“Living in the vacuum of being a tennis prodigy had a strange effect on me. While I was still emotionally a few years behind my peers, I had no problems relating to adults. It was like a skipped over adolescence and never learned how to relate to people my own age… It was a strange universe I was living in.”
The writing sounds very much like that of a bubbly young woman who has matured. The 48 chapters are packed into 270 pages, making for a very quick read. Even if the reader knew nothing about Seles’ history, the fact that the chapter titled “In the Zone” is followed immediately by one titled “Derailed” provides a big hint about just how suddenly her dominance over women’s tennis was cut short by a crazed fan with a knife.
By the end of the book, Seles has overcome her food issues, but doesn’t lay claim to that merely because she achieved her long-held goal weight. Instead, she explains it as,
“There were things--a lot of things--that I didn’t have control over. Being stabbed, my dad’s cancer, an unjust court ruling, losing my number one ranking, losing endorsements, losing two and a half years of my career, losing the peak of my playing days, my dad dying, the critical and hurtful comments people made--these were all things that I couldn’t control...Once I let go of the things I couldn’t control, an enormous amount of space opened up in my mind and the things I could control suddenly became clear. How I chose to move my body, what I chose to put into my mouth, how I chose to view myself, and what I chose to do with the rest of my life were the things I did have control over.”
If you are a Seles fan, this inspirational story will likely install her as a permanent favorite.
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Book Review: Getting a Grip by Monica Seles
Book Review: Getting a Grip by Monica Seles
Written by Scott Minor
The subtitle of Monica Seles’ autobiography gives away the main subject. Rather than retelling her amazing on-court achievements, her nine Grand Slam titles and 53 overall tournament singles victories, the book concentrates on the years in the player’s adult life, which Monica spent obsessing over her body image and following (yet fearing) strict workout regimes, yet sabotaging her efforts by overeating. Seles tells of her dramatic swings between draconian diets and junk food binges in the car between the local convenience store and home (so all wrappers and other evidence could be disposed of before her return).The focus of the book is also tipped by the back cover blurbs: quotes from the authors of You: The Owner’s Manual and Quantum Wellness are placed above recommendations by Serena Williams and Billie Jean King.The autobiography has something for the casual tennis fan, the devout Selesian, and for any reader who can identify with feeling out of control regarding food or other substances. Monica fondly recalls a happy childhood in Novi Sad, some grueling years at the Bolletieri Academy, then breaking onto the pro tour. Seles candidly recounts the awful stabbing incident in Germany and its aftermath, her return to the tour, suffering through foot and leg injuries, and then her life after retirement, including her brief stint on Dancing With The Stars
Readers looking for dramatic and detailed recaps of key matches may be left wanting more from Getting a Grip. Several memorable matches receive only a few paragraphs of coverage each. Instead, Seles often tells specific stories about what she ate but hid from her trainers, and about her concerns over her weight and appearance at different points in her life. Seles does frequently share how she felt before a tournament, or following a pivotal win or loss. Some selections may surprise you, like the unexpected boost Seles got from playing a small event in Oklahoma City relatively late in her career. Other moments provide for reflection, like the celebration dinner following her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.