"Only three of the top 100 women have not signed up - Iroda
Tulyaganova (world ranked 50) and Virginie Razzano (71) due to
injury - and four time Australian Open winner Monica Seles (60)."

From http://www.tennisaustralia.com.au/pages/default.aspx?
id=4&PageID=1526

It's not too late for Monica to make a late entry... but surely if
she thought she had any chance at all of being ready, she would have
entered by now?

It certainly is strange to see Monica ranked at #60!


Regarding retirement: back in September, she said:
"I don't want to go out this way. Playing the Australian Open is my
goal, but if that doesn't work out I'll probably return in Miami."


Without Monica, women's tennis will always lack something that can
never be replaced, but it is certainly much richer because of Monica.
To a large extent, it was Monica who made the modern tennis-player
what she is today: taking the ball on the rise, and hitting hard from
both sides - often with a clearly audible effort! ;-)

If it wasn't for Monica attracting me to the game in 1992, I might
not be following tennis today. The Australian Open 2004 will be much
less enjoyable for me without Monica and Iroda Tulyaganova, but at
least I can look forward to following the fortunes of Daniela
Hantuchová, Jelena Dokic, Iva Majoli and Maria Sharapova there... as
well as all the Selesian players, of course!

Monica's playing-career may be finite, but her legacy is everlasting.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/