Professional tennis player Monica Seles has secured many titles in her lifetime. She is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, has won nine Grand Slam singles titles, and was the youngest-ever French Open champion at the age of 16. Now, at age 40, she is about to become the wife of a billionaire.
Last Thursday at an appearance at a high school in Rochester, New York, former gubernational candidate Brase Thomas “Tom” Golisano announced that he is engaged to Seles. The couple have been dating since 2009.
Golisano, 72, was the founder of Paychex, the second largest payroll processor in the United States. He is also a founding member of the Independence Party of New York and, over three years, spent over $93 million on campaigns to get elected, which he never was. However, Golisano did bring more popularity to the Independence Party, giving it a place on the ballot in New York for the next four years.
In 2009, the former co-owner of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team and the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team moved to Florida to escape the tax burden of New York.
It was also announced last week that Golisano is interested in buying the Buffalo Bills from the family of the late Ralph Wilson, who died on March 25.
Given Golisano’s age, and depending on ownership structures and prenuptial agreements, Seles could end up owning the team one day. This fact, and also the difference in their ages, have sparked many comments on social media.
No danger of him stretching her to three sets @HockeyLegends Monica Seles, 40, to marry former Sabres owner Tom Golisano, 72
— Gare Joyce (@GareJoyceNHL) June 9, 2014
Monica #Seles got engaged to a 72 year old man. Based on her sounds when she hits the ball, they better live in the Ozarks.
— Craig Scott (@CraigScott31) June 9, 2014
40-year-old former tennis star Monica Seles is engaged to a 72-year-old billionaire? Gee, I wonder whether she's a gold-digger…
— Kurt Steinberg (@Kurt_Steinberg) June 9, 2014
Monica Seles (40) is marrying a 72 year old billionaire. True love exists at any age and age difference ??.
— Ronald Milline, Jr. (@ronaldmilline) June 9, 2014
In 1993, Seles suffered from an on-court stabbing when an obsessed fan of Steffi Graf stabbed Seles between her shoulder blades with a boning knife. It took a few weeks for Seles to heal, but she didn’t return to tennis for more than two years. Since then, Seles feels like not enough has been done to increase the level of security at tennis events.
“From the time I was stabbed,” Seles said in 2011, “I think the security hasn’t changed.”
Golisano and Seles have not yet announced a wedding date.
Image via Wikimedia Commons