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. 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. After several months injury lay off, Graf returned to play in the German Open in Berlin in front of a home crowd and had the worst defeat of her career in the quarterfinal, when Amanda Coetzer beat her in just 56 minutes 60, 61. . She then beat Snchez Vicario in the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. 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. The assailant, a fan of German . 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. Graf's Grand Slam tournament winning streak ended at the French Open, where 17-year-old Spaniard Arantxa Snchez Vicario beat Graf in three sets. The partnership was the subject of much discussion, as the two women, both known to be shy, usually kept communication to a minimum during changeovers and between points, a highly unusual situation in doubles. And so many times she was able to absorb her opponent's biggest blows and . At Wimbledon, Graf defeated Jana Novotn to win her third consecutive, and fifth overall, ladies' title. 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). - [68] Graf's schedule was closely controlled by her father, who limited her play so that she would not burn out. Highly emotional and sensitive, with a temperament more suited to a poet than to a professional athlete, Steffi had a poignant sadness about . Opponent Score Loss: 1986: Year-end championships: Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova: 6-7 (8-10), 3-6, 2-6 Win: 1987: Year-end championships: "She should know better than to say these things" - When Steffi Graf The match was played over two days with Navratilova finally winning after saving three match points 61, 67, 76. Like the exhibition match the previous year against Sabatini, proceeds went to "Children for Tomorrow". [34] She then won tournaments in Hamburg and Mahwah (where she lost only eight games all tournament). Voted Germany's Sportswoman of the Century in 1999 by the German press. She returned to win a small tournament at Mahwah just before the US Open where, in one of the most anticipated matches of the year, she encountered Navratilova in a semifinal. After winning two more indoor tournaments at Zurich and Brighton, she failed once again in the Virginia Slims Championships, losing her quarterfinal to Novotn. Barbara Schett: "Novak Djokovic will exceed 400 weeks as no.1" It was 1986, and Graf was 17. . She ended the 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, and 1996 tennis seasons as the worlds top-ranked player. Chosen by World Economic Forum As Young Global Leader for 2008, Godmother of the Navigator of The Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruiselines), 2002. [152] She was voted the WTA Player of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. [90][91] She played her last Grand Slam doubles tournament at the 1999 Australian Open with Gorrochategui, losing in the second round. As true as that forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. Steffi Graf's 1988 Golden Slam - an unprecedented achievement She lost the world No. 3. 1 was in peerless form on the clay courts of Roland . [82] Upon her return Graf defeated world No. More than two years elapsed before Seles competed again. Graf again missed the Australian Open after undergoing surgery in December 1995 to remove bone splinters from her left foot. [32] That was the shortest-ever and most one-sided Grand Slam final ever and the only double bagel in a Major final since 1911. In 1988, Graf became only the second tennis player in history to win a Slam on hardcourt, clay, and grass all in the same season. 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. Graf then defeated Sabatini 63, 63 in the gold medal match at the Olympic Games in Seoul and achieved what the media had dubbed the "Golden Slam". 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. I had one day to turn around, get home, change and get on the flight to Seoul. All Rights Reserved. [48] In Boca Raton, Florida, Graf reached her first final of the year, where she faced Conchita Martnez for the title. 1 ranking to Martina Hingis and failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in ten years in 1997. Her name was Martina Hingis. 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]. At the 1999 French Open, Graf and Agassi . [39] In the Boca Raton final, Graf lost the only set she conceded to Chris Evert in their final seven matches.[40]. Graf and Kohde-Kilsch lost in the semifinals to Jana Novotn and Helena Sukov 75, 63. Graf remains one of the greatest champions in the history of her sport. She would later become the world's number one female tennis player. She and Agassi, her husband, were on Team Elton John, which competed against Team Billie Jean King. She won 7 Wimbledon, 6 French Open, 5 US Open and 4 Australian Open . All right, yes, there is the winning and, with it, the money, but they come too easily and bring only temporary relief. Graf had already won 5 Wimbledon titles by then and was hunting for her 6th trophy. After victories in Montreal and San Diego, Graf reached the US Open final, where she lost in straight sets to Sabatini. Sport - Tennis: Novak Djokovic equals Steffi Graf's record for most weeks as world number one: Novak Djokovic equals Steffi Graf's record for most weeks as world. However, there was also a 15-year-old who shot into the scene in 1995 that would take the tennis world by storm. 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. Graf served for the match at 53 in the third set but lost the game and won only three more points in the match. . Wimbledon authorities then threatened to immediately shut down any subsequent press conferences where questions about the issue were asked. She was also inducted to the German Sport Hall of Fame. She reached a total of 31 singles major finals. (not considered in winloss records). We would just say the basic things, but nothing else. 1 ranking for the first time in 22 months. Since Graf skipped the Italian Open, she did not take part in the vote. [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. Steffi Graf - 22; The former German tennis star is third on the list with 22 grand slam titles victories. She partnered with doubles specialist Mark Woodforde at the Australian Open in 1994, with Henri Leconte at Wimbledon in 1991 and at the French Open in 1994, and with Charlie Pasarell at the US Open in 1984. Steffi Graf, a Tennis champ is married to husband Andre Agassi with two children. This narrow focus meant that Graf, already shy and retiring by nature,[24] made few friends on the tour in her early years, but it led to a steady improvement in her play. [33] Zvereva, who had eliminated Martina Navratilova in the fourth round, won only thirteen points in the match.[33]. First Grand Slam victory of the year for Graf: 6-1, 7-6. Their bond was unbreakable, and as Steffi became a force in tennis, Peter was right beside hercontrolling her life and business off the court while she controlled the rhythms on it. 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 was the first player other than Navratilova or Evert to hold the top spot since Tracy Austin in 1980.[27]. In her professional tennis career, Steffi Graf spent 377 weeks as the No. That was the last competitive match Graf and Snchez Vicario would ever play against one another. Steffi Graf: Steffi Graf has 22 grand slams to her name, most coming during the late 80s and 90s. Early life. . And the year began as expected, with Graf extending her Grand Slam tournament winning streak to five events at the Australian Open, defeating Helena Sukov in the final. How Steffi Graf became tennis' Golden Slam winner in 1988 - Olympics.com . [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. Steffi Graf, byname of Stephanie Maria Graf, (born June 14, 1969, Brhl, West Germany [now in Germany]), German tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the late 1980s and '90s, winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles. n 1973 Steffi avea 3 ani cnd a luat prima oar n Brhl (Baden) o rachet de tenis n mn. Graf then went on to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open before losing to Monica Seles in two sets. While the Berlin tournament was being played, the largest-circulation German tabloid, Bild, ran a story about an alleged scandal involving Graf's father. 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. . Peter Graf also kept a tight rein on Graf's personal life. In 1984, she first gained international attention when she almost upset the tenth seed, Jo Durie of the United Kingdom, in a fourth round Centre Court match at Wimbledon. Began playing Tennis: 1973 Turned Professional: 18.10.1982. 1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland. [77][78] In the French Open Graf was again beaten by Amanda Coetzer in straight sets, 61, 64. Social invitations on the tour were often declined as Graf's focus was kept on practicing and match play. Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. Who is the GOAT: Serena Williams or Steffi Graf? On 13 April 1986, Graf won her first WTA tournament and beat Evert for the first time in the final of the Family Circle Cup in Hilton Head, South Carolina (she never lost to Evert again, beating her six more times over the next three and a half years). At the Roland-Garros trophy ceremony, after she . Her singles winloss record was 900115 (88.7 percent). [44] Graf briefly regained the top ranking after winning at Wimbledon but lost it again after her loss to Navratilova at the US Open. This time, Navratilova beat Graf 76, 63, 62. SAN DIEGO The shock was not that top-ranked Steffi Graf won another match, 6-0, 6-0. Victories at Hamburg and Berlin (beating Snchez Vicario in the finals of both) prepared her for the French Open, where she defeated Snchez Vicario in the semifinals after losing the first set 60. [37] He went on to add, "I saw what Steffi did to Sabatini at the Australian Open this year, and that was it. 3, Jana Novotn, before losing in the semifinal to first-seeded Davenport. 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 . Graf's father had approached Gnthardt during the 1991 Virginia Slims Championships. It is undeniable that Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi had a successful professional relationship. [145], In 2001, Graf indicated that she preferred to be called Stefanie instead of Steffi. Five months later, the world no. Decision", "TENNIS - For Seles, the Wound Still Hurts", "Troubled WTA Tour limps through '94 season", "Tennis: Graf footloose and pain-free: Germany's world No 1 in intimidating form at the Australian Open", "Pierce Applies The Pressure To Upset Graf", "This Date in French Open History: June 2", "McNeil Ousts Graf in an Upset for the Ages", "Graf Set for Her Comeback, Pained Mainly by Questions", "U.S.OPEN '94 - Sanchez Smiles As Graf Winces", "Pierce tops Graf; Navratilova loses last", "Calf injury forces Graf out of Australian Open", "In a Classic, Graf Captures Wimbledon On Sheer Will", "Graf's Year Is Difficult One Till the End, but Successful", "Steffi Graf Investigated for Tax Evasion", "Tennis;Graf finds real world full of ups and downs", "Peter Graf Is Sentenced To Prison in Tax Case", "OLYMPICS;Injuries Force Sampras and Graf to Skip Games", "Amanda Coetzer - Tennis Player from South Africa - Tennis-Heroes.net", "Surgery on Graf's Knee Requires a Long Layoff", "Wimbledon '99: The Steffi Graf Interview: Time for a golden goodbye? Though she did not win any title for the . Steffi Graf was born as Stefanie Maria Graf on 14th June 1969 in West Germany. . [70][71] He was eventually released after serving 25 months. Most sliced shots float these days; Graf's seemed to reach her opponent's side in a straight line, skimming low over the net. 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. Her career prize-money earnings totalled US$21,895,277 (a record until Lindsay Davenport surpassed this amount in January 2008). Selected for European Heroes in 2004 and 2005 by TIME Magazine. The American then took her opponent to a tie-break in the second set, eventually going down 7-3. She has a younger brother, Michael. It just felt something special that I was going to, recalls Graf. The facts: American Amy Frazier was Graf's final opponent. 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 At the US Open, Graf was upset in the quarterfinals by Snchez Vicario 76, 63. [127], Graf has signed many endorsement deals throughout the years including a ten-year endorsement deal with car manufacturer Opel in 1985,[128] and Rexona from 1994 to 1998. [124][125][126] In 2010, Graf and Agassi collaborated with Head and developed the new line of Star Series tennis racquets. In the middle of the second set, Graf suffered back spasms while reaching for a ball in the ad court. Steffi Graf - The German Way & More Graf who dated Michael Bartels is the daughter-in-law of Emmanuel Agassi. [43] In the final, Navratilova led 63, 42 before Graf rallied to win 36, 75, 61 for her third Grand Slam singles title of the year. Steffi Graf | Player Stats & More - WTA Official After losing a fifth straight time to Sabatini in Amelia Island, Florida, Graf again defeated Seles in the Hamburg final. She claimed a prestigious and symbolic victory in the final against Yugoslavias Sabrina Gole on the courts at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), winning 6-1, 3-6, 6-4. Proceeds from her match against Sabatini went to Graf's foundation, "Children for Tomorrow".[102]. 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. She survived an intense three-set battle with Helena Sukova in the semis, breaking in the tenth and final game to win the third set 64. Focus only on getting better. Extremely sound advice! Graf warmed up for the US Open with easy tournament victories in San Diego and Mahwah. thesportslegends. In their five previous head-to-head matches, Graf had defeated Martnez each time. 29 Jan Tennis Norge . [115], Early in her career, Graf wore Dunlop apparel, before signing an endorsement contract with Adidas in 1985. [105] It was the first time in 14 years Graf had played Navratilova. "Why I'm Not There Anymore" - Brooke Shields Admits That Her Ex-Husband Williams vs. Graf, and Graf's Disciple - The New York Times Steffi Graf - Wikipedia n civa ani ajunge . In the third and deciding set, Novotn had a point to go up 51 on her serve. "[87], From the beginning of her career until 1990, Graf regularly played doubles matches in Grand Slams and other tournaments, winning a total of 11 doubles titles. Voted The best female role model in sports in a survey by Barclays, sponsors of the Premier League, 2010. Talk Tennis Guru. [155], In 2004, the Berliner Tennis-Arena was renamed Steffi-Graf-Stadion in honor of Graf. [50][51], During Seles's absence, Graf won 65 of 67 matches,[52] three of four Grand Slam events and the year-end Virginia Slims championships. After breaking Novotn's serve, Graf won the next four games to take the match 76, 16, 64. A bout of rubella forced Graf to miss the first major event of 1992, the Australian Open. 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. Pause, rewind, play: The great Steffi Graf forehand - Scroll.in Steffi Graf - Children, Andre Agassi & Facts - Biography At Wimbledon, however, Graf captured her third women's crown, this time at Sabatini's expense. 33 years ago, Steffi Graf made this unique record which remains [55] In the Hamburg final, she lost for the first time in 1994 after 36 consecutive match victories, losing to Snchez Vicario in three sets. Graf won four indoor tournaments after the US Open, including a pair of straight-set wins over Sabatini in the finals of Zrich and Worcester. That year Graf lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open in straight sets to Amanda Coetzer. Some noted observers, such as Margaret Court, suggested that Graf could achieve the feat a couple more times. [122] Graf's racquets were strung at 29 kilograms (64 pounds), significantly above the 50-60 pound range recommended by Wilson. Is it possible to have another Steffi Graf? | Talk Tennis Next came Wimbledon, where Martina Navratilova had won six straight titles. . I've always looked up to her and the way she approached the game" : Pete Sampras [16] When asked in an interview to name the greatest players of all time, Serena Williams stated Graf and Roger Federer. In July, a left knee injury forced Graf to withdraw from the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Venus Williams. Once again, she reached the final without conceding a single set. 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. She won no titles during the next three years, but her ranking climbed steadily to world No. 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. (Twelve years later, Graf defeated Austin 60, 60 during a second round match at the Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, which was their second and last match against each other. She had an Adidas sneakers line known as the St. Graf Pro line. Graf won 6-0, 6-0. Next up were the grass courts of Wimbledon, where Graf was never in any danger until the final, when she came up against six-time defending champion Navratilova, unbeaten since 1981. Natasha Zvereva, the 13th seed had shocked Martina Navratilova with a straight sets fourth round . 3 at that time and said, "I have done everything I wanted to do in tennis. [54] She then won her next four tournaments in Tokyo, Indian Wells, Delray Beach and Miami respectively. 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. 667 (25-02-23) Best Rank. The US Open ended anti-climactically as Navratilova defeated Graf in the final 76, 61. 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. Pause, rewind, play: Steffi Graf - only player to win all four Majors and the Olympic gold in a year. She won five consecutive singles majors (1988 Australian Open to 1989 Australian Open), and seven out of eight, in two calendar years (1988 Australian Open to 1989 US Open, except 1989 French Open). In 1988, Graf became the third women's star to win the Golden Slam. '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.