Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Monica Seles

Discover the career path of Monica Seles, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

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

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.

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: 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.

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.

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.

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.