Monica Seles. Knife in the back

There have been many events, objects and personalities in the history of tennis that have changed the perception of the sport and made the sport itself change. American Tennis columnist Steve Tinyor talks about the attack on Monica Seles - an event that came as a shock to many sports fans and turned the course sports history in the 1990s.

It is known that history does not tolerate the subjunctive mood. However, the question of what would have happened if Monica Seles had been given the opportunity to face Steffi Graf for a lifetime remains one of the most pressing questions for tennis fans. Really, in this case, everyone would talk about the records of the Yugoslav-American, and the outstanding season-1988 performed by the German would be forgotten? The possibility of knowing the answer to this question was canceled out with one blow. And unfortunately, it was not applied with a racket.

“This story is considered the loudest and least understood by experts in history. Who would ever think of stabbing a player? More precisely, who could decide to attack a nineteen-year-old girl with a 30-centimeter knife while she is performing in front of a huge audience?

It turned out to be Günter Parhe, who, thanks to the attention of the press, went down in history forever as "a crazy fan of Steffi Graf." Gunther was a fat and shaggy man who dreamed of helping his favorite athlete beat her younger opponent and return to the 1st line of the world rankings. And he succeeded in a terrible way to accomplish this mission. Parhe's violent intervention in the Hamburg tournament in April 1993 would force Seles out of the Tour for two years. When Monica decides to return to the court, there will be no trace of the former indomitability of her actions, while the Earl will indeed return to the top of the world rankings and win eleven more Slams. And Gunther will be recognized as mentally unstable and will never go to jail. Because of this, Seles will forever refuse to travel to Germany.

Probably the worst moment in this story (of course, if you do not take into account the harm caused to the health and psyche of the girl) is the fact that in 1993 it seemed that there was no tennis player who could compete with Monica, who, after winning 7 majors, looked capable repeat the achievement of his main rival, having won the calendar "Grand Slam".

In 1990, at the age of 16, she became the youngest winner of the French Open, in 1991-1992. was the first racket of the world. There was no trace of the once obligatory aristocracy or femininity in her roundhouse kicks - Monica thrashed the ball from the heart with a two-handed forehand, while not embarrassing to growl at her opponents during the draws. Relying on her outstanding physique and incredible willpower for such a young age, Seles continued to fight her way to the top. It's no surprise that many modern players, including Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic, cite Monica Seles' playing style as a factor that has always inspired them.

If there is any moral or moral lesson in Monica's story, it is that it is almost impossible to understand what factors make a tennis player or any other athlete a true warrior. The player's psyche is an incomprehensible substance to an outsider. After that attack, Seles wasn't sure she would ever be able to return to the court. Over time, she managed to cope with her fears, but by that time she had already lost her former enthusiasm, thirst for victory and youthful desire to destroy every rival.

In addition, the physical data of Seles, which distinguished her from the rest of the participants in the Tour, also remained in the past. And if Parje's blows horrified tennis fans around the world, imagine the trauma they inflicted on the athlete herself, and think about how difficult it was for her to decide to face the packed stands again. After being attacked by a psycho from Germany, Monica realized that life is not only about matches. She was shaken out of her comfort zone in the most horrific way. But in that short, flaming and invincible period when she was in it, Monica changed women's tennis and raised the bar for future champions."

Monica Seles(Serb. Monica Seles, Monika Sele, Hung. Szeles Mnika, English Monica Seles; born December 2, 1973, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia) - the famous Yugoslav-American professional tennis player who played for both of these countries; former world number one. In 1986, she moved from Yugoslavia to the United States, and in 1994 she received the citizenship of this country. In 2007, Seles also received Hungarian citizenship, as her parents are ethnic Hungarians. She has 9 personal victories in Grand Slam tournaments, 4 of which relate to the Australian Open. In 1990, she became the youngest winner of the French Open. In 1991-1992 he was the first racket of the world.

In October 2007, the United Nations Intergovernmental Institutional Spirulina Program (IIMSAM), which advocates for the fight against malnutrition, appointed Monica Seles as its Goodwill Ambassador and Spokesperson for this organization.

Biography

Path to the heights

Monica Seles was born in the Yugoslav city of Novi Sad (now Serbia) on December 2, 1973, in a Hungarian family. Father - Karoy Seles (Hungarian Szeles Kroly), animator, mother - Esther Seles (Hungarian Szeles Eszter), programmer. At the age of 6, at the insistence and under the guidance of her father, she began to take tennis lessons. The original place for training was a car park behind the house, where a regular rope was used as a net, stretched between two cars. The family could not afford a professional trainer, and as study guide the magazine "World Tennis" The father painted a mouse character from the cartoon "Tom and Jerry" on the balls, and invited his daughter to imagine herself as a cat catching an annoying character.

Monica quickly learned to play well, and already at the age of 9 she managed to take the championship in youth championship Yugoslavia in tennis among girls under 12 years old. At the age of 10, she won the similar European Youth Championship, and at 12 she received the title of Yugoslav Sportswoman of the Year. At the age of 13, Monica went with her family to Florida, USA, where she took part in a local youth tournament. At the end of the competition, the family planned to return home, but here the famous coach Nick Bolletieri drew attention to her, who brought up such tennis players as Andre Agassi, James Courier, Marie Pierce and other first-rate stars. Nick later described his first meeting with Monica as follows:

He offered Monica a place at his Academy (Eng. Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy), but the condition was to move permanently to the United States. As a result, the parents decided to leave their former place of work and move to Florida with their daughter.

Professional career

In the fall of 1988, when Monica was 14, she achieved her first victory in a professional tournament, and in 1989 she completely switched to big sport. During this period, the outstanding German tennis player Steffi Graf dominated the courts, and the arrival of Seles changed the balance of power in world tennis in many ways. In May 1989, she managed to defeat Chris Evert in the final of the tournament in Houston, and although the latter took revenge in the same year at Open Championship USA, the beginning of a career was laid. In the same year, she managed to reach the semi-finals in France, but lost to the more experienced Steffi Graf. According to the results of the year, Monica took the sixth line in the world ranking. The same year, however, was marked by parting with Bollettieri: despite the obvious successes of Seles, her coach spent almost all the time with his other pupil, Andre Agassi, and as a result, annoyed by Kara Seles, he began to make public statements that only he himself was Monica's only real trainer. Bollettieri just as publicly denied allegations of insufficient attention paid to Seles. As a result, the IMG sports agency, which had significant influence in professional tennis, intervened, and in an interview organized by him, Monica Seles acknowledged the merits of Bollettieri in conciliatory terms, but emphasized that she now prefers to work with her father, who knows her better than anyone else.

Monica Seles- one of the most famous tennis players, previously playing for the United States and Yugoslavia. Born in 1973 in a small Yugoslav town on the banks of the Danube - Novi Sad. Monica began to learn the basics of tennis at the age of 5 years. Her father was her first coach. It was thanks to him that the girl mastered the technique of the famous two-handed strike.

At the age of 11, under the guidance of professional coach Jelena Gencic, Monica Seles won her first prestigious victory in a junior tournament - the Orange Bowl. There she was noticed by another famous coach - Nick Bolletier. Thanks to him, the Seles family moved to the United States and from this period the girl's career went uphill. In 1989, the girl received her first title, beating an experienced American tennis player, Chris Evert. At the age of 15, Seles Monica for the first time, participating in the Grand Slam tournament, was able to reach the semifinals, but lost to tennis player Steffi Graf.

Every year the young tennis player climbed higher and higher up the career ladder. In 1990, Monica Seles became the youngest champion of the tournament at the French Open. In 1991, she participated in the Australian Open tennis championship, was able to get around all her rivals and take the first line in the ranking. Further, despite the leg injury, followed by a triumph at the US Open tennis championship. There was the last Grand Slam tournament - Wimbledon tournament. But, despite all the efforts made, Monica did not manage to get around Steffi Graf.

In April 1993, the whole world learned about the Yugoslav-American tennis player Monica Seles. In Hamburg, at one of the tournaments of the Women's Tennis Association, Monica reached the quarterfinals with the Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva, displacing Steffi Graf. The outcome was already almost decided, Seles was on her way to victory. But after the seventh game, an unknown man entered the court and stabbed Monica one in the back. Thanks to the intervention of the guards, a second blow was avoided. In a hurry tennis player on wheelchair taken away from the court and sent to the hospital. Later it turned out that an unknown man wanted to assist Steffi Graf in winning the title of the first racket again.

The wound was not very serious, but psychologically Monica did not recover for a long time. She closed herself in her house for several months under close surveillance by cameras and guards. In Seles' recovery, doctors and a meeting with the legendary Mohammed Ali, who at that time himself was going through difficult times, played a big role.

After more than two years, Monica Seles was able to return to the court. She was able to win another championship at the Australian Open and bronze at Olympic Games in 2000. These were the last successful performances in her career. After the death of her father, tennis player Monica Seles did not show stable results.

As a result, since 2008, Monica Seles has officially ended her tennis career.

Monica Seles. Knife in the back

December 2 marks the 38th birthday of the famous Monica Seles. Her career can be easily divided into two parts - before and after. The knife in the hands of the psychopath Günter Parhe became the border.

April 30, 1993 about Monica Seles almost everyone knew. Even those who have never been interested in tennis or sports in general. In those sunny days, the WTA tournament was held in Hamburg, and Seles, who was in the first position in the ranking, was, of course, the main favorite of the competition. In the quarter-finals, Monica went to a duty victory over Magdalena Maleeva- 6:4, 4:3. Witnesses of that match recall that the audience was mostly rooting for the Bulgarian, and the Yugoslav was booed. Seles removed local favorite from the top step of the pedestal Steffi Graf, so the dislike of the Germans for Monica was quite understandable. And during the change of sides after the seventh game, the inexplicable happened: unexpectedly for everyone, an unknown man ran up to the tennis player from behind, who stuck a carving knife in her back. Luckily, the guards caught on quickly and managed to twist his arms behind his back before he landed a second blow. As it turned out, the potential killer was a German turner Günter Parche.

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Monica Seles

She was born on December 2, 1973 in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia.
She started playing tennis at the age of five.
Height: 178 cm. Left-handed. Two-handed strike left and right.
Start professional career: 1989 Completion: 2003.
Career Prizes: $ 14 891 762.
The highest position in the ranking- 1 (March 11, 1991)
In singles 595 wins and 122 losses.
Number of titles: 53.
Grand Slam tournaments (9 titles):
Australian Open- victory (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996) - 4 times.
Roland Garros - victory (1990, 1991, 1992) - 3.
Wimbledon Final (1992)
US Open - victory (1991, 1992) - 2.
Bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics.

IN doubles 89 wins and 45 losses.
Number of titles: 6.
Grand Slam Tournaments:
Australian Open - semi-finals (1991, 2001).
"Roland Garros" - third round (1990).
Wimbledon - quarter-finals (1999).
US Open - quarterfinals (1999).

19-year-old Monica was immediately placed in a wheelchair and taken off the court to the hospital. The arrested man said that he wanted to help Graf again become the first racket of the world, dispelling suspicions of a political motive for the crime - there was a version that the attack was connected with the Serbian roots of the tennis player. Recall that at that time there was a civil war in Yugoslavia. The court found Parhe mentally ill and ordered him to compulsory treatment. Alas, he realized his goal - thanks to his backstab, Graf returned to first place in the ranking, and Seles by and large she was never a rival again. Physically, Monica's injury was not too serious, but psychologically she managed to recover from the shock only after many months. The Yugoslav closed herself in her Colorado home, which was equipped with video cameras, alarms and high walls. The attending physician of the tennis player recalls that even there his patient did not feel safe - there was no question of going out somewhere or returning to training. " She was incredibly afraid. Monica was crying all the time and was nervous. It seemed to her that Parhe would again lie in wait for her somewhere. She didn't sleep well and suffered from nightmares.", - says the doctor Jerry May.

But just a few months before, Seles was the first racket of the world, who was destined for a great career. Monica was born in Novi Sad to an ethnic Hungarian family. At the age of five, under the guidance of her father Karol, she began to play tennis. It was he who developed for his daughter the technique of two-handed strikes both on the left and on the right. When her father's skills were not enough, Monika started working with professional trainer - Elena Gencic who was then working with Goran Ivanisevic, and later became even more famous as a mentor Novak Djokovic. At the age of 11, Monica won the most prestigious junior tournament, the Orange Bowl. This competition was held in Florida - right in front of the famous coach Nika Bollettieri who was just looking for new stars. A few months later, the whole family moved from Yugoslavia to the south of the United States. Two years at Uncle Nick's academy were very productive. Bollettieri improved what was already given to the tennis player by nature - Monica became even stronger and denser to hit the ball. pen trial in WTA tournaments took place in 88, and already in 89 Seles played a full season. In May, she won her first title, beating in the final in Houston not just anyone, but Chris Evert. A month later, the 15-year-old tennis player reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam for the first time, but lost on the courts of Roland Garros Steffi Graf.

The progress was incredibly fast: Seles immediately finished the year in sixth place and gained experience playing against Graf, Evert, Martina Navratilova, Aranci Sanchez Vicario and others. But the real explosion happened in season-90. Monica took revenge for a year-old setback against Graf at the French Open. Only now they met in the final. Having played four set points, the Yugoslavian won in two sets and became the youngest champion of this tournament. The victory in the Final Championship helped to finish the year on the second line. Further more. In January '91, Monica was the strongest on the courts of the Australian Open and pushed Graf to second place in the rankings. She also managed to defend the title in Paris, which made us think about repeating the record of Steffi, who in the 1988 season won a full-fledged Grand Slam. However, a leg injury prevented her from playing at Wimbledon. Monica missed a month and a half, but did not lose her shape at all - she won the two remaining major tournaments (US Open and Final), strengthening her position as the leader of the WTA tour.

Seles had an almost perfect year, but it turned out to be even better. She defended all three titles at the Slams, and reached the final at Wimbledon, but lost to Graf. At that moment, not without the help of a German woman and Martina Navratilova obstruction of Seles began in society due to the loud sounds that she made on exhalation after the blows. Yugoslav fans called it simple envy, and there was something to envy - in 25 months, their favorite won 22 titles, reaching the finals in 33 of the 34 tournaments played. Season '93 began as usual excellent - with the title in Melbourne. After a couple of months, Monica's career and life changed. Forever.

Psychologists, doctors, father and meeting with a boxer Muhammad Ali took action. 28 months after the tragedy, Seles returned to the court. From the first matches and tournaments, it seemed that the old Monica had returned - she immediately won the first category tournament in Canada and reached the US Open final, where she lost to Graf in the fight. Many believed that in the offseason, an American (Monica received US citizenship in 1995) would improve her physics and again delight fans of powerful and powerful tennis. Hopes were justified. Seles won her fourth Australian Open title, but this was the last major trophy. Monica was no longer able to do what she did perfectly in the early 90s - to approach the most important starts at the peak of her form. She alternated good results with failures and could no longer regularly show tennis. high level. Instability, among other things, was associated with a protracted illness, and then the death of her father from cancer. Despite the lack of success at the Slams, Seles played well in other competitions - she has a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics and three wins in the Federation Cup.

Monica spent her last full season in 2002. It was in that year that she showed her most stable results in 10 years. At all Grand Slam tournaments, she played at least in the quarterfinals, and in Australia she managed to go even further. The next season, the tennis player again began to worry about a leg injury. After losing to Nadezhda Petrova in the first round of Roland Garros (the only failure in starting match on " Grand Slam”) Seles decided to end her career. She intended to resume it in 2005 after two exhibition games with Martina Navratilova, and in 2007, when she was inspired by returning to tour Lindsay Davenport. However, in the end, Monica did not dare to re-enter the court in the WTA tour match.

In 2009, a rather candid autobiography was published, in which the tennis player recalled a terrible time for herself after being hit in the back, talked about her addiction to food, returning to the tour and life after tennis. Now Monica, though not so often, appears on television screens. In particular, she took part in the American version of the show Dancing with the Stars. And two years ago, she rightfully took her rightful place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Quotes.
“Personally, I divide my career into two parts. The first was before that unfortunate incident happened. The second is after.

“I felt terrible because I could not control such a simple thing as food. On the court, everyone saw that I can restrain emotions, control myself. But when it came to food, I couldn't stop."

“If Serena is healthy, then she will break all records. I understand that she is still quite far from 24 tournaments, but I think she has every chance, as she has the potential to become the greatest tennis player of all time. (March 2010).