By Matt Baron, Inside Edge PR

Next month, Monica Seles will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 

At the same time, she is donating all of her career trophies—including those she received in nine Grand Slam titles during her storied career—to the Hall of Fame site in Newport, Rhode Island.

Her motive is to help inspire youngsters. On Saturday at Five Seasons Sports Club in Northbrook, she stirred youngsters and adults with advice about the game that brought her global fame—as well with insights about how to overcame adversity that happens off the court, 

In recognition of her efforts, Greg Handzel, co-organizer of a charity tournament that Five Seasons hosts, gave Seles a trophy. She said she would keep the memento, which recognized her donating time and service to support the 10th annual Handzel Open.

Seles was also gracious in signing autographs, posing for photographs, playing a handful of light-hearted points with Five Seasons tennis pros, and offering tips on tennis fundamentals to dozens of junior players at the club, 1300 Techny Road.

Her 2 ½-hour visit began with a talk inside the club’s café to a crowd of about 75, including many junior players who are among the premier Illinois competitors in their age groups. She urged them to pursue the game for the love of it, and to remember that sacrifice is part of any successful journey.

“The most important thing is have fun with what you do…and make sure you work hard at it,” said Seles. “I was lucky enough to find that passion early on. That was a big part of my life, and now I’m trying to discover what my next passion is after tennis.”

Seles also fielded questions on variety of topics: 

*On her induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame:

“It’s a great honor because as a little kid back in my former country of Yugoslavia, picking up a racquet at 7, I never imagined where it would take me…. I just wish my father (Karolj), who was really one of the main reasons I loved playing sports, was here to see it. But I know his sprit is there.”

*On focus: 

Seles said that maintaining focus was one of her strengths. One time, when a reporter asked if Maria Sharapova’s grunting bothered her, Seles reacted with surprise.

“I said, `What?’ I didn’t even notice she was grunting,” Seles recalled. “I was just so in my world about playing the point. If I lost the point or lost the game, I was like `OK, I want to win the next one.’”

*On the adrenaline and excitement that comes with playing in big matches: 

“There’s no feeling like walking out there, especially like the U.S. Open or Wimbledon, and it’s the finals, and you know the margins are so small between you and the other player. You’re hoping, hoping that you play your best tennis that day. Sometimes I was able, sometimes I wasn’t.”

*On overcoming her off-the-court battles, particularly with her weight, which rose from 135 pounds to more than 170 during her final years on the professional tour:

Echoing what she notes in her recently published memoir, “Getting A Grip: On My Body, My Mind, My Self,” Seles told the crowd about “a very dark period” when she “was not a happy camper.”

In 1993, at the height of her career, a deranged man stabbed her during a match in Germany. Two years later, she mounted a comeback. Around that time, her father, with whom she was extremely close, died of cancer.

“My main goal was to inspire people out there who are struggling with their weight and who are going from one diet to the other, as I had done for nine years,” said Seles. “I just became a happier person out of it, but most importantly I hope the book also inspires whoever picks it up to be the best that they can be.”

During her visit, Seles met Agata Jurkowska and her 4-year-old son, Jon. They are from Poland, and he recently underwent successful surgery in Chicago that was paid for by the Gift From the Heart Foundation, the Handzel Open beneficiary.

The organization facilitates the medical treatment of seriously ill and disabled children from Poland and Eastern Europe, who do not have any chance for such treatment in their own countries.

“It’s a chance for more children to get treatment in this country,” said Izabela Rybak, treasurer of the Gift From the Heart Foundation. “It’s wonderful what they’re doing.”

Over the last decade, the Handzel Open has raised about $40,000 to help a variety of causes.

Jacek Dabrowski, a tennis pro at Five Seasons, and Greg Handzel, an insurance broker, are the event organizers. They expressed deep gratitude for Seles’ support of the cause.

“Monica is not only a champion on the tennis court, but in life,” said Dabrowski. “Everyone was so impressed with her genuine heart to help and her down-to-earth spirit.”

This is the fourth year that Five Seasons has hosted the Handzel Open. Matches in various divisions are based on gender, age and skill level. The tournament began on Friday, June 5, and concludes with finals on Sunday, June 14.

To see video clips of Seles’ visit, go to www.youtube.com and type “Monica Seles Five Seasons” into the search engine. For more information, visit Five Seasons online at www.fiveseasonssportsclub.com and the Handzel Open at www.handzelopen.com.

You can also see a Triblocal photo gallery featuring a variety of images from Seles' visit.