of images from
Seles' visit.

Source:
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