Monica Ceres Discusses Her Journey with Myasthenia

Monica Ceres was the first to recognize the symptoms of myasthenia, an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular function, during a recent chat with the Associated Press.

“I was playing with some kids and, honestly, I missed the ball. It was like, ‘Yeah, I see two balls.’ Those are symptoms you really can’t ignore,” Celes recounted. “This was the start of my journey, and it took me quite a while to truly process it and talk about it openly.”

At 51 years old, Ceres achieved her first major title at the French Open when she was just 16 and last played professionally in 2003. She revealed that she was diagnosed with myasthenia three years ago, making her public revelation ahead of the upcoming US Open, which kicks off on August 24.

The National Institute of Neuropathy and Stroke describes myasthenia as “a chronic neuromuscular disease that leads to sudden muscle weakness.” This condition primarily affects young adult women under 40 and older men over 60, though it can manifest at any age, even in children.

Ceres admitted she was unfamiliar with the illness until she began experiencing symptoms like double vision and arm weakness, which led her to consult a doctor and then a neurologist.

“When I got my diagnosis, I was in disbelief, like, ‘What?’” Celes shared, referencing the “It’ll be bigger” campaign. “I truly want someone out there like me to discuss it.”

It’s been 30 years since Celes last competed at the 1995 US Open, and just over two years since she was attacked by a man with a knife during a tournament in Hamburg, Germany, yet she still made it to the finals.

Reflecting on her return to competition, Celes said, “The way the New York fans welcomed me… after my stabbing, I’ll never forget those moments.”

Recently, she talked about adapting to what she calls her “new normal,” viewing her health as another chapter in a life filled with necessary adjustments.

“From the perspective of tennis, I had to reset my approach—like, hard reset—multiple times. I think about my first hard reset when I moved to the US at just 13 years old from Yugoslavia. Not knowing the language and leaving my family was tough. And then there were my stab wounds—another huge reset,” Celes explained.

“Now, being diagnosed with myasthenia, it feels like yet another reset. I keep telling my kids, ‘You have to keep adjusting. That ball is bouncing off, and you just have to adapt,’” she added. “That’s exactly what I’m doing now.”