It’s As If She Had Never Been Away : Tennis: After an 837-day absence, Monica Seles returns to women’s tour and trounces Kimberly Po, 6-0, 6-3.

For her return to tournament tennis, Monica Seles came equipped with the whole package--backhands, forehands, whistling shots that kissed the line.

It added up to an efficient, 6-0, 6-3, 1-hour wipeout of Kimberly Po at the Canadian Open Tuesday night, a victory that left Seles overcome by emotion.

Tears flowed as she kissed friends and family at courtside. “For a long time, everything was so dark,” she said. “Now I see the sun.”

Seles seemed comfortable and relaxed for her first tournament match, which came 837 days after she was stabbed by a deranged spectator in Hamburg, Germany. The episode threatened to end the career of a player who had won seven of the previous eight grand slam tournaments and was No. 1 in the world.

As she made her way onto the court, though, Seles said she was extremely nervous. “I couldn’t feel my legs,” she said. “They were rubbery.”

Using the Canadian Open as a tuneup for the U.S. Open in two weeks, Seles drew Po, who had lost 11 consecutive matches this year before winning on Monday, as her first opponent. Po tried to pose a challenge but never really threatened Seles. Still, there were moments when Seles felt uneasy.

“On a couple of overheads, I felt the sky was moving,” she said. “I told myself, I can’t let this happen. Calm down. There’s a match to be played.”

Three security guards sat behind the players’ chairs, facing the fans, but there was nothing but support for Seles. The first set consumed only 29 minutes and just before the second began, a fan shouted “Twenty-nine minutes more, Monica.” Instead, it took 31.

When she entered the 10,000-seat center court, Seles was greeted by a standing ovation. She waved to the crowd, smiling broadly. For the record, she lost the first point back on a long backhand. She did not, however, lose many others in that set.

“I think I played pretty well,” she said. “I wasn’t hitting strong first serves. I was a little shaky and not attacking as much.”

By the middle of the first set, the Seles sound effects had returned. She grunted on nearly every shot, the effort evident in her face and her voice. The fans responded each time she nailed a key shot or point.

“At home, I’d hit a great shot and it would be quiet,” she said.

Frankly, she preferred the company. “Just playing again,” she said. “It’s all I ever asked for. It’s great to be playing. It’s so simple.”