Steffi Graf | Biography, Titles, & Facts | Britannica Only results in WTA Tour (incl. This was not a first-round sacrifice, an opponent drawn at random. I have complied some stats . Highly emotional and sensitive, with a temperament more suited to a poet than to a professional athlete, Steffi had a poignant sadness about . In the subsequent Amelia Island final on clay, Graf lost her first match of the year to Sabatini but returned to European clay with easy victories at Hamburg and Berlin. 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. All Rights Reserved. Began playing Tennis: 1973 Turned Professional: 18.10.1982. 1999 Prince of Asturias Award, one of the most important awards of Spain and named after the heir apparent of Spain. Venus Williams won her first Games titles 19 years ago, and she hasnt finished yet! Steffi Graf was born as Stefanie Maria Graf to Peter and Heidi Graf in Mannheim, Germany. 667 (25-02-23) Best Rank. 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. (not considered in winloss records). 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. 'It is Frightening' - Steffi Graf Opens up About the Negative Impact of Comparing The Grand Years Of Steffi Graf And Serena Williams As usual, the defining shot of the day was the one that earned Steffi her nickname, Frulein Forehand. 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. Soon after, she split with her long-time coach, Pavel Sloil. [101] She was beaten in two out of three matches, with each match being one set. WATCH THIS STORY: When Roger Federer toyed his opponent so bad, he asked for advice from Andre Agassi in the crowd Wimbledon championships. Steffi Graf | Player Stats & More - WTA Official Even though she lost the opening set, Graf went on to prevail in three sets. [8] Furthermore, she is the only tennis player, male or female, to have won each major tournament at least four times. Stefanie ("Steffi") Graf | Former German Tennis Pro and Champion. Graf lost twice to Sabatini during the spring, once on hardcourts in Boca Raton, Florida, and once on clay at Amelia Island, Florida. And stepping on the plane there was a big group of German athletes on it. 1 German tennis player. The experience of 88 in Seoul probably stands out, just coming from the US Open where I won the Grand Slam. 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 Nominated and voted the title Mother of the nation in her country, Germany, 2010. Graf began playing tennis with the encouragement of her father, who became her coach. 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. steffi graf opponents TMF. She and Agassi, her husband, were on Team Elton John, which competed against Team Billie Jean King. She married fellow Olympic champion Agassi in 2001, and the pair have two children together. She then won her eighth German Open, but there were signs that her form was worsening as she almost lost to Julie Halard in a quarterfinal. 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. [76] Graf played only one warm-up event ahead of the US Open, the Acura Classic in Manhattan Beach, California, where she lost to Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals. Even discounting that result, no other player had played and won 27 Grand Slam matches in a single year before. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 20:01, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steffi_Graf_career_statistics&oldid=1142150918, Virginia Slims Championships, New York City, WTA Tour Championships, New York, United States. Four Grand Slam wins and an Olympic title in the same year a feat that no male or female player had achieved before or has done since. [150] Flink said in 2020 that the jury was still out on (Serena) Williams as the greatest ever, but Williams' consistency over the long span did not match that of Graf or Navratilova. [145], In 2001, Graf indicated that she preferred to be called Stefanie instead of Steffi. At the US Open, Graf beat Sabatini in a three-set final to win the Grand Slam by 63, 36, 61, a feat previously performed by only two other women, Maureen Connolly Brinker in 1953 and Margaret Court in 1970. Her gold medal came after victories in the Grand Slam tournaments at Melbourne, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and New York, giving rise to a new term: the Golden Slam. Five months later, the world no. Stefanie Maria "Steffi" Graf (German pronunciation: [tf gaf]; born 14 Juin 1969) is a umwhile Warld No. (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. Fearless Alcaraz can show next-gen how to topple Djokovic, say sports Graf began 1993 with four losses in her first six tournaments of the year: two to Snchez Vicario and one each to Seles and the 36-year-old Martina Navratilova. At the US Open, Graf was upset in the quarterfinals by Snchez Vicario 76, 63. The treatment was for a fracture of the cartilage as well as a shortening and partial rupture of the patellar tendon of her left knee. The Graf Backhand: Strength or Weakness? You judge with [a] Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No. Her father, an aspiring tennis coach, first introduced her to the game, teaching his . [17] Graf married former world No. Classic Rivalries: Graf vs. Hingis - TennisPAL [25] During that period, she lost six times to Evert and three times to Navratilova, all in straight sets. [39] In the Boca Raton final, Graf lost the only set she conceded to Chris Evert in their final seven matches.[40]. She had to overcome three difficult three set matches en route to this final, against Mariaan De Swardt in the second round, Venus Williams in the quarterfinals and Mirjana Lui in the semifinals. She teamed with Ansley Cargill in women's doubles against Anna Kournikova and Likhovtseva but lost 52. She subsequently withdrew from the Pan Pacific Open and had arthroscopic surgery performed on her left knee. It was the days when the Williams . [65] She came back in February, winning four consecutive tournaments in Paris, Delray Beach, Miami and Houston. Graf has a 20863 (76.8%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.[1]. Kerber's opponent will be the defending champion, . One was 19 and one is pushing 34. At age 13 she became the second youngest player ever to earn an international ranking. She was in hard-court action in the capital of the Republic of Korea on 20 September and breezed through the rounds conceding just one set, against the Soviet Unions Larissa Savchenko in the quarter-final before coming up against Sabatini once again in the gold-medal match on 1 October 1988. For the German painter, see. She then successfully defended her title at the US Open, defeating Monica Seles in the final. Graf was ranked world No. Once again, she reached the final without conceding a single set. In the 1980s and '90s Graf was ranked the top woman player by the Women's Tennis Association . That was the last competitive match Graf and Snchez Vicario would ever play against one another. 1988 French Open. 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. 49 . Steffi Graf was already world number one, and just shy of 19 years old, when she began the 1988 season. 'The Ten' went one way; you went another", "The greatest female tennis player of the last 50 years: the fans' verdict", "Exclusive Interview with Steve Flink about the career of Chris Evert", "A celebration of Martina Navratilova's multifaceted legacy", "Special events and records at the 1988 Australian Open Tennis Tournament", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steffi_Graf&oldid=1140574067, Golden Slam (4 majors + Olympic gold in same calendar year), Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam in addition to already winning a Grand Slam, 100% match winning percentage in 1 season, 100% match winning percentage in 3 separate seasons, 89.67% (278-32) match winning percentage overall, 5 calendar years winning 3+ Grand Slam titles, Defeated the top 3 seeded players in the same tournament, Reached the final of all four Grand Slams tournaments in a calendar year, Reached the final of all four Grand Slams tournaments in a calendar year three times, 5 years as wire-to-wire (all 52 weeks) No. 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. [45] In Berlin, she extended her unbeaten streak to 66 matches (second in WTA history to Navratilova's 74) before losing the final to Monica Seles, 46, 36. [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. The Serbian tennis player this week surpassed Steffi Graf in the record of weeks at the top of the world ranking (both men's and women's) and there is curiosity to understand where Nole can arrive . It actually had several major flaws, especially based on today's understanding of stroke. 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. Graf then capped the year by beating countrywoman Anke Huber in a five-set final at the season-ending WTA Championships in 2 hours and 46 minutes. Graf reached 13 consecutive major singles finals, from the 1987 French Open through to . [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. More than two years elapsed before Seles competed again. . Steffi Graf went on to win Wimbledon in 1996, beating Arantxa . In 1988, there was no bronze medal match, and both beaten semifinalists received bronze medals. 1 female player and won 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Despite their differences, their careers, on and off the court . [82] Upon her return Graf defeated world No. She first used the Wilson Pro Staff 7.0 lite, then switched to the Pro Staff 7.5 in 1996 and to the Pro Staff 7.1 in 1998. "She should know better than to say these things" - When Steffi Graf She repeated the feat in 1993, 1995, and 1996. Then on 11 September in New York, Graf became the first woman to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same year since Australias Margaret Smith-Court in 1970. 1 ranking to Martina Hingis and failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in ten years in 1997. Notable features of Graf's game were her versatility across all playing surfaces, footwork and powerful forehand drive. Steffi Graf - The German Way & More The last few years of Graf's career were beset by injuries, particularly to her knees and back. Meanwhile, her naturally aggressive style of play, effective backhand slice and speed around the court made her even more dominant on fast surfaces such as hard courts, grass and carpet. Do Not Disturb. Martina Navratilova then defeated Graf 76, 67, 64 in a US Open semifinal, the first time she had beaten Graf in four years. It just felt something special that I was going to, recalls Graf. In her professional tennis career, Steffi Graf spent 377 weeks as the No. Graf beat opponents with spectacular precision, and Williams had a power game, unlike any woman in professional tennis. 1 Lindsay Davenport en route to the Philadelphia title. I feel I have nothing left to accomplish. Her year continued indifferently with losses in three of her first four tournaments, including a semifinal loss to Jana Novotn in Chicago. However, seeing the current situation, Graff also feels frightened. [77][78] In the French Open Graf was again beaten by Amanda Coetzer in straight sets, 61, 64. [56][57] This was followed by a first-round straight-sets loss at Wimbledon to Lori McNeil, her only loss at Wimbledon between 1991 and 1997 and her first loss in a first round Grand Slam tournament in ten years. [34] She then won tournaments in Hamburg and Mahwah (where she lost only eight games all tournament). The loss deprived her of the Golden Super Slam. Why have we forgotten about Steffi Graf? In retrospect, isn't she the 49 . . At the 1999 French Open, Graf and Agassi . 3. Seles and Graf met in the final, with Graf winning in three sets, saving a set point in the first set. Zvereva endured a magical run at Roland Garros that year, but things unraveled in the final when she came up against a Steffi Graf that was in destructive mode. This including playing basketball and working with specialists in nutrition, physical and mental strength. In total, she won 22 Grand Slam titles: the Australian Open four times, Roland Garros six times, Wimbledon seven times and the US Open five times. According to her coaches Pavel Sloil and Heinz Gnthardt, Graf's superior sense of timing was the key behind the success of her forehand. Retiring from the sport in 1999, Graf's career remains one of the most looked upon in tennis history. As true as that forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. Graf won seven singles titles at Wimbledon, six singles titles at the French Open, five singles titles at the US Open, and four singles titles at the Australian Open. [70][71] He was eventually released after serving 25 months. At Wimbledon, however, Graf captured her third women's crown, this time at Sabatini's expense. Her parents are Heidi Schalk and Peter Graf. Graf then won the tournament in Berlin, losing only twelve games in five matches. I was not having fun anymore. She also . Tennis star Monica Seles stabbed - HISTORY [103] Graf completely ruled out a return to professional tennis. 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. 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. LEAVE A . [16] When asked in an interview to name the greatest players of all time, Serena Williams stated Graf and Roger Federer. Steffi Graf with the Wimbledon trophy in 1989 after defeating Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1 in the final. [151], Graf was voted the ITF World Champion in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996. Steffi Graf Bio, Affair, Married, Husband, Net Worth, Ethnicity In 1996, Steffi Graf was famously proposed to by a fan as she was getting ready to serve. The match was played over two days with Navratilova finally winning after saving three match points 61, 67, 76. Proceeds from her match against Sabatini went to Graf's foundation, "Children for Tomorrow".[102]. Voted The best female role model in sports in a survey by Barclays, sponsors of the Premier League, 2010. Graf is the only female athlete in the list of Forbes Top-30 Most recognizable and marketable athletes in 1995. Graf then won three consecutive indoor titles at Tokyo, Zurich, and Brighton, before once again contending with Navratilova at the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships in New York. Graf won a majority of her slams using her sharp slice backhand and her incredible forehand. Stefanie Maria Steffi" Graf 1969614 GOAT The Trials of Steffi Graf With Her Father in Jail and Her Own Innocence 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 . All Rights Reserved. She and Margaret Court are the only players, female or male, to win three majors in a calendar year five times (1988, 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1996). Graf defaulted before the 1997 final of this tournament, which is classified as a walkover and, therefore, does not count as a loss on her official record. 'How much money do you have?' - Steffi Graf had perfect response to During a quarterfinal match between Seles and Magdalena Maleeva in Hamburg, Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by a mentally ill German fan of Graf, Gnter Parche. But the world of tennis is still waiting for another player capable of securing a Golden Slam in one year. As a result, she hit her forehand with exceptional pace and accuracy. Vicario was the no 2 seed while Graf was ranked no 1. " ( . In a close French Open final, Graf again overcame Snchez Vicario, taking the third set 108. [122][129] Other companies she has endorsed include Barilla, Apollinaris, Citibank, Danone and Teekanne. "Such a cruel moment" - Steffi Graf once spoke about Martina Hingis Graf did not lose a set the whole tournament. In the Miami final, she lost her first set of the yearto Natasha Zverevaafter winning 54 consecutive sets. [90][91] She played her last Grand Slam doubles tournament at the 1999 Australian Open with Gorrochategui, losing in the second round. At the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Graf lost to Jennifer Capriati in the final and claimed the silver medal. Graf again lost to Monica Seles in the final of the French Open 67, 46. [47] She would work with him for the remainder of her career. [113] She often positioned herself in her backhand corner and although this left her forehand wide open and vulnerable to attack, her court speed meant that only the most accurate shots wide to her forehand caused any trouble. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams are two of the greatest women's tennis players ever. I've always looked up to her and the way she approached the game" : Pete Sampras She was also inducted to the German Sport Hall of Fame. The similarities and differences between Steffi Graf in 1988 and Serena Williams in 2015. Her 0.977 winning percentage is the second-highest in the open era behind Navratilova.[44]. She won there, comfortably beating Helena Sukov in the final after needing three sets to eliminate Gabriela Sabatini and Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. Once was in Syndey early in the year at a small tournament, and again at Indian Wells, 1999. 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. [9] She won 107 singles titles, ranking her third on the WTA's all-time list after Martina Navratilova (167 titles) and Chris Evert (157 titles). 1 Martina Navratilova, and reached two finals, at Wimbledon and the US Open, losing out to Navratilova in both. At Wimbledon, Graf lost in the semifinals to Zina Garrison, who with this victory broke Graf's string of 13 consecutive major finals. Graf ended 1989 with an 862 match record and the loss of only 12 sets.