First professional tournament: 1982 Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany Plays: right handed, one handed backhand Raquet: Dunlop / Wilson Former Clubs: HTC Heidelberg, LTTC Rot-Weiss Berlin, BASF Ludwigshafen Favorite Tournament: Wimbledon Favorite Surface: Grass court Former Coaches: Pavel Slozil (1986-1991), Heinz Guenthardt . 1999 Athlete of the Century for the category Female Athlete in Ballsports by a panel of the, 1999 The Greatest Female Tennis Player of the 20th century, by a panel of tennis experts assembled by the Associated Press, 1999 Female Athlete of the Year, by the German television broadcaster ARD, 1999 Female Sports Award of the Last Decade, by, 1999 Olympic Order granted by Dr. Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC, 2002 Medal of Honor, bestowed by the prime minister of Graf's home state, 2008 Cross of the Order of Merit awarded to her by German Federal President Horst Khler. Novak Djokovic has arrived in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics 2020, and he is looking as confident as ever. . She won no titles during the next three years, but her ranking climbed steadily to world No. [104] As part of the event, billed as "Dream Match 2008", she defeated Martina Navratilova in a one-set affair 87, with Graf winning a tiebreaker 105. She did not drop a set en route to the final, defeating Czechoslovakias Hana Mandlkov in the quarter-final and compatriot Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in the semi-final. Graf warmed up for the US Open with easy tournament victories in San Diego and Mahwah. [48] In Boca Raton, Florida, Graf reached her first final of the year, where she faced Conchita Martnez for the title. 2 (21-06-10) Titles. More to Graf's net worth, family, height, net worth, nationality, residence, mansion, stats, retirement, now, news, updates and facts. Monica Seles was an opponent in six major finals and the duo spilt at 3-3. At Wimbledon, Graf lost in the semifinals to Zina Garrison, who with this victory broke Graf's string of 13 consecutive major finals. Graf had a bone splinter in her right foot during this tournament (and for the next few months), finally resulting in surgery on 4 October.[53]. At the first round of the season-ending Chase Championships, Graf defeated world No. Graf was the first tennis player to achieve the feat: wheelchair tennis players Diede de Groot and Dylan Alcott achieved the Golden Slam in 2021. "[38], Graf followed this with easy victories in her next four tournaments at Washington, D.C., San Antonio, Texas, Boca Raton, Florida, and Hilton Head. Graf reached 13 consecutive major singles finals, from the 1987 French Open through to . [68] At the French Open, Graf successfully defended her title by defeating Natasha Zvereva 60, 60 in a 34-minute final. Steffi Graf and Martina Hingis played out a thrilling final at the 1999 French Open, with the former winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. She lost twice to Sabatini in the early spring at the Lipton International and the Bausch & Lomb Championships, which now brought her to seven losses in her last eight matches against Sabatini; however, the Bausch & Lomb loss would be Graf's final loss to Sabatini, winning her next, and last eight matches against Sabatini.[49]. Some noted observers, such as Margaret Court, suggested that Graf could achieve the feat a couple more times. The facts: American Amy Frazier was Graf's final opponent. As true as that forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. Although she now lives in Las Vegas, Stefanie Maria Graf was born in Mannheim, West Germany on June 14, 1969. [107] Graf played in the celebrity doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles before straining her left calf muscle and being replaced by Anna Kournikova. Nominated and voted the title Mother of the nation in her country, Germany, 2010. Steffi Graf was a dominant force in tennis during the late 1980s and for much of the 1990s. Graf and Kohde-Kilsch lost in the semifinals to Jana Novotn and Helena Sukov 75, 63. She then beat Snchez Vicario in the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. ", "An Evolutionary History of Tennis Racquets", "Marketing to the female target audience", "OFFBEAT: Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf team up for new tennis racquet", "Viewing Gallery: Happy Birthday! Her year continued indifferently with losses in three of her first four tournaments, including a semifinal loss to Jana Novotn in Chicago. The loss deprived her of the Golden Super Slam. SAN DIEGO The shock was not that top-ranked Steffi Graf won another match, 6-0, 6-0. 1999 Prince of Asturias Award, one of the most important awards of Spain and named after the heir apparent of Spain. Graf lost an Australian Open quarterfinal to Jana Novotn, the first time she did not reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament since the 1986 French Open. She was also inducted to the German Sport Hall of Fame. Like the exhibition match the previous year against Sabatini, proceeds went to "Children for Tomorrow". The 1995 Wimbledon final is regarded as one of the most dramatic women's major finals in history as Graf and Snchez Vicario battled in a tight third set that included a 16-minute long, 13-deuce game on Sanchez Vicario's serve at 55. Her father, an aspiring tennis coach, first introduced her to the game, teaching his . Whether this scandal affected Graf's form is open to debate. Selected for European Heroes in 2004 and 2005 by TIME Magazine. [89][114], Graf also had a powerful backhand drive but over the course of her career tended to use it less frequently, opting more often for an effective backhand slice. 1, 64, 46, 86 after beating Sabatini in a three-set semifinal. However, she finished her year with a highlight, winning her first Virginia Slims Championships since 1989 by beating Arantxa Snchez Vicario in the final despite needing painkillers for a back injury. Graf then won her next three tournaments at Amelia Island, Charleston, and Berlin, culminating in a 62, 63 defeat of Navratilova in the final of the latter. [116][13] Graf stated that grass was her favorite surface to play on, while clay was her least favorite. After losing the Wimbledon final against the USAs Lindsay Davenport that same year, Graf retired from sport in August while she was still world no. [11][12][13][14] She won six French Open singles titles (second to Evert), seven Wimbledon singles titles, four Australian Open titles, and five US Open singles titles. Her accuracy with the slice, both cross-court and down the line and her ability to skid the ball and keep it low, enabled her to use it as an offensive weapon to set the ball up for her forehand put-aways. 6 in 1985. She made it to the final and took the first set against Snchez Vicario but lost the next two sets Sanchez Vicario's last victory over Graf. [73] Graf came back to the tour in March, winning back to back titles in Indian Wells and Miami, followed by a record ninth title at the German Open in May and a quarterfinal defeat in Rome against Martina Hingis. Graf's father had approached Gnthardt during the 1991 Virginia Slims Championships. [67][68], In personal terms, 1995 was a difficult year for Graf, as she was accused by German authorities of tax evasion in the early years of her career. played a game called "Can you last an hour on court with Graf" because throughout her career she used to beat her opponents 6-0 6-1. SANCHEZ BEATS GRAF 17-YEAR-OLD WINS TITLE", "TENNIS - Sanchez Surprises Graf to Win the French Open", "Graf and Navratilova March to a Showdown", "WTA | Players | Head to Head | Steffi Graf", "TENNIS - Seles Struggles With Injury and W.T.A. It was Graf's final Grand Slam singles title as she retired later that year. [70][71] He was eventually released after serving 25 months. Stefanie Maria "Steffi" Graf; 14. 1969, , ) . Five months later, the world no. Retiring from the sport in 1999, Graf's career remains one of the most looked upon in tennis history. 98 in 1983, No. Kerber's opponent will be the defending champion, . [145] She is the founder and chairperson of "Children for Tomorrow", a non-profit foundation established in 1998 for implementing and developing projects to support children who have been traumatized by war or other crises. It was the days when the Williams . This including playing basketball and working with specialists in nutrition, physical and mental strength. It is true that Graf had one of the best forehands of her era, but that doesn't mean that it is mechanically perfect. (W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (WL) winloss record. Official match time was 34 minutes, which charitably included two minutes of rain delay. The German allowed Zvereva just 13 points, three of them in that one early game. Proceeds from her match against Sabatini went to Graf's foundation, "Children for Tomorrow".[102]. The US Open was Monica Seles's first Grand Slam event since the 1993 attack, with much anticipation again around a potential Seles-Graf final. But the world of tennis is still waiting for another player capable of securing a Golden Slam in one year. 1 men's tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001. Sela said: Is it possible to have another 1988 Golden Grand Slam Steffi Graf: yeah sure, anything's possible, like having all eight planets aligned in the solar system. [151], Graf was voted the ITF World Champion in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996. In a close French Open final, Graf again overcame Snchez Vicario, taking the third set 108. Seles established herself as the new dominant player on the women's tour, winning the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open and, in March, ending Graf's record 186 consecutive-weeks hold on the World No. Stefanie Maria Graf (/rf, rf/ GRA(H)F, German: [tfi af] (listen);[4][5] born 14 June 1969) is a German former professional tennis player. . LEAVE A . [a] Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No. Opponent W L Win% TB W L TB% First Last MS DR A% DF% 1stIn 1st% 2nd% SPW RPW BPSvd% BPCnv% 40: Gabriela Sabatini [ARG] 29: 11: 72.5%: 14: 7: 7: 50.0%: . June 4, 2020 marks the 32nd anniversary of Steffi Graf's ruthless lesson in the 1998 French Open final with Natasha Zvereva on the receiving end. Opponent Score Loss: 1986: Year-end championships: Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova: 6-7 (8-10), 3-6, 2-6 Win: 1987: Year-end championships: 29 Jan Tennis Norge . . Date biografice. She did not win a tournament but consistently reached tournament finals, semifinals and quarterfinals, with the highlight being her semifinal loss to Navratilova at the US Open. In an interview with Stern magazine in July 1990, Graf stated, "I could not fight as usual."[46]. In the final, Evert was completely overwhelmed in the first set, losing 6-1. . The US Open ended anti-climactically as Navratilova defeated Graf in the final 76, 61. All right, yes, there is the winning and, with it, the money, but they come too easily and bring only temporary relief. [115], Early in her career, Graf wore Dunlop apparel, before signing an endorsement contract with Adidas in 1985. [61] She took the following nine weeks off, returning only for the Virginia Slims Championships where she lost in straight sets to Pierce in the quarterfinal. And Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, arguably the most accomplished sports couple there ever was, had good reason to be on campus that day. She would either destroy opponents, clinically and . Yet again, she dropped a minimal number of games on the DecoTurf surface at Flushing Meadows and took full advantage of Everts forfeit in the semi-final. Graf who dated Michael Bartels is the daughter-in-law of Emmanuel Agassi. Prosecutors dropped their case against Graf in 1997, when she agreed to pay a fine of 1.3million Deutsche Marks to the government and an unspecified charity.[72]. 3, Jana Novotn, before losing in the semifinal to first-seeded Davenport. The last few years of Graf's career were beset by injuries, particularly to her knees and back. Both dominated opponents with power and movement. . Less than three weeks after beating her in New York, Graf inflicted yet another defeat on the Argentinean, giving her no chance with an imposing 6-3, 6-3 victory. Graf has a 20863 (76.8%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.[1]. It would also be the last loss Graf would ever have to Novotna in a match she completed (she did have a loss after withdrawing with injury after the first set of a late 1996 match). Though she lost the game to opponent Tracy Austin by 6-4, 6-0, this did very little to dishearten the young blood. 1 female player and won 22 Grand Slam singles titles. United States . Graf developed a bone spur at the base of her spine due to a congenital condition of the sacroiliac joint. [115], She built her powerful and accurate serve up to 183km/h (114mph), making it one of the fastest serves in women's tennis and was a capable volleyer. 1 ranking for the first time in 22 months. In the fall, Graf won the Volkswagen Card Cup in Leipzig a day before her foot operation, losing only two games to Jana Novotn in the final. [8] Furthermore, she is the only tennis player, male or female, to have won each major tournament at least four times. Graf vs Williams H2H MATCHES PLAYED All Rounds Final 1/2 1/4 First Second Third Fourth Qualifying q-First q-Second Pre-q Rubber 1 Rubber 2 Rubber 3 Rubber 4 Rubber 5 Robin Bronze N/A [103] Graf completely ruled out a return to professional tennis. The world of tennis is still waiting for another player capable of such a feat in the same calendar year! My father taught me that if you really do want to reach your goals, you can't spend any time worrying about whether you're going to win or lose. Her name was Martina Hingis. At Wimbledon, however, Graf captured her third women's crown, this time at Sabatini's expense. No medals were awarded as this was not an official Olympic event.[23]. That doesn't mean it will happen. Graf did not lose a set during the tournament and lost a total of only 29 games. Before Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi became the power tennis couple off court, the two were connected by a remarkable weekend 20 years ago at Roland Garros. On 13 August 1999, shortly after retiring with a strained hamstring from a second round match against Amy Frazier in San Diego, Graf announced her retirement from the women's tour at age 30. She would later become the world's number one female tennis player. According to her coaches Pavel Sloil and Heinz Gnthardt, Graf's superior sense of timing was the key behind the success of her forehand. However, in the Federation Cup final in Vancouver, Canada, three weeks later, she defeated Evert easily 62, 61. Her 63, 60 defeat of Gabriela Sabatini in a semifinal was described by veteran observer Ted Tinling as "probably the best tennis I've seen". Shortly after winning in Tokyo, Graf injured her right thumb while cross-country skiing in Switzerland and subsequently withdrew from the Virginia Slims of Florida and the Lipton Championships. . Feb 24, 2023. On 17 August, after defeating Evert in a straight set final in the Virginia Slims of Los Angeles, Graf overtook Navratilova for the world No. [144], In 1991, the Steffi Graf Youth Tennis Center in Leipzig was dedicated to her. She started the year strongly, with six tournament victories heading into the French Open, with the highlight being at the tournament in Miami, where she defeated Martina Navratilova in a semifinal and Chris Evert in the final and lost only 20 games in the seven rounds of the tournament. Finally Graf was given a match but prevailed 6-3, 7-6 where she would meet a surprise opponent in the final. [47] She would work with him for the remainder of her career. Starting in the early 1990s, she used the slice almost exclusively in baseline rallies and mostly limited the topspin backhand to passing shots. In August as a 15-year-old (and youngest entrant) representing West Germany, she won the tennis demonstration event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It was like a death by a thousand cuts for her poor opponents who would be . Only three other players have won the four majors plus the Olympic Games title, and never in the same calendar year. In 2010, Graf participated in the WTT Smash Hits exhibition in Washington, D.C. to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams played just twice. Voted Germans greatest role model by TV14 magazine, 2004. [83], At the French Open, Graf reached her first Grand Slam final in three years and fought back from a set and twice from a break down in the second set to defeat the top ranked Hingis in three sets for a memorable victory. In July, a left knee injury forced Graf to withdraw from the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. . Victories at Zurich and Brighton preceded the Virginia Slims Championships, where Graf cemented her top-ranked status by beating Navratilova in the four-set final. 124. Her glittering career saw her occupy the world no.1 spot for a total of 377 weeks (a record), including a run of 186 consecutive weeks between August 1987 and March 1991. A mixture of injury problems, personal difficulties, and loss of form made 1991 a tough year for Graf. Martina Navratilova included Graf at the top of her list of the greatest players ever. Graf remains one of the greatest champions in the history of her sport. Stefanie Graf was born on 14 June 1969, in Mannheim, Baden-Wrttemberg, West Germany, to Heidi Schalk and car-and-insurance salesman Peter Graf (18 June 1938 30 November 2013).When she was nine years old, her family moved to the neighboring town of Brhl.She has a younger brother, Michael. Graf had a winloss record of 752 for a 97.4 winning percentage in 1987, both losses coming to Navratilova as they split the four matches they played during the year. After winning two more indoor tournaments at Zurich and Brighton, she failed once again in the Virginia Slims Championships, losing her quarterfinal to Novotn. Ideea de a ncerca jocul de tenis aparine tatlui ei, Peter Graf, care era agent la o asociaie de asigurri i vnztor de automobile pn la vrsta de 27 de ani cnd descoper posibilitile sale n domeniul sportului de tenis. She was successful, however, in the mixed doubles match. That was the last competitive match Graf and Snchez Vicario would ever play against one another. [156], Graf was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 and the German Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.[157][158]. And each time the opponent threw a problem her way, she . Martina Navratilova then defeated Graf 76, 67, 64 in a US Open semifinal, the first time she had beaten Graf in four years. WATCH THIS STORY: When Roger Federer toyed his opponent so bad, he asked for advice from Andre Agassi in the crowd Wimbledon championships. [69] In her defense, she stated that her father Peter was her financial manager, and all financial matters relating to her earnings at the time had been under his control. Navratilova, therefore, . In the meantime, she lost surprisingly to Nicole Bradtke of Australia in a Fed Cup match on clay before winning the Acura Classic in San Diego and the Canadian Open in Toronto in preparation for the US Open. [108] She was ranked world No. At Wimbledon, Graf defeated Jana Novotn to win her third consecutive, and fifth overall, ladies' title. A worthy opponent, she is an exceptional and versatile player to have dominated the international women's tennis scene for a long time. [24] In 1985, for instance, she played only ten events leading up to the US Open, whereas another up-and-coming star, Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, who was a year younger than Graf, played 21. [22] She began practising on a court at the age of four and played in her first tournament at five. . In the late eighties and nineties Graf dominated. American star Chris Evert, meanwhile, failed to take a set off Graf in three matches. She has a younger brother, Michael. She is now a naturalized American citizen, and has even been nominated as one of 2022's Great US Immigrants by Carnegie Corporation of New York. Along with Boris Becker, Graf was considered instrumental in popularizing tennis in Germany, where it remains one of the foremost national sports.[18][19][20]. The earliest sign that Steffi Graf was going to be one of the sport's all-time winners came at the end of a defeat. [59][60] She began to wear a back brace and was unsure about playing the US Open but elected to play while receiving treatment and stretching for two hours before each match. Only results in WTA Tour (incl. Steffi Graf - 22; The former German tennis star is third on the list with 22 grand slam titles victories. Instead of being hailed as the undisputed female GOAT, people will always talk about her mysterious backhand deficiency. Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. On 5 June 1999, backed by a passionate central court crowd at Roland Garros, Graf won an epic final 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 against world no. First Grand Slam victory of the year for Graf: 6-1, 7-6. to overwhelm her opponents. Though she lost the game to opponent Tracy Austin by 6-4, 6-0, this did very little to dishearten the young blood. In 1988, Graf became the first tennis player to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four major singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. By August 1999, Graf had already announced twice that it was going to be her final year on the tour. The difficulty of answering questions about the matter came to a head at a Wimbledon press conference, where Graf broke down in tears. AP Photo/Bruno Mosconi. . Jaz Elle Agassi is best known as being a daughter of former tennis couple Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi.. Parents Wedding. Graf played in her first professional tournament in October 1982 at Filderstadt, Germany. It was important for me to win here, she said afterwards. [98][99] It was Graf and Snchez Vicario's first head-to-head meeting since 1996. 1 on the computer the ITF named Sanchez Vicario its World Champion for the year, while the WTA backed their official rankings and named Graf. [21] Her father, an aspiring tennis coach, first introduced her to the game, teaching his three-year-old daughter how to swing a wooden racket in the family's living room. Chosen by World Economic Forum As Young Global Leader for 2008, Godmother of the Navigator of The Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruiselines), 2002. After surviving a scare in a three-setter against Amanda Coetzer in the first round, Graf reached the final with relative ease, while Seles went through her side of the draw in even more convincing fashion. Steffi Graf -vs- Opponent Name Score: Result: win/loss Part 1 : View Download Part 2 :View Download ., Steffi Graf - My Best: "Steffi is the goddess of Tennis" : John McEnroe "She let her racket do the talking. In July 2005, Graf competed in one tie of World Team Tennis (WTT) on the Houston Wranglers team. Key; W F SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A . Her birth name is Stefanie Maria Graf and she is currently 51 years old. Stefanie Graf was awarded with the Golden Sports Pyramid, the highest distinction of the German Sports Fund in Herzogenaurach by the Adidas chairman Herbert Hainer on 24 June 2008. A commemorative plaque outside the venue in Seoul bears testament to the event: Historic Place for Golden Slam. Graf was the first player other than Navratilova or Evert to hold the top spot since Tracy Austin in 1980.[27]. Focus only on getting better. Extremely sound advice! Steffi Graf is seen as one of tennis' best ever players, winning 22 Grand Slams but 1988 was the year that will never be beaten. But from 1990 onward, Graf hit fewer & fewer of those beautiful backhand drive/topspins for some reason. As the defending champion Graf lost in straight sets to Mary Pierce in the French Open semifinal. . In the Miami final, she lost her first set of the yearto Natasha Zverevaafter winning 54 consecutive sets. Graf won a majority of her slams using her sharp slice backhand and her incredible forehand. She married fellow Olympic champion Agassi in 2001, and the pair have two children together. used to be curious about one player who will make the women's singles Grand Slam finals as the other name was always Steffi Graf. She lost the world No. She would either destroy opponents, clinically and . Djokovic is now into his 378th week as the world number one, surpassing Steffi Graf's record for the most weeks at the top of the sport, a feat that prompted some of his young rivals to express . 1 was in peerless form on the clay courts of Roland . "Steffi Graf is the best all-around player," said Evert, whose name is also mentioned as one of the all-time greats. After victories in Montreal and San Diego, Graf reached the US Open final, where she lost in straight sets to Sabatini. And Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, arguably the most accomplished sports couple there ever was, had good reason to be on campus that day. 1 for 186 consecutive weeks (from August 1987 to March 1991; tied with Serena Williams, a record in the women's game) and a record total 377 weeks overall. Since then, four players managed a 271 winloss record, meaning all of them failed to win the Grand Slam: Graf in 1989 and 1993, Martina Hingis in 1997, Roger Federer in 2006 and Novak Djokovic in both 2015 and 2021. Graf is the first German to win the Spain's 'Prince of Asturias' award. Graf's schedule was closely controlled by her father, who limited her play so that she would not burn out. Talk Tennis Guru. Graf again lost to Monica Seles in the final of the French Open 67, 46. I don't care who believes Court and Serena are greater than her because I don't subscribe to highest slam count is the be-all and end-all in GOAT. 1 for 186 consecutive weeks from 17 August 1987: incredible footwork, a devastating forehand, an effective backhand and a powerful, reliable serve an all-round game that proved successful on every surface. She hit the sliced backhand harder and with more underspin than any woman I have ever seen. Fury's brother suggests alternative opponent if Usyk fight does not happen. Five months later, the world no. Graf secured the World 124th position in her first year. Her toughest battle came against rising star Martina Hingis in the semifinal, with Hingis unable to convert on five set points.
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