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Former World No. 1 Monica Seles once discussed how being in the spotlight affected her, comparing her situation to that of fellow tennis player Anna Kournikova.
Seles made headlines when she won her first Grand Slam title at the 1990 French Open, defeating Steffi Graf in the final. She was just 16 years and six months old when she lifted the trophy, making her the youngest champion in Roland-Garros history to date.
The American continued to stay in the limelight, clinching eight of her nine Grand Slam titles before turning 20. However, she faced many challenges due to her early fame, as she explained in an interview with Sportstar in 2003.
Monica Seles recalled a specific incident during Wimbledon 1991 when she withdrew from the tournament without explanation. The media criticized her, speculating she considered herself bigger than the game and that her hitting partner had gotten her pregnant, among other things.
"A few things happened all at once, it was weird," Seles said. "I skipped that Wimbledon [1991]. The press made a huge issue out of it, and for the first time I experienced their power. It was a huge controversy and the rumours and accusations were flying."
"They said I thought I was bigger than the game, I wanted to be a starlet and not a tennis player, my hitting partner had made me pregnant. Some of that was really hurtful," she added.
Seles also stated that there were no negative rumors about her before the SW19 incident, only a few things like wanting a Lamborghini and coloring her hair. The then-30-year-old then proceeded to compare her situation to that of another controversial tennis player, Anna Kournikova.
"In perspective, I was a 16-year-old on top of the tennis world. I liked fashion and I was outgoing, it was quite a mixture. Also, I would say stuff like. 'I'm going to get a Lamborghini.' You know, it was kind of fantasy. I never really wanted one," Seles said.
"My tennis was so good but there was no crazy father, no controversial boyfriend. Everything was very smooth, very private. The only thing out there was that I was colouring my hair, and I wanted a Lamborghini. The only other player I've seen going through anything like that has been Anna (Kournikova), and she's different from me," the nine-time Grand Slam champion added.
Monica Seles: "When I regret not having been a normal teenager, I remind myself that at that age I could go to any concert"
Monica Seles mentioned that there were a few advantages of being in the spotlight as well, such as being able to attend a fashion show whenever and wherever she wanted.
Seles said (via the aforementioned interview):
"I never got into playing that game or doing things for the press. But I did enjoy some of it. If I was in Milan and I happened to say I wanted to go to a fashion show, boom, the next thing they'd call up Armani and you're at the fashion show. As a kid, you think, 'Oh wow!'"
The four-time Australian Open champion also shared that whenever she regretted not having a "normal" teenage life, including not being able to go to prom, she reminded herself that she could attend concerts and meet musicians as per her wish.
"So at times when I regret not having been a normal teenager who went to the prom, I remind myself that at that age I could go to any concert and meet the musicians afterward. And that was just because I was Monica Seles," Seles said.
