It was a tough lesson to learn for a nineteen year old. Her father, Karolj Seles, was the anti-tennis father, the exception amidst a crowd of money-hungry entrepreneurs pushing their sons and daughters for that extra endorsement, that last exhibition. He was a gentle man, a cartoonist who drew caricatures on tennis balls to get young Monica to focus on the ball when she hit her punishing groundstrokes.

When she lost him, she lost her way for a while. He was, undoubtedly, her greatest inspiration. But I wonder, who inspires her now? So many kids look up to her, but who can she admire that has possibly experienced as much as she has? This time, she doesn't hesitate.

"Nelson Mandela, definitely. And I also think Mother Theresa. She just gave so much to the world. And unfortunately, there are not too many people like her anymore."

Monica never had a rebellious phase. She's always been this mature, this clear-headed about what she thinks is important in life. How can it be possible? In an era where Anna Kournikova, Martina Hingis, and the Williams sisters constantly embarrass themselves with their overwhelming (and often unwarranted) arrogance, Seles never seemed the subject of negative attention. And she knows why.

"You know, I give such credit to my parents for raising me the way they did. I never did go through that kind of phase."

Does she miss the fact she didn't get a typical childhood or get to go to college? She admits, "I still do wish I could have gone to school. You know, I still can go whenever I want. It will be very different, I'm sure." She lets out the trademark giggle. "But I still have that choice."

And what of the future? In most other sports -football, basketball, and golf, for instance -the top professionals all have families, kids, the whole package. In tennis, the unbelievably demanding full-year schedule makes it almost impossible for players to have stable family lives until after they're retired.

Monica agrees but can't really see what's in store for her after putting down the racket. "At this age, you know, I just have no idea. I'm still so young, just 25. I have no idea what's in the future. I just hope to enjoy the present."