On Saturday 11th July 2009, Monica was inducted into the International Tennis
Hall of Fame - an honour long overdue for the greatest tennis-player of all
time.

Let me explain why I chose today to post my comments.

Saturday 29th July 1995 was the greatest day in tennis-history, and the day of
the greatest achievement in tennis-history. Greater than, for example, Roger
Federer winning his record-breaking 15th Men's Singles Major at Wimbledon 2009.
For Monica beat the great Martina Navrátilová 6-3 6-2 in an exhibition-match at
Atlantic City.

Why was this match different from any other?

It was Monica's first match in public since Friday 30th April 1993, when Günther
Parche stabbed her in the back at a changeover in Hamburg, so that Steffi Graf
would regain the world #1 ranking. Technically, that vile act of terrorism
succeeded in its goal, but morally, all it achieved was to give Monica a unique
opportunity to prove herself the greatest tennis-player of all time.

By even coming back at all - let alone as the best player in the world once
again, winning her first tournament back (Toronto 1995) for the loss of just 14
games, let alone by going on to win her ninth Major at the Australian Open 1996
- Monica proved herself the greatest of all time.

----------------------------
Photos of Monica's induction
----------------------------

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=seles

--------
Articles
--------

Seles inducted into Tennis Hall of Fame (AFP, Saturday 11th July 2009)
>>>
Nine-time Major singles-champion Monica Seles and three others were inducted
into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Joining the former women's world number-one in the honour-shrine were 1960s
Spanish player Andrés Gimeno, pioneer marketer Donald Dell, and the late Robert
Johnson: a junior-player developer who helped launch the careers of black
players Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe.

"What an amazing group," Seles said at the induction-ceremony.
"It's such a great honour. Standing here, I'm just a bundle of nerves.

"Growing up as a little girl, I could never dream I would be inducted into the
Hall of Fame. I have a hard time believing it now."

Seles sat atop the WTA rankings for a total of 178 weeks, and won the 1991 and
1992 US Opens, the 1990-1992 French Opens and the 1991-1993 and 1996 Australian
Opens.

"I grew up on the WTA Tour. That was my home," Seles said. "I grew up in the
media-spotlight. It can be challenging at times."

Her 15-year career was interrupted in dramatic circumstances when she was
stabbed in the back by a fanatical supporter of rival Steffi Graf during a 1993
match at Hamburg.

It would be 27 months before Seles would return to competitive tennis. She won
her comeback-event at the Canadian Open, reached the US Open final, and then
captured her final Major crown at the 1996 Australian Open.

The Yugoslavian-born American won 53 singles-titles, and more than $14 million
in prize-money. She donated many of her trophies to the honour-shrine.

"I hope it will inspire young children to pick up a racket, hit a few balls and
fall in love with the sport the way I did," Seles said.
"I look forward to watching the sport and seeing how much faster it can get."

Seles poked fun at her habit of grunting whenever she struck the ball, giving
the crowd one final edition.

"For old times' sake, here it is: ah-EE!" Seles said with a smile.
"I just had to do it."

Seles - the 2000 Olympic Bronze medallist - was the youngest champion in French
Open history at 16˝ years.

"When I won my first French Open at age 16, mom kept me from getting a big head
by saying I had to be back downstairs for dinner," Seles said.

Gimeno became the oldest French Open men's winner by taking the 1972 title at
age 34. He also reached the 1969 Australian Open final and the semi-finals of
the 1968 French Open and 1970 Wimbledon tournaments. He won seven
singles-titles, and reached a best ranking of ninth in the early days of the
Open Era.
<<<

Seles headlines class inducted into tennis Hall
(AP, Saturday 11th July 2009)
>>>
Monica Seles is comfortable talking about her on-court stabbing 16 years ago —
even on a day of celebration.

The 35-year-old Seles was enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame
during a ceremony on Newport's grass-courts on Saturday.
She was the world's No.1 women's player for 178 weeks overall, and a winner of
nine Major singles-titles.

"I talk about it openly," she said during a news-conference before being
inducted. "As you can see, there's an exhibit here [about me] at the museum.
When we were talking about me going into the Hall of Fame it was, `Should we
include the stabbing or not?' Unfortunately it's part of my career. I wish it
wasn't. It's a long, long time ago."

It was 30th April 1993. Seles was on top of tennis, the No.1 player, three-time
defending champion of the French Open, and back-to-back winner at both the US
and Australian Opens.

The attack shocked the sports-world. Seated during a changeover at a match in
Hamburg, Germany, Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by a crazed fan.
It would be 2˝ years before she returned to the sport.

"Coming back in Toronto after my stabbing, I viewed my career in two phases —
before stabbing and after stabbing," she said. "The reception that I got just
reinforced my decision to return."

Seles went on to win that tournament — the Canadian Open: one of 53 in her
career, including the 1996 Australian Open.

"She won eight Grand Slams [sic] before she was stabbed," said Donald Dell, also
inducted on Saturday. "Believe me, she would have won another nine."

Seles was enshrined in nearly a 90-minute ceremony along with master's player
Andrés Gimeno: the oldest player ever to win the French at 34 years, 10 months.
Dr. Robert Johnson was inducted posthumously.

"I would like to thank all my tennis-fans who were there from Day One when I was
No.1, through my stabbing, and my comeback," Seles - dressed in white slacks
with a lavender blouse - told the crowd.

Johnson, introduced by Jeanne Ashe - wife of the late Hall-of-Famer Arthur Ashe
- helped desegregate the sport. Dell - a US Davis Cup member - later helped
promote and market the sport.

Seles, playfully, gave one more grunt. "For old, good times' sakes," she said.

Gimeno brought the biggest laughter from the crowd when he recalled his only
Major title at Roland Garros. He was introduced by 1987 Hall-of-Famer Stan
Smith.

"I was going to leave the game without winning a big one," he said. "I think God
said, `Let the poor guy win one.'"
<<<

--------------------------
A profound pearl of wisdom
--------------------------

Finally, I want to leave you with a quote from Monica that was published by
Reuters on 17th June 2009:

"She should go out there and enjoy it. If she starts getting nervous, just
remember why you started playing tennis, and go back to that simplicity... that
thought has helped me so much in my tennis-career."

This was Monica's advice to junior champion Laura Robson ahead of Robson's début
in the Wimbledon Women's Singles, but I feel that many players - and not just
the young ones - would do well to take it on board.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://tinyurl.com/andrewbroad-seles