Stefanie Maria Graf
Birthdate: June 14, 1969
Birthplace: Bruhl, Germany
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 132 lbs. (59 kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Status: Retired (August 13, 1999)
WTA TOUR singles titles: 107 (includes 1 Olympics)
WTA TOUR doubles titles: 11
(Grand Slam titles: 22 singles, 1 doubles)
ITF Women's Circuit singles titles: 1
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - SINGLES
WINNER (107): 1999 - French Open; 1998 - New Haven, Leipzig, Philadelphia; 1997 -
Strasbourg; 1996 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Chase Championships, Indian
Wells, Lipton, German Open; 1995 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, WTA TOUR
Championships, Paris Indoors, Delray Beach, Lipton, Houston, Philadelphia; 1994 -
Australian Open, Lipton, Pan Pacific, Indian Wells, Delray Beach, German Open, San
Diego; 1993 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Virginia Slims Championships, Delray
Beach, Hilton Head, German Open, San Diego, Canadian Open, Leipzig; 1992 - Wimbledon,
Boca Raton, Hamburg, German Open, Leipzig, Zurich, Brighton, Philadelphia; 1991 -
Wimbledon, U.S. Hardcourts, Hamburg, German Open, Leipzig, European Indoors, Brighton;
1990 - Australian Open, Pan Pacific, Amelia Island, Hamburg, Canadian Open, San Diego,
Leipzig, European Indoors, Brighton, New England; 1989 - Australian Open, Wimbledon,
U.S. Open, Virginia Slims Championships, Washington, DC, Boca Raton, U.S. Hardcourts,
Hilton Head, Hamburg, German Open, San Diego, Mahwah, European Indoors, Brighton; 1988
– Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Lipton, U.S. Hardcourts, German
Open, Hamburg, Mahwah, Brighton, Olympics; 1987 - Roland Garros, Virginia Slims
Championships, Lipton, Los Angeles, European Indoors, Boca Raton, Hamburg, German Open,
Italian Open, Hilton Head, Amelia Island; 1986 - German Open, Amelia Island, Hilton
Head, U.S. Clay Courts, Pan Pacific, Zurich, Brighton, Mahwah
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - DOUBLES
WINNER (11): 1993 - Hamburg (w/Stubbs); 1992 - Hamburg (w/Stubbs); 1989 - Mahwah
(w/Shriver); 1988 - Wimbledon (w/Sabatini), Lipton (w/Sabatini); 1987 - Amelia Island
(w/Sabatini); 1986 - German Open (w/Sukova), U.S. Clay Courts (w/Sabatini), Brighton
(w/Sukova), Zurich (w/Sabatini), Pan Pacific (w/Bunge)
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: German Fed Cup Team 1986-87, 1989-93, 1996. German Olympic Team
1988, 1992.
WTA TOUR RANKING (SEASON-ENDING, SINGLES)
1999-3**;1998-9; 1997-28; 1996-1; 1995-1; 1994-1; 1993-1; 1992-2; 1991-2; 1990-1; 1989-
1; 1988-1; 1987-1; 1986-3; 1985-6; 1984-22; 1983-98; 1982-214
Highest Singles Ranking (As of November 24, 1998):
No. 1 (August 17, 1987-March 10, 1991; August 5-11, 1991;
August 19-September 8, 1991; June 7, 1993-February 5, 1995;
February 20-26, 1995; April 10-May 14, 1995; June 12,
1995-March 30, 1997)
*Co-ranked No. 1 with Monica Seles August 15, 1995-November
3, 1996
**Ranking when she requested to come off the rankings on August 30, 1999
Birthdate: June 14, 1969
Birthplace: Bruhl, Germany
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 132 lbs. (59 kg)
Plays: Right-handed
Status: Retired (August 13, 1999)
WTA TOUR singles titles: 107 (includes 1 Olympics)
WTA TOUR doubles titles: 11
(Grand Slam titles: 22 singles, 1 doubles)
ITF Women's Circuit singles titles: 1
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - SINGLES
WINNER (107): 1999 - French Open; 1998 - New Haven, Leipzig, Philadelphia; 1997 -
Strasbourg; 1996 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Chase Championships, Indian
Wells, Lipton, German Open; 1995 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, WTA TOUR
Championships, Paris Indoors, Delray Beach, Lipton, Houston, Philadelphia; 1994 -
Australian Open, Lipton, Pan Pacific, Indian Wells, Delray Beach, German Open, San
Diego; 1993 - Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Virginia Slims Championships, Delray
Beach, Hilton Head, German Open, San Diego, Canadian Open, Leipzig; 1992 - Wimbledon,
Boca Raton, Hamburg, German Open, Leipzig, Zurich, Brighton, Philadelphia; 1991 -
Wimbledon, U.S. Hardcourts, Hamburg, German Open, Leipzig, European Indoors, Brighton;
1990 - Australian Open, Pan Pacific, Amelia Island, Hamburg, Canadian Open, San Diego,
Leipzig, European Indoors, Brighton, New England; 1989 - Australian Open, Wimbledon,
U.S. Open, Virginia Slims Championships, Washington, DC, Boca Raton, U.S. Hardcourts,
Hilton Head, Hamburg, German Open, San Diego, Mahwah, European Indoors, Brighton; 1988
– Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Lipton, U.S. Hardcourts, German
Open, Hamburg, Mahwah, Brighton, Olympics; 1987 - Roland Garros, Virginia Slims
Championships, Lipton, Los Angeles, European Indoors, Boca Raton, Hamburg, German Open,
Italian Open, Hilton Head, Amelia Island; 1986 - German Open, Amelia Island, Hilton
Head, U.S. Clay Courts, Pan Pacific, Zurich, Brighton, Mahwah
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - DOUBLES
WINNER (11): 1993 - Hamburg (w/Stubbs); 1992 - Hamburg (w/Stubbs); 1989 - Mahwah
(w/Shriver); 1988 - Wimbledon (w/Sabatini), Lipton (w/Sabatini); 1987 - Amelia Island
(w/Sabatini); 1986 - German Open (w/Sukova), U.S. Clay Courts (w/Sabatini), Brighton
(w/Sukova), Zurich (w/Sabatini), Pan Pacific (w/Bunge)
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: German Fed Cup Team 1986-87, 1989-93, 1996. German Olympic Team
1988, 1992.
WTA TOUR RANKING (SEASON-ENDING, SINGLES)
1999-3**;1998-9; 1997-28; 1996-1; 1995-1; 1994-1; 1993-1; 1992-2; 1991-2; 1990-1; 1989-
1; 1988-1; 1987-1; 1986-3; 1985-6; 1984-22; 1983-98; 1982-214
Highest Singles Ranking (As of November 24, 1998):
No. 1 (August 17, 1987-March 10, 1991; August 5-11, 1991;
August 19-September 8, 1991; June 7, 1993-February 5, 1995;
February 20-26, 1995; April 10-May 14, 1995; June 12,
1995-March 30, 1997)
*Co-ranked No. 1 with Monica Seles August 15, 1995-November
3, 1996
**Ranking when she requested to come off the rankings on August 30, 1999
Career Highlights
1983: Became the 2nd youngest player to receive a ranking at 13 years, 4 months old (No. 124). Won her first professional match on March 5.
# 1984: Won an Gold Medal in the tennis demonstration at the Los Angeles Olympics. Defeated Sabrina Goles in the Finals in 3 sets. Reached her first career final.
1985: Reached 3 more tournament finals and moved into the Top 10, finishing the year ranked 6th.
1986: Won 8 tournaments, including the German Open, Amelia Island, Hilton Head, and US Clay Courts. Reached the semis of the US Open. Was ranked #3 in the world at the end of the year. Named WTA Tour Most Improved Player.
1987: Won her first Grand Slam event at the French Open, defeating top seed Martina Navratilova in 3 sets in the finals. Lost to Navratilova in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open. Became the #1 player on the world on August 17 and held the #1 ranking for a record 186 consecutive weeks until March 10, 1991.
1988: Had probably the best season in tennis history. Won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, becoming the 3rd woman and 5th player overall to win the Grand Slam. Also won a Gold Medal at the Olympics in Seoul, becoming the first person in tennis history to win the Golden Grand Slam. She also is the only person to win a Grand Slam on four different surfaces (carpet, clay, grass, hardcourt). Was 72-3 in matches. Named WTA player of the year for the 2nd straight year. Won her only Grand Slam doubles title with Gabriela Sabatini at Wimbledon. Won 11 tournaments for the 2nd consecutive year. Had a 46 match win streak from May 9 to Nov 18.
1989: Won the Australian Open, giving her 5 consecutive Grand Slam victories, one short of the record. Lost in the finals of the French Open to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, but came back to win Wimbledon and the US Open, giving her 7 wins in the last 8 Grand Slams and 11 consecutive Grand Slam Finals. Had the 2nd best match record of all-time at 86-2 (.977). Won a career-high 14 titles. Had a career-high 66 match win streak from June 26 to May 20, 1990. Her US Open win made her the only person ever to win and successfully defend all 4 Grand Slams.
1990: Won the Australian Open for the 3rd straight year, giving her 8 wins in the last 9 Grand Slam events. Lost in the finals of the French Open, extending her streak to 13 consecutive Grand Slam finals. Lost in the semis at Wimbledon and the finals at the US Open. Ranked #1 in the world for the fourth straight year. Won 10 tournaments, including the Canadian Open. Named the WTA Player of the Year for the 4th straight year.
1991: Dropped to #2 in the world on March 10, after holding the #1 ranking for a record 186 weeks. Reached the semis of the French Open and US Open and won at Wimbledon. Her victory at Wimbledon made her the sixth woman to win 10 Grand Slam events. Regained the #1 ranking from Aug 5-12 and from Aug 19-Sept 8. She won her 500th career match on Oct 2. Won at least one Grand Slam event for the 5th straight year.
1992: Missed the Australian Open due to injury. Lost in the finals of the French Open 2-6, 6-3, 8-10, to Monica Seles, but beat Seles 6-2, 6-1 in the finals of Wimbledon. Won a Silver Medal at the Olympics in Barcelona, losing to Jennifer Capriati in the finals.
1993: Lost in the finals of the Australian Open to Monica Seles in 3 sets. Went on to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Regained the #1 ranking on June 7. Became the only person to win all 4 Grand Slams in the '90s and one of very few people to win all 4 Grand Slams in 2 different decades. Her victory at Wimbledon was her 13th career Grand Slam title, moving her into 5th place on the all-time list, and her 20th career Grand Slam final. Graf won at least 3 Grand Slams for the 3rd time in her career, setting a new record. Won her 600th career match on March 14.
1994: Won the Australian Open, becoming the 2nd woman to win a non-calendar year Grand Slam. She became the 1st person to win both a calendar year and a non-calendar year Grand Slam on separate occasions. On Feb 7, her ranking average was 441.1746, the highest ranking ever achieved by any player. Won 57 consecutive sets, setting a new record. Lost in the semis of the French Open and the 1st round of Wimbledon. Reached the finals of the US Open and, bothered throughout the match by back problems, lost to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 6-1, 6-7 (7-3), 4-6.
1995: Did not enter the Australian Open due to injury, but won the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon (4-6, 6-1, 7-5, in an incredible match--game 11 of the third set had 32 points!) and defeated Monica Seles in the finals to win her 4th US Open. Her US Open win gave her 18 career Grand Slam wins, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list with Navratilova and Evert. Became the first person in history to win all four Grand Slams at least 4 times each. Won at least one Grand Slam for the 9th consecutive year and at least 3 Grand Slams for the 4th time. Her Wimbledon title was her 6th, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list. Won her 750th career match in the Wimbledon semis. Was ranked #1 for the 300th week on Oct 8. Defeated Anke Huber in the finals of the WTA Tour Championships in the only five set match of her career. Moved into 3rd place in tournaments won with her 89th career victory at Lipton.
1996: Once again missed the Australian Open because of an injury and once again won the other three, making it six in a row that she played and probably just missing two consecutive Grand Slams only because of injuries! Again, just like last year, she Defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open (6-3, 6-7, 10-8, fighting off several match points, in one of the greatest matches ever) and Wimbledon (6-3, 7-5), and beat Monica Seles in the finals of the US Open (7-5, 6-4). This moved her into second place all-time with 21 Grand Slam titles, a second place tie with 5 French Opens, 3rd place tie with 7 Wimbledons, 4th place tie with 5 US Opens, and 3rd with 29 Grand Slam finals. Graf once again won the year end championships and ended the year ranked #1 for a record 8th time. She also extended her streaks to 10 straight years with at least 1 Grand Slam title and 7 tournament wins! It was the 5th time Graf had won at least 3 Grand Slams in a year, extending her record. Broke Martina Navratilova's record of most total weeks as the #1 player in the world and she also won her 100th career tournament during the year. Was named WTA player of the year for a record 8th time.
1997: Finally returned to the Australian Open and won her record 45th consecutive Grand Slam match in the third round, but lost to Amanda Coetzer in the fourth round. A week later, she withdrew from a tournament in Japan just before the finals against Martina Hingis because of a knee injury that required surgery. Missed about 3 months and lost her #1 ranking to Hingis during that time after a record total of 377 weeks, basically 1/4 of her life! Came back and won a warmup tournament for the French Open, but once again lost to Coetzer, this time in the quarterfinals. She then had to undergo knee surgery again because it wasn't done properly the first time and missed the remainder of the season, breaking her streaks of 10 consecutive years with at least 1 Grand Slam and 11 consecutive years with at least 7 titles. She also dropped below #2 in the WTA rankings for the first time since early 1987!
# 1984: Won an Gold Medal in the tennis demonstration at the Los Angeles Olympics. Defeated Sabrina Goles in the Finals in 3 sets. Reached her first career final.
1985: Reached 3 more tournament finals and moved into the Top 10, finishing the year ranked 6th.
1986: Won 8 tournaments, including the German Open, Amelia Island, Hilton Head, and US Clay Courts. Reached the semis of the US Open. Was ranked #3 in the world at the end of the year. Named WTA Tour Most Improved Player.
1987: Won her first Grand Slam event at the French Open, defeating top seed Martina Navratilova in 3 sets in the finals. Lost to Navratilova in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open. Became the #1 player on the world on August 17 and held the #1 ranking for a record 186 consecutive weeks until March 10, 1991.
1988: Had probably the best season in tennis history. Won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, becoming the 3rd woman and 5th player overall to win the Grand Slam. Also won a Gold Medal at the Olympics in Seoul, becoming the first person in tennis history to win the Golden Grand Slam. She also is the only person to win a Grand Slam on four different surfaces (carpet, clay, grass, hardcourt). Was 72-3 in matches. Named WTA player of the year for the 2nd straight year. Won her only Grand Slam doubles title with Gabriela Sabatini at Wimbledon. Won 11 tournaments for the 2nd consecutive year. Had a 46 match win streak from May 9 to Nov 18.
1989: Won the Australian Open, giving her 5 consecutive Grand Slam victories, one short of the record. Lost in the finals of the French Open to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, but came back to win Wimbledon and the US Open, giving her 7 wins in the last 8 Grand Slams and 11 consecutive Grand Slam Finals. Had the 2nd best match record of all-time at 86-2 (.977). Won a career-high 14 titles. Had a career-high 66 match win streak from June 26 to May 20, 1990. Her US Open win made her the only person ever to win and successfully defend all 4 Grand Slams.
1990: Won the Australian Open for the 3rd straight year, giving her 8 wins in the last 9 Grand Slam events. Lost in the finals of the French Open, extending her streak to 13 consecutive Grand Slam finals. Lost in the semis at Wimbledon and the finals at the US Open. Ranked #1 in the world for the fourth straight year. Won 10 tournaments, including the Canadian Open. Named the WTA Player of the Year for the 4th straight year.
1991: Dropped to #2 in the world on March 10, after holding the #1 ranking for a record 186 weeks. Reached the semis of the French Open and US Open and won at Wimbledon. Her victory at Wimbledon made her the sixth woman to win 10 Grand Slam events. Regained the #1 ranking from Aug 5-12 and from Aug 19-Sept 8. She won her 500th career match on Oct 2. Won at least one Grand Slam event for the 5th straight year.
1992: Missed the Australian Open due to injury. Lost in the finals of the French Open 2-6, 6-3, 8-10, to Monica Seles, but beat Seles 6-2, 6-1 in the finals of Wimbledon. Won a Silver Medal at the Olympics in Barcelona, losing to Jennifer Capriati in the finals.
1993: Lost in the finals of the Australian Open to Monica Seles in 3 sets. Went on to win the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Regained the #1 ranking on June 7. Became the only person to win all 4 Grand Slams in the '90s and one of very few people to win all 4 Grand Slams in 2 different decades. Her victory at Wimbledon was her 13th career Grand Slam title, moving her into 5th place on the all-time list, and her 20th career Grand Slam final. Graf won at least 3 Grand Slams for the 3rd time in her career, setting a new record. Won her 600th career match on March 14.
1994: Won the Australian Open, becoming the 2nd woman to win a non-calendar year Grand Slam. She became the 1st person to win both a calendar year and a non-calendar year Grand Slam on separate occasions. On Feb 7, her ranking average was 441.1746, the highest ranking ever achieved by any player. Won 57 consecutive sets, setting a new record. Lost in the semis of the French Open and the 1st round of Wimbledon. Reached the finals of the US Open and, bothered throughout the match by back problems, lost to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 6-1, 6-7 (7-3), 4-6.
1995: Did not enter the Australian Open due to injury, but won the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon (4-6, 6-1, 7-5, in an incredible match--game 11 of the third set had 32 points!) and defeated Monica Seles in the finals to win her 4th US Open. Her US Open win gave her 18 career Grand Slam wins, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list with Navratilova and Evert. Became the first person in history to win all four Grand Slams at least 4 times each. Won at least one Grand Slam for the 9th consecutive year and at least 3 Grand Slams for the 4th time. Her Wimbledon title was her 6th, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list. Won her 750th career match in the Wimbledon semis. Was ranked #1 for the 300th week on Oct 8. Defeated Anke Huber in the finals of the WTA Tour Championships in the only five set match of her career. Moved into 3rd place in tournaments won with her 89th career victory at Lipton.
1996: Once again missed the Australian Open because of an injury and once again won the other three, making it six in a row that she played and probably just missing two consecutive Grand Slams only because of injuries! Again, just like last year, she Defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open (6-3, 6-7, 10-8, fighting off several match points, in one of the greatest matches ever) and Wimbledon (6-3, 7-5), and beat Monica Seles in the finals of the US Open (7-5, 6-4). This moved her into second place all-time with 21 Grand Slam titles, a second place tie with 5 French Opens, 3rd place tie with 7 Wimbledons, 4th place tie with 5 US Opens, and 3rd with 29 Grand Slam finals. Graf once again won the year end championships and ended the year ranked #1 for a record 8th time. She also extended her streaks to 10 straight years with at least 1 Grand Slam title and 7 tournament wins! It was the 5th time Graf had won at least 3 Grand Slams in a year, extending her record. Broke Martina Navratilova's record of most total weeks as the #1 player in the world and she also won her 100th career tournament during the year. Was named WTA player of the year for a record 8th time.
1997: Finally returned to the Australian Open and won her record 45th consecutive Grand Slam match in the third round, but lost to Amanda Coetzer in the fourth round. A week later, she withdrew from a tournament in Japan just before the finals against Martina Hingis because of a knee injury that required surgery. Missed about 3 months and lost her #1 ranking to Hingis during that time after a record total of 377 weeks, basically 1/4 of her life! Came back and won a warmup tournament for the French Open, but once again lost to Coetzer, this time in the quarterfinals. She then had to undergo knee surgery again because it wasn't done properly the first time and missed the remainder of the season, breaking her streaks of 10 consecutive years with at least 1 Grand Slam and 11 consecutive years with at least 7 titles. She also dropped below #2 in the WTA rankings for the first time since early 1987!
1998: Graf's comeback was delayed many times and she missed both the Australian and French Opens before she finally made it back. Wimbledon was her first Grand Slam in just over a year, and while she still showed flashes of brilliance, she also was very rusty and got upset in the 3rd round by Natasha Zvereva (her first loss in over 20 matches against Zvereva). Had a similar performance in the US Open, losing in the 4th round, but did manage to win 3 titles and work her way back up the rankings into the top 10 again. Finished the year ranked #9. 1999: Continued her comeback at the Australian Open, where once again, she did one round better than her last Grand Slam, losing to Seles in the quarterfinals. Soon after, she became the WTA career leader in prize money. Kept moving up the ranks and was #6 going into the French Open, the 4th Grand Slam since she came back. Although still missing half a step compared to a couple years ago, that was still good enough to dominate the early rounds. She faced #2 Lindsay Davenport in the QF, and won in a tough 3-setter. Then she had a rematch with her old rival Seles (3 seed), which also went to 3 sets, Graf pulling away in the 3rd, setting up a dream final with current #1 Martina Hingis, her record 9th French Open final. Hingis won the first set and was up a break in the second, serving for the match, but Graf, showing the true heart of a champion, fought back to take the second set and went on to win the third, claiming her 22nd Grand Slam and first since '96, moving her to 2nd with 6 French Opens, one short of Chris Evert's record! She is the only player ever to beat the 1, 2, and 3 seeds in a Grand Slam. After the match, she announced that she would not play another French Open, saying that she could not hope to top her performance in this one. Graf moved up to #3 in the rankings and was seeded #2 at Wimbledon where she breezed through the early rounds again. She again went to three sets in the QF and SF, but won both against Venus Williams and Mirjana Lucic, setting up a rematch with Lindsay Davenport in the finals, her 9th Wimbledon final. Graf lost in straight sets in the finals, maybe in part due to the fact that she was playing with bronchitis, but still reached her 31st Grand Slam final and second in a row, proving that she was, after a two year comeback, once again 0the best player in the game. After the match, she said it would be her final Wimbledon. Graf entered the US Open and later would say that she made a mistake in saying that she wouldn't play the French Open or Wimbledon again, but after a hamstring injury at the TIG Tennis Classic, on Friday the 13th of August, Steffi Graf, winner of 22 Grand Slams, the #1 player in the world for a record 377 weeks, the greatest player in the history of tennis, currently ranked #3, and two-time defending Grand Slam finalist, retired at the age of 30... | |
| The Rolemodel What are the first words in your mind when you think about Steffi Graf? Is it discipline, professionalism, hard work, sportsmanship, respect, courage, determination, perseverance or all of the above? She was (and probably still is) and extraordinary athlete who combined fantastic natural abilities with unbreakable mental toughness Her story began at the age of 3 when her father Peter taught her to swing the racquet in her living room. She was soon hooked on tennis and so was her father. One of her first coaches was Boris Breskvar, a Slovenian tennis coach, who taught in Germany. I read a short report he wrote when he was working with Boris Becker and he insisted on hard work and discipline. But what shocks you the most is that he said that Steffi Graf's discipline was incredible even for his standards. What can you learn: Discipline means staying focused on the task. You need to put the blinders on, decide for your goal and go for it. Everything else is a waste of your time and talent. Steffi was soon very successful and won the European under 12 championships. She became a pro at the age of 13! She and her father Peter knew exactly what they wanted. They didn't go on the tour to try and see what happens. They went for the top. Steffi's rankings steadily improved and she won her first title at the age of 17 beating Chris Evert in the final in the Hilton Head tournament. What can you learn: You don't become a champion over night. It takes hard work and years may pass. And when you get the chance, take it. Steffi could have easily seen Chris Evert as unbeatable at that time when she was one of the best. But Steffi Graf did not allow the fame of her opponent get to her. She wanted to win no matter what. So she did and won 6 more titles in that year (1986). steffi graf photo The pinnacle of her career came in 1988 when she won all four Grand Slams and completed that year winning the Olympic Games too. Her achievement was called the "Golden Slam". Graf continued her domination of the women's tour and won all together 22 Grand Slam titles and she was ranked nr.1 for a total of 377 weeks including a record 186 consecutive weeks. She also won 107 singles and 11 doubles titles in her career. What can you learn: Steffi Graf was a champion when she was at the start of her career. She never ceased to be one. She continued her professionalism and dedication to tennis even when she won many Grand Slams and earned millions of dollars. If you acquire the traits and beliefs of a champion, they stay with you. Steffi had her ups and downs in her career too. She lost some very tough Grand Slam finals especially against Monica Seles. All together she lost 9 Grand Slam finals and won 22. She also had personal problems with German authorities and many injuries that kept her from her top form most of the time. She even burst into tears in one of the interviews after the match when she was in that tough period of her career. But she persevered and stayed on top of the women's game longer than any other player of all time. What can you learn: There are no perfect careers even though Steffi's career is unbelievable. You still lose Grand Slam finals and you still have to deal with life's problems and challenges. Don't let that stop you, follow your dream. steffi graf picture Steffi Graf retired in August 1999 when she was still ranked nr. 3 in the world. She finally found the man of her life – Andre Agassi and married him in 2001. They have a boy Jaden Gil and a daughter Jaz Elle. Steffi Graf is still playing an occasional exhibition match, she is the founder of "Children of Tomorrow" and continues to be a role model of integrity and sportsmanship for every athlete and person. Awards & Recognitions 1986: WTA tour "Most improved player" Bambi prize(The Bambi is annual television and media prize awarded by the German television magazine Bild und Funk) why:Won 8 tournaments, including the German Open, Amelia Island, Hilton Head, and US Clay Courts. Reached the semis of the US Open. Was ranked #3 in the world at the end of the year. 1987: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" Bambi prize(The Bambi is annual television and media prize awarded by the German television magazine Bild und Funk) why:Won her first Grand Slam event at the French Open, defeating top seed Martina Navratilova in 3 sets in the finals. Lost to Navratilova in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open. Became the #1 player on the world on August 17,finished that year at same place. 1988: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" "BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year" why:Won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, becoming the 3rd woman and 5th player overall to win the Grand Slam. Also won a Gold Medal at the Olympics in Seoul, becoming the first person in tennis history to win the Golden Grand Slam. She also is the only person to win a Grand Slam on four different surfaces (carpet, clay, grass, hardcourt). Was 72-3 in matches. Won her only Grand Slam doubles title with Gabriela Sabatini at Wimbledon. Won 11 tournaments for the 2nd consecutive year. Had a 46 match win streak from May 9 to Nov 18. 1989: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" Associated press "Female athlete of the year" why:Won the Australian Open, giving her 5 consecutive Grand Slam victories, one short of the record. Lost in the finals of the French Open to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, but came back to win Wimbledon and the US Open, giving her 7 wins in the last 8 Grand Slams and 11 consecutive Grand Slam Finals. Had the 2nd best match record of all-time at 86-2 (.977). Won a career-high 14 titles. Had a career-high 66 match win streak from June 26 to May 20, 1990. Her US Open win made her the only person ever to win and successfully defend all 4 Grand Slams. 1990: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" why:Won the Australian Open for the 3rd straight year, giving her 8 wins in the last 9 Grand Slam events. Lost in the finals of the French Open, extending her streak to 13 consecutive Grand Slam finals. Lost in the semis at Wimbledon and the finals at the US Open. Ranked #1 in the world for the fourth straight year. Won 10 tournaments, including the Canadian Open. 1993: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" why:won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Regained the #1 ranking on June 7. Became the only person to win all 4 Grand Slams in the '90s and one of very few people to win all 4 Grand Slams in 2 different decades. Her victory at Wimbledon was her 13th career Grand Slam title, moving her into 5th place on the all-time list, and her 20th career Grand Slam final. Graf won at least 3 Grand Slams for the 3rd time in her career, setting a new record. Won her 600th career match on March 14. 1994: WTA tour "Player of the year" why:Won the Australian Open, becoming the 2nd woman to win a non-calendar year Grand Slam. She became the 1st person to win both a calendar year and a non-calendar year Grand Slam on separate occasions. On Feb 7, her ranking average was 441.1746, the highest ranking ever achieved by any player. Won 57 consecutive sets, setting a new record. 1995: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" why  id not enter the Australian Open due to injury, but won the French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon (4-6, 6-1, 7-5, in an incredible match--game 11 of the third set had 32 points!) and defeated Monica Seles in the finals to win her 4th US Open. Her US Open win gave her 18 career Grand Slam wins, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list with Navratilova and Evert. Became the first person in history to win all four Grand Slams at least 4 times each. Won at least one Grand Slam for the 9th consecutive year and at least 3 Grand Slams for the 4th time. Her Wimbledon title was her 6th, tying her for 3rd place on the all-time list. Won her 750th career match in the Wimbledon semis.1996: WTA tour "Player of the year" ITF "World champion" WTA "Most exciting player" award by fans. why:Once again missed the Australian Open because of an injury and once again won the other three, making it six in a row that she played and probably just missing two consecutive Grand Slams only because of injuries! Again, just like last year, she Defeated Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in the finals of the French Open (6-3, 6-7, 10-8, fighting off several match points, in one of the greatest matches ever) and Wimbledon (6-3, 7-5), and beat Monica Seles in the finals of the US Open (7-5, 6-4). This moved her into second place all-time with 21 Grand Slam titles, a second place tie with 5 French Opens, 3rd place tie with 7 Wimbledons, 4th place tie with 5 US Opens, and 3rd with 29 Grand Slam finals. Graf once again won the year end championships and ended the year ranked #1 for a record 8th time. She also extended her streaks to 10 straight years with at least 1 Grand Slam title and 7 tournament wins! It was the 5th time Graf had won at least 3 Grand Slams in a year, extending her record. Broke Martina Navratilova's record of most total weeks as the #1 player in the world and she also won her 100th career tournament during the year. Was named WTA player of the year for a record 8th time. *Voted 'Most favourite Tennis player' by fans (Steffi Graf(38%),Pete Sampras(19%),Andre Agassi(18%),Gabriela Sabatini(15%)..) 1998: WTA "Most interesting player" why:This is the second innings for her career,because she wasn't participated in tournaments between July1997-February1998 due to surgeries.She wasn't participated in French Open.Played in Wimbledon & got upset in the 3rd round by Natasha Zvereva (her first loss in over 20 matches against Zvereva).She revenged Zvereva by the score 6-1 6-3 in Stanford tournament.Won 'Pilot Pen' Title .Where she beats Jana Novothna(6-4,6-1),and defeated Lindsay Davenport in semis(where shw breaked Lindsay's 22 straight match winning streak.).Lost to Schnyder in fourth round of US open.She revenged Schnyder in a exhibition tournament,but it's not calculated because of it is not under preoffessiona matches) Won Leipzig,Adwanta Tournaments after a surgery.She beated then top-2 players Lindsay Davenport,Martina Hingis.Qualified for Chase Championships.Beated Jana Novothna at 1st round and Monica seles at Quarters,but lost to Lindsay in semis.Finished the year ranked #9. 1999: WTA "Most exciting player" award by fans. "Most loved sports personality" Award. "Prince of Asturias Award" one of the most important awards of Spain named after the apparent heir of Spain, Prince Felipe "Germany Television Award" "Athlete of the Century" for the category "female athlete in ballsports" by IOC panel "Female Athlete of the Year" by German TV broadcaster ARD "Female Sports Award of the last Decade" by ESPY, Las Vegas "Olympic Medal of Honor" granted by Dr. Antonio Samaranch, President of the IOC, Lausanne "Womans Tennis player of the 20 century" by Associated Press. 2000: Sony ericcon "Hall of fame " honor. why:Steffi won the 5 titles at Sony ericcon open in Miami ,this is a record for womans Tennis.(Sony-Ericcon open is bigger tournament after Grandslams). she retired in 1999,so it's a good honor to deseved player. 2002: "Medal of Honor" decorated by the Prime Minister of Graf's home state Baden-Württemberg, Mr. Erwin Teufel why:This is one of the Greatest awards by Germany. 2004: International Tennis "Hall of fame" honor. why:International Tennis Federation gives honor every year who retired and deserved for that honor. ( we already give answer to' why' above.Also read Hall of Fame transcripts ) ************************************************** ************************************************** *********************************** *Voted "Germans greatest rolemodel" by TV magazine "TV14" *Selected as one of the TIME's Top-30 " EURO-Heroes" *Berlin's LTTC Rot-Weiss tennis club, the long-time host of the German Open, was renamed as Steffi Graf Stadion from septeber25,2004 . (Graf, who won nine of her 107 WTA Tour titles at Rot-Weiss.) *Paul Fein released Top-10 All Time Great players list. 1.Steffi Graf,2.Martina Navratilova,3.Helen Wills Moody.,4.Suzanne Lenglen,5.Margaret Court,6.Chris Evert,7.Billie Jean King,8.Maureen Connoly,9.Monica Seles,10.Serena Williams. ************************************************** ************************************************** *********************************** 2005: Honored by U.S open Hall of fame *Voted "Most Admirable German Woman" by the readers of AMICA magazine. 2006: *Voted "Most popular German woman" by a German magazine. 2007: voted "Rolemodel for mothers" too. 2008: 'Voted "Germans Most Popular Woman" with 84% population voted her as their favourite woman. Agassi-Graf won the 'German Media Prize" Steffi Graf websites! 1]http://www.steffi-graf.net 2]http://www.sgisc.com 3]http://www.geocities.com/arslan_yesim/ 4]http://www.geocities.com/stefaniemariagraf/ 5]http://www.geocities.com/bilalr1/ |
