History of Monica Seles in Timeline

Monica Seles, a former Yugoslav-American professional tennis player, achieved the world No. 1 ranking by the WTA for 178 weeks and was the year-end No. 1 three times. As a teenager representing Yugoslavia, she won eight major singles titles. She secured a total of 53 WTA Tour-level singles titles, with her final major win representing the United States.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1901: Reference to 1901 US National Championships

The text makes reference to the 1901 US National Championships when describing the Virginia Slims Championships.

1954: Günter Parche's birth

In 1954, Günter Parche, the man who stabbed Monica Seles, was born. He later committed the attack on April 30, 1993, driven by his obsession with Steffi Graf.

December 2, 1973: Monica Seles born

On December 2, 1973, Monica Seles, a future world No. 1 professional tennis player, was born. She would later represent Yugoslavia and the United States during her career.

Others born on this day/year

1985: Yugoslav Sportswoman of the Year

In 1985, Monica Seles was named the Yugoslav Sportswoman of the Year, recognizing her early achievements in tennis.

1985: Junior Orange Bowl tournament win

In 1985, at the age of 11, Monica Seles won the Junior Orange Bowl tournament in Miami, Florida, which attracted the attention of tennis coach Nick Bollettieri.

1986: Moved to United States to train at Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy

In early 1986, Monica Seles and her brother Zoltan moved from Yugoslavia to the United States, where Seles enrolled at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy to further her tennis training.

1988: First professional tournament

In 1988, at the age of 14, Monica Seles played her first professional tennis tournament as an amateur, marking the beginning of her professional career.

February 13, 1989: Turned Professional

On February 13, 1989, Monica Seles officially turned professional and joined the professional tour full-time, marking a significant step in her career.

May 1989: First career title at Houston

In May 1989, Monica Seles won her first career title at Houston, defeating Chris Evert in the final and achieving an early career milestone.

1989: Seles's first four years on the circuit

From 1989 through 1992, Monica Seles had a win–loss record of 231–25 (90.2%) and collected 30 titles, marking her early career achievements.

March 1990: Continued practice at Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy

Until March 1990, Monica Seles continued to practice at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, maintaining her training regimen.

1990: Youngest French Open Champion

In 1990, Monica Seles became the youngest-ever French Open champion at the age of 16, marking an early career milestone.

1990: Yugoslav Sportswoman and BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year

In 1990, Monica Seles was named both the Yugoslav Sportswoman of the Year and the BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year, acknowledging her successful performance in tennis.

1990: Won first Grand Slam title at French Open

In 1990, Monica Seles won her first Grand Slam singles title at the French Open, defeating Steffi Graf in the final, making her the youngest-ever French Open singles champion at 16 years, 6 months. Seles also won the Virginia Slims Championships.

January 1991: Start of Dominant Period

From January 1991, Monica Seles started a period of dominance where, through February 1993, Seles won 22 titles and reached 33 finals in 34 tournaments. This period highlights her exceptional performance and success on the tennis circuit.

1991: Dominance on the Women's Tour

In 1991, Monica Seles began a period of dominance on the women's tennis tour, winning the Australian Open, replacing Graf as world No. 1 in March, and securing her second French Open title. She also won the US Open and the year-end Virginia Slims Championships, ending the season ranked No. 1.

1991: BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year

In 1991, Monica Seles was awarded the title of BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive time, recognizing her continued achievements in tennis.

1992: Seles's first four years on the circuit

From 1989 through 1992, Monica Seles had a win–loss record of 231–25 (90.2%) and collected 30 titles, marking her early career achievements.

1992: Continued Dominance and Wimbledon Final

In 1992, Monica Seles continued her dominant performance, successfully defending her titles at the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open. She also reached her first-ever final at Wimbledon, but lost to Graf. During Wimbledon, Seles encountered difficulty because of her habit of grunting or shrieking loudly when hitting shots.

1992: Continued Domination of women's circuit

In 1992, Monica Seles continued her domination of the women's tennis circuit, securing several major championships and maintaining her position as a leading player.

January 1993: Australian Open Win and Virginia Slims of Chicago

In January 1993, Monica Seles defeated Graf in the final of the Australian Open and later won the Virginia Slims of Chicago over Martina Navratilova. This was the last title she won before the attack in Hamburg.

February 1993: End of Dominant Period

February 1993 marked the end of Monica Seles's dominant period, which began in January 1991. During this time, she achieved significant success, winning numerous titles and maintaining a high winning percentage.

April 30, 1993: Stabbing during match

On April 30, 1993, Monica Seles was the victim of an on-court attack during a match when an obsessed fan of her rival, Steffi Graf, stabbed her in the back with a knife.

April 30, 1993: Stabbing at Citizen Cup in Hamburg

On April 30, 1993, during a quarterfinal match at the Citizen Cup in Hamburg, Germany, Monica Seles was stabbed by Günter Parche, an obsessed fan of Steffi Graf, causing her to withdraw from competitive tennis for over two years. This attack marked a significant disruption in her career.

1993: Majesty Crush's "Seles" tribute

In 1993, the American band Majesty Crush paid tribute to Monica Seles with the song "Seles" from their album Love-15, marking the impact of the stabbing incident on popular culture.

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1993: WTA Ranking Controversy

In 1993, the WTA considered maintaining Monica Seles's No. 1 ranking during her absence following the stabbing, but the proposal was rejected by the majority of top players. This decision led to Seles not playing tennis for two years and suffering from depression and an eating disorder.

1994: Became a U.S. citizen

In 1994, Monica Seles became a U.S. citizen, marking a significant transition in her life and career.

August 1995: Return to the tour

In August 1995, Monica Seles returned to the WTA tour after becoming a U.S. citizen. She won the Canadian Open and reached the US Open final, demonstrating her comeback after the stabbing incident.

1995: Return to tennis

In 1995, Monica Seles returned to professional tennis after recovering from the stabbing incident, marking a significant comeback in her career.

January 1996: Won Fourth Australian Open Title

In January 1996, Monica Seles won her fourth Australian Open title, defeating Anke Huber in the final, marking a significant achievement in her comeback after the stabbing incident.

1996: Ninth major championship

In 1996, Monica Seles claimed her ninth major championship at the Australian Open, showcasing her resilience after returning to professional tennis.

1996: Met the Monicas after Australian Open win

In 1996, following her victory at the Australian Open, Monica Seles met the band Young Elders (later known as the Monicas). They had sent her their song "Fly Monica Fly" while she was recuperating from the stabbing incident, which she said inspired her at the time.

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1998: Dan Bern's "Monica" tribute

In 1998, Dan Bern released a tribute song to Monica Seles titled "Monica".

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1998: French Open Final and Father's Death

In 1998, Monica Seles reached the French Open final shortly after the death of her father and former coach, Karolj, from cancer. Despite this personal loss, she made it to the final but lost to Sánchez Vicario.

2003: Last professional match

In 2003, Monica Seles played her last professional tennis match at the French Open, marking the end of her career as a professional tennis player.

2009: Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame

In 2009, Monica Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, honoring her outstanding career and contributions to the sport.

2011: Seles comments on security

In 2011, Monica Seles stated that she felt security at tennis events had not significantly improved since the time she was stabbed. This comment highlights her continued concern for player safety.

August 2022: Death of Günter Parche

In August 2022, Günter Parche, the man who stabbed Monica Seles in 1993, died in a nursing home at the age of 68. His actions had a significant impact on Seles's career and life.

2022: Günter Parche's death

In 2022, Günter Parche, the man who stabbed Monica Seles, passed away, marking the end of the life of the individual responsible for the attack that disrupted Seles's career.