MONICA SELES
Tennis player
Women’s tennis is a conveyor belt of teen stars, but none more prolific than Monica Seles. In 1990, aged 16, the Serbian-American became the youngest ever French Open champion when she defeated Steffi Graf in straight sets. By the time she turned 20 Seles had accumulated eight grand slam titles and had succeeded Graf as world number one.
Seles’ irrepressible rise was more than fan Gunther Parche could bear. In Hamburg on April 30, 1993, Parche— who was obsessed with Graf and a German supremacist with learning disabilities—stabbed Seles in the back with a kitchen knife while she sat courtside between games.
The blade fortunately only penetrated by less than an inch and Seles recovered from the wound physically within weeks, but took a two-year break sabbatical. After less than six months in pre-trial detention, Parche was sentenced to two years’ probation and psychological treatment, prompting Seles to vow never to play in Germany again.
Seles returned to competitive action at the 1995 Canadian Open and won, setting a record by dropping only 14 games. Seles then reached the U.S. Open final where she lost to Graf, but at the 1996 Australian Open there was no stopping her. Seles defeated Anke Huber in the final to claim her fourth Australian Open title and ninth grand slam title.
Seles would reach more grand slam finals but could not resurrect her former consistency. Even with nine grand slams, the question remains: what could have been for Monica Seles?