Monica Seles’s legacy is one of brilliance, resilience, and transformation. At 16, she became the youngest French Open champion. By 20, she had eight Grand Slam singles titles, her aggressive two‑handed style redefining women’s tennis. In 1993, at the height of her dominance, she was stabbed during a match, forcing a two‑year break. She returned to win another Grand Slam, a symbol of courage and determination. The attack spurred player‑security reforms and raised mental‑health awareness. Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009, she now turns the spotlight to another fight.

At 51, Seles is sharing something deeply personal. The nine‑time Grand Slam winner, who claimed her first major at 16 at the 1990 French Open and played her last match in 2003, learned she had myasthenia gravis three years ago. “I would be playing with some kids or family members, and I would miss a ball. I was like, ‘Yeah, I see two balls.’ These are obviously symptoms that you can’t ignore,” she told The Associated Press.

The signs crept in—double vision, aching arms, tired legs. “This is when this journey started. And it took me quite some time to really absorb it, speak openly about it because it’s a difficult one. It affects my day-to-day life quite a lot,” Seles said. Monica Seles had never heard of it until her doctor sent her to a neurologist. “When I got diagnosed, I was like, ‘What?!’” she said.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls MG “a chronic neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles,” often striking women under 40 and men over 60, but it “can occur at any age, including childhood.”

The toughest part was facing it as an athlete, feeling alone. “I can’t emphasize enough—I wish I had somebody like me speak up about it,” she said. For her, it’s another moment to reset! “In tennis terms, I guess, reset—hard reset—a few times,” she said.

Fans remember one of Monica Seles’ biggest resets—the 1995 U.S. Open comeback, more than two years after she was stabbed by a spectator in Hamburg, Germany. She reached the final that year. “The way they welcomed me … after my stabbing, I will never forget,” she said. “Those are the moments that stay with you.” That’s why she’s determined to speak out now.

She’s partnering with Argenx, a Netherlands‑based immunology company, on its Go for Greater campaign to reach others who may be undiagnosed. Argenx is also a premier global sponsor of the U.S. Open, which kicks off in New York this month—an event Seles won twice, in 1991 and 1992. It’s another step in a career and a life defined by helping others.

Monica Seles gets real about binge eating disorder

Back in 2015, Seles sat down with Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer to reveal something few fans knew—she’d battled binge eating disorder for nearly a decade. The nine‑time Grand Slam champion, famous for her fearless game, spoke out to raise awareness.

“My binge‑eating episodes will usually happen in the evenings when I would be back by myself after a long day at the tennis courts and would just eat large quantities of food,” Monica Seles said in the spot, a partnership with Shire Pharmaceuticals, the National Eating Disorder Association, and the Binge Eating Disorder Association. “My eating was just uncontrollable. Once the binge was over, I felt so upset with myself.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health explains that binge eating disorder (B.E.D.) involves regularly consuming unusually large amounts of food without purging. The aftermath often brings shame and embarrassment and can lead to obesity and other health problems. As many as 4 million Americans have it, with women affected more than men.

Monica Seles went beyond talking—she became a paid spokesperson for Shire Pharmaceuticals, maker of Vyvanse, the first FDA‑approved drug for binge eating disorder. Already used to treat ADHD, Vyvanse could now help millions more. “I look at my life and how many years I wasted by being shamed about it, hiding it from my family and friends and doing my binges in private … now there’s help out there,” she said, pointing to BingeEatingDisorder.com for resources.

She told Spencer she finally went to her doctor, made a plan, and urged others to take that step. “If you feel you’re experiencing some of the symptoms of binge eating, sort of go out there, talk to your health care provider. There’s help out there. You don’t have to suffer in silence like I did for so many years.”

Now, her focus is on myasthenia gravis, and Monica Seles is determined to spread the word. Could the two‑time U.S. Open champion hit the court again for this mission? Only time will tell.