Tennis Star Monica Seles Reveals Her Battle With Myasthenia Gravis
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2025 — Tennis great Monica Seles is speaking out about her battle with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease that weakens muscles.
The 51-year-old, who won nine Grand Slam titles and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, said she first noticed symptoms while playing casual tennis with family.
“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,” Seles told The Associated Press.
“And, for me, this is when this journey started," she added. "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 was diagnosed three years ago but decided to speak out ahead of the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 24, to raise awareness of the condition, also known as MG.
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic disease that causes weakness in voluntary muscles, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. It can occur at any age but is most common in women under 40 and men over 60.
For Seles, symptoms included double vision and weakness in her arms and legs. “Just blowing my hair out ... became very difficult,” she told The AP.
“When I got diagnosed, I was like, 'What?!’ ” Seles said. She had never heard of MG until her doctor referred her to a neurologist. She is now partnering with the Dutch immunology company argenx on its “Go for Greater” campaign to help others learn about the condition.
Seles compared living with the disease to adapting on the tennis court.
“I had to, in tennis terms, reset — hard reset — a few times,” she said. She noted her earlier challenges — immigrating to the U.S. as a teen, sudden fame and returning to competition after being stabbed at a 1993 tournament in Germany.
"Being diagnosed with myasthenia gravis: another reset. But one thing, as I tell kids that I mentor: ‘You’ve got to always adjust. That ball is bouncing, and you’ve just got to adjust,’ ” Seles added. “And that’s what I’m doing now.”
Sources
- The Associated Press, Aug. 12, 2025
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
Jim O’Neill Steps in as Acting CDC Chief Amid Firing, Resignations
TUESDAY, Sept. 2, 2025 — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is entering a transition period as Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary at the Department...
'Reborn Again': Blind Bride-To-Be Thriving After Triple-Organ Transplant
TUESDAY, Sept. 2, 2025 — Stricken with cancer in infancy, Jessica Lopez endured tumor-fighting treatments that saved her young life but also left her with lasting heart...
Feel the Beat: Music Might Help Regulate Blood Pressure
TUESDAY, Sept. 2, 2025 — Everyone probably knows the phrase "music hath charms to soothe the savage breast," and new research suggests it may do the same for heart...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.