Monica Seles

Since 2009, Monica Seles has been in a relationship with Tom Golisano, a wealthy American businessman who is 32 years older than her. In June 2014, the couple announced their engagement.

Monica Seles was born on December 2, 1973, in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, to Karolj Seles, a cartoonist, and his wife, Ester, a computer programmer. She was the second child of her Hungarian parents with an elder brother, Zoltan.

Coached by her father, Seles started playing tennis at the age of five. She used an unorthodox method, one that consists of using both hands to hit her forehand and backhand shots which allowed her to put more power into her game.

As she grew up, Seles came to be recognized as a child prodigy and won numerous tennis championships including the European 12-and-under championship, at the age of 10. Later, she participated in an American junior tournament where she was spotted by the tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri, who offered to train her.

Thereafter, the family moved to United States for Seles’ career and she worked hard to excel in tennis, at Nick’s academy for the next two years. By the age of 13, Seles became the No. 1 junior tennis player in the world.

Monica Seles turned professional at the age of 15, and won her first career title in May 1989, defeating Chris Evert in the final. The following month, she reached the semifinals of the French Open but lost to then world number one women tennis player, Steffi Graf, and earned a number six ranking by the end of her first year.

The following season, Seles recorded win in 6 consecutive tournaments including the Lipton Player's Championships, the U.S. Hard Court Championships, the Eckerd Open, the Italian Open, and the Lufthansa Cup where she defeated Graf in the final.

Subsequently, Seles went on to register her first Grand Slam victory when she won the 1990 French Open, defeating Graf in the final. At the age of 16, Seles also became the youngest player ever to win the Roland Garros tournament and concluded the year on the tour ranked world no. 2.

In 1991, the 17-year-old Seles dominated the women’s tennis by winning the Australian Open and made history upon becoming the youngest player to hold the world number one ranking. Subsequently, she defended her French Open title and registered victories in many tournaments including the U.S. Open, her third Grand Slam title of the year.

In 1992, she asserted her dominance at the women’s game and successfully defended her Grand Slam titles, winning the Australian Open, the French Open and the U.S. Open. Between January 1991 and February 1993, Seles captured wins in 33 of the 34 tournaments she entered.

In 1990, Seles became the youngest-ever French Open champion, at the age of 16, an accomplishment she still holds. She also holds the record of simultaneously winning 3 consecutive Australian Open and French Open titles, between 1990 and 1993.