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Monica Seles 2025: Net Worth, Career Overview, Earnings, Stats

Modified date: June 12, 2025, 2:46 AM EDT

Monica Seles is a former world No. 1 professional tennis player who represented Yugoslavia and the United States. She won 9 Grand Slam singles titles, 8 of them as a teenager while representing Yugoslavia, and the final one while representing the United States.

You can follow Monica Seles’s biography, personal details, career overview, husband, net worth, prize money, career earnings, endorsements, stats, achievements, and more here.

Monica Seles’s Biography

Detail	Information
Full Name	Monica Seles
Birth Date	December 2, 1973
Height	5’10 1/2″ (1.79 m)
Birthplace	Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
Nationality	American (formerly Yugoslav)
Turned Professional	February 13, 1989
Current Net Worth	$50 million
Relationship Status	Married
Husband	Tom Golisano
Instagram Profile	@monicaseles10s

Monica Seles was born on December 2, 1973, in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). She was born into an ethnic Hungarian family, with her parents being Ester and Karolj (Eszter and Károly in Hungarian).

Seles has an older brother named Zoltan (Zoltán in Hungarian). Seles began playing tennis at the age of 5, coached by her father, who was a professional cartoonist.

Early Career

In 1985, at just 11 years old, Monica Seles won the Junior Orange Bowl tournament in Miami, Florida, catching the attention of tennis coach Nick Bollettieri.

In 1986, at just 12 years old, Seles and her brother Zoltan moved to the United States to train at Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Florida.

Monica Seles played her first professional tournament as an amateur in 1988 at age 14.

Professional Career

Monica Seles turned professional on February 13, 1989, at the age of 15. She won her first career title in Houston in May 1989, defeating Chris Evert in the final. In 1990, at the age of 16 years, Seles became the youngest-ever French Open champion.

From 1991 to 1993, Seles dominated the sport, winning 22 titles and reaching 33 finals out of the 34 tournaments she played. During this period, she won 3 Australian Open titles, 2 US Open titles, and 2 French Open titles.

She won 8 Grand Slam singles titles before turning 20 and was the year-end world No. 1 in 1991 and 1992. Her record in Grand Slam tournaments was an astounding 55-1, with her only defeat coming in the 1992 Wimbledon final against Steffi Graf.

However, her career was tragically interrupted on April 30, 1993, when she was stabbed during a match in Hamburg, Germany. After a two-year hiatus, Seles returned to tennis in 1995, winning her 9th Grand Slam title at the 1996 Australian Open.

Throughout her career, Seles won a total of 53 singles titles, including 9 Grand Slam championships. She was ranked World No. 1 for 178 weeks and finished her career with an impressive win-loss record of 595-122 in singles matches.

She played her last professional match at the 2003 French Open but didn’t officially retire until February 2008.

Husband

Monica Seles is the wife of Tom Golisano, an American businessman and philanthropist. The couple tied the knot in 2014.

Golisano is well-known for his role in developing Paychex, a payroll and human resources company.

Monica Seles’s Net Worth Details

Monica Seles’s net worth is estimated to be $50 million as of 2025. This wealth comes from her successful tennis career, prize money, endorsements, and post-retirement ventures.

Prize Money

Year	Earnings ($)
1990	1,637,222
1991	2,422,206
1992	2,622,352
1993	437,588
1994	0
1995	397,010
1996	1,154,499
1997	914,020
1998	1,021,672
1999	744,741
2000	1,140,850
2001	627,211
2002	1,096,630
2003	276,213

Career Earnings

Monica Seles earned approximately $14.9 million in prize money during her playing career.

In addition to her on-court earnings, Seles also made a substantial income from sponsorships and endorsements, estimated at around $13 million.

Endorsements

Monica Seles has been associated with several major brands throughout her career and after retirement. Her endorsements include:

Nike
Wilson
Fila
Prince
Health and wellness brands
Shire Pharmaceuticals

Career Stats

Statistic	Value
Singles Titles	53
Doubles Titles	6
Grand Slam Singles Titles	9
Weeks at World No. 1	178
Career Win-Loss Record (Singles)	595-122
Career Win-Loss Record (Doubles)	89-45

Achievements

Youngest-ever French Open champion (1990, age 16)
9 Grand Slam singles titles
53 career singles titles
178 weeks as World No. 1
Bronze Medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009

FAQs

1. How many Grand Slam singles titles did Monica Seles win?

Monica Seles won nine Grand Slam singles titles: four Australian Opens (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996), three French Opens (1990, 1991, 1992), and two US Opens (1991, 1992). She also reached the Wimbledon final in 1992 and the French Open final in 1998.

2. What happened during the 1993 on-court stabbing incident?

On April 30, 1993, during a match in Hamburg, a spectator obsessed with Steffi Graf stabbed Seles in the back with a knife. The attack forced her into a 27-month hiatus from tennis, during which she battled depression and an eating disorder. The incident derailed her dominance in the sport.

3. What made Monica Seles’s playing style unique?

Seles revolutionized women’s tennis with her aggressive baseline play, using two-handed forehand and backhand strokes to generate exceptional power. She was known for her loud grunting, sharp angles, and relentless intensity. Her style influenced future power players like Serena Williams.

4. How successful was Seles after her 1995 comeback?

Seles won her first comeback tournament (1995 Canadian Open) and claimed her ninth Grand Slam at the 1996 Australian Open. However, she struggled to consistently replicate her pre-stabbing dominance, finishing as runner-up at three additional majors (1995–96 US Open, 1998 French Open).

5. When did Monica Seles retire from professional tennis?

Seles played her last professional match at the 2003 French Open and officially retired in 2008 due to chronic foot injuries. She ended her career with 53 singles titles and 178 weeks ranked world No. 1.

6. What is Monica Seles’s legacy in tennis history?

Seles is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, with many experts believing she could have surpassed Steffi Graf’s records without the stabbing. She pioneered power-based baseline play and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009.

7. Did Monica Seles win an Olympic medal?

Yes, she won a bronze medal in singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics while representing the United States. She also helped the U.S. win the Fed Cup in 1996 and 2000.

8. What records did Monica Seles hold?

She became the youngest French Open champion at 16 years old (1990) and held the No. 1 ranking for 178 weeks. From 1991–93, she won 22 titles in 34 tournaments and had a 55–1 Grand Slam match record during that stretch.

9. What has Monica Seles done since retiring?

Post-retirement, Seles became a bestselling author (Getting a Grip), motivational speaker, and mental health advocate. She also serves on the Laureus World Sports Academy and supports youth development through sports.

10. Why was Monica Seles’s grunting controversial?

Her loud grunts drew frequent complaints from opponents, including Martina Navratilova and Nathalie Tauziat, who argued it disrupted their focus. Despite criticism, Seles maintained the habit, which became a trademark of her high-intensity play.