Monica’s going to come back and she’s going to be awesome

Monica’s going to come back, and she’s going to be awesome.”Seles was rueful when asked if she was about to embark on the second half of her career “In some ways, yes,” she said. He realised he was talking off the top of his head, without anything to substantiate what he was saying.”But would she go into the match with mixed emotions, as a player and as a president. Every ball counts.”John McEnroe had sugg-ested during Wimbledon that it would be politic for Navratilova to allow Seles to win their match “I think it’s a bunch of baloney,” Seles said “It was a very ridiculous thought to cross his mind It was way out of line. I just had to laugh.”Navratilova said: “I think John has taken that remark back.

“You can practise a lot, but when you play a match it’s different. You feel the crowd and the pressure and become more anxious in making the points. I’ll try not to be afraid to go to the net, but get in there and be like a goalkeeper!”A light-hearted mood prevailed throughout the media conference given by Seles and Navratilova to publicise their match, which will take place on a fast Supreme carpet court in the 9,000-seat Atlantic City Convention Centre.”I’m sure I’ll be nervous, but excited, too,” Seles said. “I hope my serve will be a bit better because of my height,” she said, “and I’m going to try to volley better I’ll still stay back a lot, because I’m comfortable there. But when I practised with Martina she told me I’m volleying well This gives me a lot of confidence. An announcement will be made tomorrow or Friday, and full details will follow.”The most obvious physical change in the 21-year-old Seles is that she has grown by an inch and a half to 5ft 11in. There were some misunderstandings and misconceptions by the top players and their agents.

The bottom line is that the players do want Monica back, but don’t fully understand the ranking system. It would be insane not to have her seeded and have the possibility of her playing Steffi Graf or Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the first or second round of tournaments.”None of the players had a problem with Monica coming back co-seeded and co-ranked No1 for six tournaments They were not sure how it would work after six tournaments. Seles was the world No 1, with eight Grand Slam titles to her name, when her brilliant career was halted by Gunther Parche, a fanatical Graf supporter, during a change-over while playing in Hamburg in April 1993.”The only fair way was for Monica to come back as No 1, which is how she left,” Navratilova said “Her skills have not diminished. “To start at the US Open as my first tournament back would be a crazy thing for me to do,” she said.Navratilova, in her role as president of the Women’s Tennis Association Tour Players’ Association, has been instru-mental in forging an agreement concerning Seles’s ranking. She then intends to play at least one WTA Tour event, in San Diego, Los Angeles or Toronto before competing at the United States Open, which starts on 28 August. And for her first six tournaments she will share the world No1 ranking and top seeding with her great rival, Steffi Graf. “I’m happy about the ranking, of course,” Seles said last night.