You may have heard Monica Seles’ story. She was an electric and fabulously talented young player in the early 1990s. Seles moved to Florida from Yugoslovia at the age of 13 to live and train in a tennis academy. During a stretch from 1991 to 1993, she won seven Grand Slam singles titles, all before her 20th birthday. In 1993, her career was tragically cut short by a maniac who stabbed her in the shoulder court-side. Her attacker was a crazed fan of Steffi Graf whom Monica was beating at the time. Although she returned to tennis for a brief time, Monica never fully recovered her winning form. We will never know how many MORE titles she would have been able to win.
Monica has recently revealed that she suffered from binge eating disorder during her playing years; and has since become an advocate for treatment and eating disorder awareness. You can read more about it in the USA Today Article.
Monica was a ferocious competitor and I have no doubt that she is an equally fearless and dedicated champion for eating disorder advocacy. Eating disorders are more common than you might think among athletes, both amateur and professional. An athlete’s body is their biggest asset, and that heightened focus on their body and their nutrition can contribute to disordered eating. Perfectionism and a heightened need for control are common traits among athletes and among those afflicted with eating disorders. Coaches and trainers should be particularly observant for their players / athletes… especially during the vulnerable adolescent years.
While I am very sorry that Monica struggled, I am very thankful that she is brave enough to share her story in a very public way. Every celebrity that shares their personal story helps to erode the stigma that is still associated with eating disorders.
This story is a great find for me! I don’t often get to combine my love for tennis with my passion for eating disorder advocacy. Perhaps Monica would be willing to trade some free PR in my blog (an heretofore under-rated value) for a lesson to improve my backhand, or maybe a signed tennis ball? Just give me a call Monica – I’m sure we can work something out!!!