During the early '90s, Monica Seles was one of the top female tennis players in the world. The International Tennis Hall of Fame member put together an outstanding run from 1990-1992, winning the French Open, Australian Open, and US Open on numerous occasions, as well as Wimbledon in '92. With a total of nine Grand Slam titles in three years, Seles was one of the most promising females in the game of tennis. Seles had also developed a competitive rivalry with Steffi Graf, defeating her in three of four Grand Slam finals.
Then, on April 30, 1993, a tragedy occurred when a crazed Steffi Graf fan rushed the court during a quarterfinal match of the Citizen Cup and stabbed Seles between her shoulder blades. The stabbing sent waves of controversy through the tennis world and legal system, and Seles ended up out of action for years. Later, in 2011, Seles explained that she would never play in Germany again: "From the time I was stabbed, I think the security hasn’t changed. What people seem to be forgetting is that this man stabbed me intentionally and he did not serve any sort of punishment for it. I would not feel comfortable going back. I don't foresee that happening."
Like a true champion, Seles eventually rallied back, returning to the courts on July 29, 1995, where she defeated Martina Naratilova in a triumphant comeback. The following month, Seles won the Canadian Open, marking the beginning of a successful rebound.
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