Highly emotional and sensitive, with a temperament more suited to a poet than to a professional athlete, Steffi had a poignant sadness about . Graf's semifinal match at the 1988 US Open was a walkover (so not counted as win), The main weapons in Graf's game were her powerful inside-out forehand drive (which earned her the moniker Frulein Forehand) and her intricate footwork. 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. It was the days when the Williams . She would either destroy opponents, clinically and . Once was in Syndey early in the year at a small tournament, and again at Indian Wells, 1999. She was named the 1988 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year. 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). Graf has a 20863 (76.8%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.[1]. Even though she lost the opening set, Graf went on to prevail in three sets. She also won her fifth and final WTA Tour Championships title with a five set win over Martina Hingis, with Hingis cramping up in the fifth set. Stefanie Maria "Steffi" Graf (German pronunciation: [tf gaf]; born 14 Juin 1969) is a umwhile Warld No. 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. She had just lost a three-set semifinal to No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for a record 377 total weeks. Seemingly free of injury for the first time in years, Graf began the year by winning the Australian Open, where she defeated Arantxa Snchez Vicario in the final with the loss of only two games. Natasha Zvereva, the 13th seed had shocked Martina Navratilova with a straight sets fourth round . She won 7 Wimbledon, 6 French Open, 5 US Open and 4 Australian Open . Next came Wimbledon, where Martina Navratilova had won six straight titles. All Rights Reserved. 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 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. ", "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! The match was the Wimbledon women's singles semi-final between Ms Graf and Kimiko Date. [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. It is true that Graf had one of the best forehands of her era, but that doesn't mean that it is mechanically perfect. 2 Hingis and world No. . Retiring from the sport in 1999, Graf's career remains one of the most looked upon in tennis history. Graf defeated Mary Joe Fernndez in the final of the Australian Open, which was her eighth Grand Slam singles title in the last nine she contested. 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. I was not having fun anymore. Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi met for the first time during a tournament.Andre Agassi had been secretly pining for her since 1990, but she showed no interest in him.. At that time, Steffi Graf was dating Michael Bartels, a racing driver. One was 19 and one is pushing 34. 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]. [77][78] In the French Open Graf was again beaten by Amanda Coetzer in straight sets, 61, 64. [14][13], An exceptionally versatile competitor, Graf remains the only player, male or female, to have won the calendar-year Grand Slam on three surfaces or to have won each Grand Slam at least four times. [142] The Graf-Agassi family resides in Summerlin, a community in the Las Vegas Valley. Five months later, the world no. This was a major upset as Garrison had to save a match point to defeat Monica Seles in the quarterfinal, and was expected to easily fall to Graf, whom she had not beaten in four years. "[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. [74] Graf had led 41 in the second set tiebreak, only to lose six points in a row and force a decider. The following day, Andre Agassi won the mens singles tournament, coming back from two sets down to beat Russias Andrei Medvedev, and he and Graf later started dating. 1 ranking while she was sidelined. 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. 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". The US Open ended anti-climactically as Navratilova defeated Graf in the final 76, 61. Twice in the third set Snchez Vicario served for the championship but was broken each time by Graf. [143] Graf's mother and her brother also live there. Her father, an aspiring tennis coach, first introduced her to the game, teaching his . 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. Just over 30 years old, Graf retired . 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. After missing almost half of the tour in 1998, Graf lost in the third round at Wimbledon and in the fourth round at the US Open. For the German painter, see. ), At the start of her first full professional year in 1983, Graf was 13 years old and ranked world No. [122][129] Other companies she has endorsed include Barilla, Apollinaris, Citibank, Danone and Teekanne. 1999 Prince of Asturias Award, one of the most important awards of Spain and named after the heir apparent of Spain. She lost the world No. In reaching and winning all four Grand Slam finals, Graf became the first player in history to contest and win 28 Grand Slam singles matches in a single year; albeit including the unplayed walkover against Evert in the US Open. Graf played in her first professional tournament in October 1982 at Filderstadt, Germany. Graf lost her singles match to Elena Likhovtseva 54. 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. In the late eighties and nineties Graf dominated. [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). [90][91] She played her last Grand Slam doubles tournament at the 1999 Australian Open with Gorrochategui, losing in the second round. 29 Jan Tennis Norge . . [41][42] Graf, however, recovered to defeat Martina Navratilova 62, 67, 61 in the Wimbledon final after defeating Monica Seles 60, 61 in a fourth round match, Arantxa Snchez Vicario in a quarterfinal, and Chris Evert in a semifinal. The experience of 88 in Seoul probably stands out, just coming from the US Open where I won the Grand Slam. At the US Open, Graf was upset in the quarterfinals by Snchez Vicario 76, 63. . "Steffi Graf is the best all-around player," said Evert, whose name is also mentioned as one of the all-time greats. Steffi Graf vs. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario ** **Head to Head: **28-8, Graf . [117] Early in her career, Graf used the Dunlop Maxpower Pro and Maxpower Kevlar racquets and then played with the Max 200G racquet from 1984 to 1993[118][119][120][121] before switching to Wilson from 1994 to 1999. Voted Germany's Sportswoman of the Century in 1999 by the German press. It was 1986, and Graf was 17. Monica Seles was an opponent in six major finals and the duo spilt at 3-3. She lost her first round match 64, 60 to Tracy Austin, a two-time US Open champion and former world No. [115], Early in her career, Graf wore Dunlop apparel, before signing an endorsement contract with Adidas in 1985. Graf's Grand Slam tournament breakthrough came in 1987. In October, Graf defeated Sabatini in an exhibition match in Mannheim, Germany, winning both of their sets. Williams VS Graf MATCHES VS ALL OPPONENTS Chicago was notable, however, for being the first tournament Graf played with her new coach, former Swiss player Heinz Gnthardt. Peter Graf also kept a tight rein on Graf's personal life. 3, having racked up a total of 107 tournament victories. 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. In 1987, Grafs career truly took off: she won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, beating world no. After victories in Montreal and San Diego, Graf reached the US Open final, where she lost in straight sets to Sabatini. Titles. 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. WATCH THIS STORY: When Roger Federer toyed his opponent so bad, he asked for advice from Andre Agassi in the crowd Wimbledon championships. According to her coaches Pavel Sloil and Heinz Gnthardt, Graf's superior sense of timing was the key behind the success of her forehand. Graf then won all five of her Fed Cup matches, helping Germany defeat Spain in the final by defeating Arantxa Snchez Vicario, 64, 62. At Wimbledon, Graf defeated Jana Novotn to win her third consecutive, and fifth overall, ladies' title. ", "Graf edges Hingis, captures sixth and 'last' French title", "Do Not Disturb: If Steffi Graf could shut out the world the way she shuts down opponents on the court then, for her, life would be perfect", "Tennis | Martinez wins controversial clash", "Results Archive - Steffi Graf - Australian Open Tennis Championships", "Tennis: Wimbledon 99 - Magic mixture of McEnroe and Graf", "TENNIS; Without Dad Around To Disturb Her, Lucic Upsets Fourth-Seeded Seles at Wimbledon", "Graf overcomes layoff to beat Coetzer in farewell exhibition", "* NZine * Tennis - The Biggest Participant Sport In New Zealand - Tennis, Steffi Graf, Indoor Tennis Centre, Davis Cup, Anthony Wilding, Wilding Park, Maurice Agar, Scenic Circles Indoor Tennis Centre, New Zealand Tennis", "Steffi Graf delights crowd at Westside Tennis Club - Houston Chronicle", "Steffi Graf: The Queen Returns to Centre Court", "Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Elton John headline an evening of tennis for charity in Washington", "ASAP Sports Transcripts - Tennis - 1995 - WTA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS - November 18 - Steffi Graf", "Today in Performance Sneaker History: Steffi Graf Becomes First Female with 500 Wins in Signature adidas Model", "Take a look at this Dunlop Steffi Graf ad from 1989! Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. 1 ranking for the first time in her career, a ranking she would hold for the next 186 consecutive weeks, a record (it was tied by Serena Williams in 2016). [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. Steffi Graf vs Serena Williams vs Martina Navratilova - Who is the Greatest Female tennis player of all time? 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. Steffi Graf was a dominant force in tennis during the late 1980s and for much of the 1990s. That was the last competitive match Graf and Snchez Vicario would ever play against one another. Steffi Graf, a Tennis champ is married to husband Andre Agassi with two children. [109], Note: The last few years of Graf's career were beset by injuries, particularly to her knees and back. [149], Tennis writer Steve Flink, in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century, named Graf as the best female player of the 20th century. Steffi Graf collided against Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the finals of the 1995 Wimbledon. Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion and former rival Chris Evert opined, "Steffi Graf is the best all-around player. I've always looked up to her and the way she approached the game" : Pete Sampras A worthy opponent, she is an exceptional and versatile player to have dominated the international women's tennis scene for a long time. 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? Performance timelines. Steffi Graf was born as Stefanie Maria Graf on 14th June 1969 in West Germany. It was Graf's second consecutive loss to Novotna, and dating back to their 1991 Australian Open quarterfinal match, Jana had won three of their last five meetings. Soon after, she split with her long-time coach, Pavel Sloil. [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. Graf lost twice to Sabatini during the spring, once on hardcourts in Boca Raton, Florida, and once on clay at Amelia Island, Florida. 1 ranking for the first time in 22 months. [155], In 2004, the Berliner Tennis-Arena was renamed Steffi-Graf-Stadion in honor of Graf. I have complied some stats . Serena uses her hard and powerful groundstrokes to bully her opponents and uses her serve, like Federer, to set up the point before finishing it off . On 1 October 1988, in winning the final at the Olympic Games in Seoul, German tennis player Steffi Graf achieved what no one else had done before or has done since. Graf reached 13 consecutive major singles finals, from the 1987 French Open through to . At Wimbledon, however, Graf captured her third women's crown, this time at Sabatini's expense. As true as that forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. At age 13 she became the second youngest player ever to earn an international ranking. [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. The American then took her opponent to a tie-break in the second set, eventually going down 7-3. In the third and deciding set, Novotn had a point to go up 51 on her serve. However, seeing the current situation, Graff also feels frightened. In 2015, Graf was the recipient of the International Club's Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award. Began playing Tennis: 1973 Turned Professional: 18.10.1982. n civa ani ajunge . It was like a death by a thousand cuts for her poor opponents who would be . [94] At the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, Graf formed a much-publicized partnership with John McEnroe, with whom she reached the semifinals before withdrawing due to concerns that her uncertain hamstring, coupled with a bout of bronchitis, would affect her in the singles final. [16], In March 2012, Tennis Channel picked Graf as the greatest female tennis player ever in their list of 100 greatest tennis players of all time. The assailant, a fan of German tennis star Steffi Graf, Top women's tennis player Monica Seles is stabbed by a deranged German man during a match in Hamburg. steffi graf opponents. Graf had already won 5 Wimbledon titles by then and was hunting for her 6th trophy. She was anchored in the top spot in the Women's Tennis Association rankings for a record 377 weeks, including 186 consecutive from August 1987 to March 1991. She ended the 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, and 1996 tennis seasons as the worlds top-ranked player. 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. 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.
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