Monica Seles Speaks 11.11.2007 Interview

She revolutionized women's tennis by playing a bold baseline game and producing power and short angles seldom seen in the sport. Monica Seles possessed perhaps the most lethal return of serve in the history of women's tennis, and a stirring shriek that accompanied her stunning shots. In many ways, Seles was ahead of her time, but when she surveys the tennis landscape today, Seles said the women's game needs more rivalry and intensity.

"(Justine) Henin has on average dominated the (WTA) tour, but if you look at the championships in Madrid, you see Henin beat (Marion) Bartoli 6-0, 6-0," Seles told Steve Hartman, Mychal Thompson and Vic "The Brick" Jacobs in a radio interview she conducted on Friday on "The Loose Cannons Show” on AM 570 KLAC. "Those scores shouldn’t happen in the championships. You want to see the top players play each other. That’s the only way the fans will tune in."

The former World No. 1 conducted the interview to promote her appearance in the inaugural Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, Dec. 8, at The Riviera Tennis Club. Grand Slam champions Seles, Jennifer Capriati and Luke and Murphy Jensen, actor David Duchovny and musician Gavin Rossdale are among the tennis and entertainment stars scheduled to join the host Jensens for the event.

Seles touched on several tennis topics in the interview including:

* On being stabbed at a match April 30, 1993 in Hamburg, Germany: "I was only 19 when I got stabbed. It would never have happened in any other sport. I said to myself, `Why me,’ but I was proud of myself that I was able to move on and to get back to the sport that I loved and adore. That to me was the final triumph after a few bad years."

* On the lack of punishment to her attacker: "I really felt that I could not justify in my own brain someone stabs you in front of 7,000 people, admits that he planned it, and never spends a night in jail. I don’t feel safe playing there (in Germany) again after what happened to me."

* On returning to tennis after her stabbing: "I was lucky. My mom and dad had really strong personalities and supported me. At the end of the day, the love I had for the game I started at 7 years old motivated me to come back. I never imagined I would make a great living and travel throughout the world. I started playing tennis because I loved it. I tell kids, `don’t look at the fame and the money. Play tennis because you love it.’ I missed it."

* On not hearing from other players after her stabbing: "The women's tour is very competitive. There’s a lot of money at stake. It is what it is. It was very unfortunate. It changed my career and it changed Stefi’s (Graf). That’s life. It is a business."

* On playing in the 1998 French Open after her dad, Karoly, died: "My dad passed away a couple days before the French (Open). I thought, `What would my dad want me to do?’ He battled cancer. I thought, `follow your heart,’ and my heart told me to go out and play for my dad. He was a cartoonist. He always saw the lighter side of everything. Part of me said stay home, but I knew that was not what my dad would have wanted."

* On her dad’s coaching philosophy: "He saw the bigger picture of sports, instead of just win or lose. He was human. Sports is a business and cutthroat and people will do anything to win, but I was lucky I had my dad as my coach and he never put pressure on me. Win or lose, the love he gave me was the same. Sadly I see too many cases are the other way now."

* On the state of women’s tennis: "(Justine) Henin has on average dominated the (WTA) tour, but if you look at the championships in Madrid, you see Henin beat (Marion) Bartoli 6-0, 6-0. Those scores shouldn’t happen in the championships. You want to see the top players play each other. That’s the only way the fans will tune in."

* On tennis players having shorter careers due to other distractions: "It’s harder now. You have to be a multi-media athlete. You have to look good, speak well and do all the off the court stuff. In the old days, we did much less. Tennis is a brutal sport. We play 10 and a half months a year. It’s hard to stay injury-free. A lot of the top players struggle with that. Roger (Federer) has a different game. It doesn’t take as much out of him as Serena (Williams). Roger has played every Grand Slam since 1999. That statistic alone is amazing."

* On becoming a U.S. citizen in 1994: "It was the happiest day of my life. Playing in the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 and representing our country was the biggest honor I’ve ever had. It surpasses all the tournaments I played in."


Expected to join Seles, Capriati, Duchovny, Rossdale and the Jensens are former UCLA star Justin Gimelstob, former WTA Tour player Carling Bassett-Seguso and Robert Seguso, actors Scott Foley, Donna Mills and Eric Braeden, as well as other stars from sports, television, music and film. The fun-filled day of tennis and an "Evening with the Stars" gala will raise money for a number of Jensen designated youth-oriented charities, including Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down Syndrome, the National Down Syndrome Society and The Riviera Foundation.

The Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic gets underway with a tennis pro-am from 9-11:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, followed by a kids’ clinic from noon-1:30 p.m. A pro-celebrity tennis exhibition will be played from 1:30-4:30 p.m. The activities climax with the "Evening with the Stars" gala from 7-11 p.m. at The Riviera Country Club. The gala will feature top entertainment and a live auction.

"I'm honored to be asked to co-host the Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic," said Luke Jensen. "It's going to be a special day and night that will benefit three great causes and we are especially excited to have Monica join us for the event."

The Jensen Brothers designated youth organizations, including the Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down Syndrome, will help meet the sport specific needs of children and young adults with Down Syndrome and other special needs. In addition to meeting sport specific needs, the other designated organizations will use multiple avenues in assisting special needs and disadvantaged children.

For more information on the Bank of the West Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, please phone C & H Events at (888) 85-YOUTH. For tickets to the exhibition, please phone 877-888-6433.
 

rommil

Legend
Great to hear from her but some of the questions the asked we already know the answers. Maybe they could have asked Monica her plans about playing on the tour.
 

superstition

Hall of Fame
I'm not sure what her point is about the Henin-Bartoli match, since Bartoli beat Henin at Wimbledon and bagels happened in the past. Evert blew out Navratilova once, something like 6-1 6-0 even, and many consider Navratilova to be the greatest female player ever. Even the greats have bad days and Bartoli is coping with overtraining and overeating. Her father wanted her to put on weight because he said she "lacked energy" when she slimmed down. Ugh.
 

rommil

Legend
^ I think she's refering to the year end championships caliber in that specific sentence. Seles was double bageled by Hingis too in Florida(although she was injured). I'm not familiar on the tournament with Navratilova and Evert you referencing.
 
I think she meant in this time and age, with the type of money, and competition on the WTA, there shouldn't be that type of tennis being displayed at the championships. But, I am really happy to hear from Monica, even if it's some stuff that we already know.
 

Warriorroger

Hall of Fame
At the greatest tennis stage, a certain player lost 6/0, 6/1 in 1989 against Steffi Graf. uhmm, I believe a certain number one lost 6/1, 6/2 at Wimbledon 1992 against Steffi Graf. She has no right to say that of Bartolli, she should critize Williams for again showing up injured.
 

FedSampras

Semi-Pro
At the greatest tennis stage, a certain player lost 6/0, 6/1 in 1989 against Steffi Graf. uhmm, I believe a certain number one lost 6/1, 6/2 at Wimbledon 1992 against Steffi Graf.

At the greatest events between 1990-1993 before the Gunter KNIFE intervention, #1 Seles thrashed #2 Steffi Graff by winning 8 slams compared to the german's 2 , Seles also led 3-1 h2h at the of finals of the greatest events uhhhhhm

How can we forget PEAK Graff LOSING BADLY to the great Amanda Coetzer 6-0 6-1 in Germany of all places in 1997.... ROFLMAO

PEAK Graff also lost badly to OVER THE HILL Evert 6-2, 6-1 at Hilton Head, 6-2, 6-3 at the French, uhmmmmm

OVER THE HILL Navratilova also beat PEAK Graff 6-2, 6-3 at the 1985 US Open as well as a solid arse beating at the WTA Championships 6-2, 6-2, uhmmmmmmmmmm:D
 

FedSampras

Semi-Pro
She has no right to say that of Bartolli, she should critize Williams for again showing up injured.

But Graff has all the right to say in 2004 that the "current level women's tennis has sunk".....??? uhmmmmmm

Funny that she made this comment considering that the WORST LEVEL of play in the history of women's tennis was during her second "reign" in 1993 after the true#1 player was stabbed by a Grafan. Graff beat arguably the weakest fields ever in 93, 95, and 96, when she racked up 10 of her slam titles.

And back in 88-89 her top competition was two 33 year olds, MN and CE.

The only time she faced great, young competition was between 90-93 (Seles) and during that time she won almost NOTHING... uhmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
Last edited:

rommil

Legend
You know, you 2(yeah you) have a way of derailing this post into a Steffi vs Monica debacle. Listen, it has been years since the rivalry was finished. Steffi already has a family and kids, Monica is happy with her life. Why don't you get a clue from these two and MOVE ON(or just stay in the former pros section at least).
 

ATPballkid

Professional
At the greatest tennis stage, a certain player lost 6/0, 6/1 in 1989 against Steffi Graf. uhmm,

Q:Steffi say 20 years from now when someone looks at the record books and sees that you have won 3/4 slam. If someone mentions that to you would you say thank you or would you say yeah but I did it without the best player being around?

Graf: I dont Know
 
Q:Steffi say 20 years from now when someone looks at the record books and sees that you have won 3/4 slam. If someone mentions that to you would you say thank you or would you say yeah but I did it without the best player being around?

Graf: I dont Know

Sounds about as honest of an answer she could come up with, given the circumstances.
 

dunlopfan

Rookie
Did she say Capriati was coming? I thought she couldn't raise her arm up to a certain height without getting pain surges in her arm and shoulder. I really hope that Jennifer is finally injury free and is on track for a comeback in 2008.
 

superstition

Hall of Fame
I'm not familiar on the tournament with Navratilova and Evert you referencing.
I didn't go through all the results, but found these from a DVD site.

1981  Amelia Island Murjani WTA Championships F -  Evert Lloyd d. Navratilova  60 60

1983  Virginia Slims Championships of NY F -  Navratilova d. Evert Lloyd  62 60
Bagels bagels, all around. The Evert-Navratilova rivalry was considered perhaps the greatest in women's tennis and look at those scores. Both players hold records, and Navratilova is considered by many to be the greatest female player in history. Again, I don't see Seles' point regarding Bartoli.
 

ninman

Hall of Fame
I didn't go through all the results, but found these from a DVD site.


Bagels bagels, all around. The Evert-Navratilova rivalry was considered perhaps the greatest in women's tennis and look at those scores. Both players hold records, and Navratilova is considered by many to be the greatest female player in history. Again, I don't see Seles' point regarding Bartoli.

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/...asp?PlayerID=140007&x=10&y=11&Player1ID=50020

checked that and didn't see a 6-0,6-0, but have noticed that Evert was something crazy like 15-1 ahead against Navratilova at one point.
 

superstition

Hall of Fame
I remember Navratilova said when she lost (something like 6-1, 6-0) against Evert is was a real kick in the pants. That may be part of the reason she went the super fitness route (along with Nancy Lieberman's "you're wasting your potential" kick in the pants).

The bottom line is that players, even the greats, have off days and sometimes get lax. Sometimes they have personal problems (like Martina's breakup).
 

ninman

Hall of Fame
I remember Navratilova said when she lost (something like 6-1, 6-0) against Evert is was a real kick in the pants. That may be part of the reason she went the super fitness route (along with Nancy Lieberman's "you're wasting your potential" kick in the pants).

After the 6-0,6-0 defeat she won 17 of the next 19 times that they played each other.
 
Top