Banksy Behind The Curtain Canvas, University Of Tennessee, Knoxville Admission Requirements, Agco Oil Filter Cross Reference Chart, 7 Adam 15 Police Code, Articles S

Steffi Graf vs Serena Williams vs Martina Navratilova - Who is the Greatest Female tennis player of all time? Having also won bronze in the womens doubles with Claudia Kohde-Kilsch in Seoul, her Olympic record stands at four podium finishes, including two titles counting the one she won in Los Angeles aged 14 when tennis was a demonstration sport! [77][78] In the French Open Graf was again beaten by Amanda Coetzer in straight sets, 61, 64. Grand Slam tournament performance timeline. Even discounting that result, no other player had played and won 27 Grand Slam matches in a single year before. 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. 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). [89][114], Graf also had a powerful backhand drive but over the course of her career tended to use it less frequently, opting more often for an effective backhand slice. She would either destroy opponents, clinically and . Steffi Graf collided against Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the finals of the 1995 Wimbledon. Starting in the early 1990s, she used the slice almost exclusively in baseline rallies and mostly limited the topspin backhand to passing shots. The loss deprived her of the Golden Super Slam. Graf's 1988 Grand Slam remains the only one in history completed on three surfaces (grass, clay, hard court), as all other Grand Slams in tennis history were achieved prior to the introduction of hard court at the US Open in 1978.[35]. 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. [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. 1 Novak Djokovic could do the same if he wins gold, as could Roger Federer if he is involved in the Games. [122][129] Other companies she has endorsed include Barilla, Apollinaris, Citibank, Danone and Teekanne. Although Sabatini got the best of Graf in the semifinals of the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships, Graf still finished the year as the top-ranked player. 1999 Athlete of the Century for the category Female Athlete in Ballsports by a panel of the, 1999 The Greatest Female Tennis Player of the 20th century, by a panel of tennis experts assembled by the Associated Press, 1999 Female Athlete of the Year, by the German television broadcaster ARD, 1999 Female Sports Award of the Last Decade, by, 1999 Olympic Order granted by Dr. Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC, 2002 Medal of Honor, bestowed by the prime minister of Graf's home state, 2008 Cross of the Order of Merit awarded to her by German Federal President Horst Khler. The difficulty of answering questions about the matter came to a head at a Wimbledon press conference, where Graf broke down in tears. 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. [63][64], A strained right calf muscle forced Graf to withdraw from the Australian Open. She won 22 Grand Slam Singles' teetles, an in 1988 wis the only tennis player tae achieve the "Gowden Slam", winnin, in the Singles, aw fower Grand Slam teetles an the Olympic Gowd medal in the semme year. Serena was 17. She had some amazing rivalries with Hall of Fame opponents such as Navratilova, Evert, Sabatini and Seles. "[15] In December 1999, Graf was named the greatest female tennis player of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press. The Washington, D.C. tournament was notable because Graf won the first twenty points of the final against Zina Garrison. After breaking Novotn's serve, Graf won the next four games to take the match 76, 16, 64. She then lost to Sabatini in her next three tournaments before winning the U.S. Hardcourt Championships in San Antonio, beating Monica Seles in the final. That year Graf lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open in straight sets to Amanda Coetzer. At the year-ending Virginia Slims Championships, Graf was upset by Pam Shriver, only her third loss of the year. Graf has a 20863 (76.8%) record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.[1]. 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. Graf again lost to Monica Seles in the final of the French Open 67, 46. 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. Graf, meanwhile, was back to defend her Olympic title on the clay courts of Barcelona 1992, where she took silver after losing to the USAs Jennifer Capriati in the final. Her year continued indifferently with losses in three of her first four tournaments, including a semifinal loss to Jana Novotn in Chicago. Although she now lives in Las Vegas, Stefanie Maria Graf was born in Mannheim, West Germany on June 14, 1969. The US Open ended anti-climactically as Navratilova defeated Graf in the final 76, 61. Do Not Disturb. In Indian Wells Graf lost to Serena Williams in three sets. Graf lost an Australian Open quarterfinal to Jana Novotn, the first time she did not reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament since the 1986 French Open. 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. Barbara Schett: "Novak Djokovic will exceed 400 weeks as no.1" 1 Martina Navratilova, and reached two finals, at Wimbledon and the US Open, losing out to Navratilova in both. [115], She built her powerful and accurate serve up to 183km/h (114mph), making it one of the fastest serves in women's tennis and was a capable volleyer. As usual, the defining shot of the day was the one that earned Steffi her nickname, Frulein Forehand. . Graf won a majority of her slams using her sharp slice backhand and her incredible forehand. She has appeared in many advertisements and television commercials with Andre Agassi including Canon Inc.[130] and Longines in 2008 (Agassi became Longines ambassador in 2007). As true as that forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. 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. . [152] She was voted the WTA Player of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. [88] Sabatini said of the partnership: "doubles is all about communicating with each other, and we didn't communicate that much. My father taught me that if you really do want to reach your goals, you can't spend any time worrying about whether you're going to win or lose. Less than three weeks after beating her in New York, Graf inflicted yet another defeat on the Argentinean, giving her no chance with an imposing 6-3, 6-3 victory. In her semifinal match at the US Open, Graf defeated Sabatini 36, 64, 62. (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. In the 1980s and '90s Graf was ranked the top woman player by the Women's Tennis Association . No medals were awarded as this was not an official Olympic event.[23]. 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". Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams played just twice. 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). Steffi Graf - The German Way & More Novak Djokovic: 'I'm not in touch with Steffi Graf but' 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. [28][29][30][31] The official time of the match given on the scoresheet was 34 minutes; however, just 32 minutes of that was spent on the court, as a rain break split the match into two periods of play, of nine and 23 minutes. Queens of the Court: Steffi Graf - Bleacher Report This is a list of the main career statistics of professional tennis player Steffi Graf. However, seeing the current situation, Graff also feels frightened. 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 went on to win Wimbledon in 1996, beating Arantxa . In 1988, there was no bronze medal match, and both beaten semifinalists received bronze medals. She did not win a tournament but consistently reached tournament finals, semifinals and quarterfinals, with the highlight being her semifinal loss to Navratilova at the US Open. Graf beat opponents with spectacular precision, and Williams had a power game, unlike any woman in professional tennis. SAN DIEGO The shock was not that top-ranked Steffi Graf won another match, 6-0, 6-0. In their five previous head-to-head matches, Graf had defeated Martnez each time. Voted The best female role model in sports in a survey by Barclays, sponsors of the Premier League, 2010. But Vicario took the first set and Graf took the second. The teenager had taken part at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 when tennis made its Olympic return as a demonstration sport, 60 years after it was dropped from the programme. 1 Lindsay Davenport en route to the Philadelphia title. The Graf Backhand: Strength or Weakness? You judge with 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. 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. 3, Jana Novotn, before losing in the semifinal to first-seeded Davenport. A worthy opponent, she is an exceptional and versatile player to have dominated the international women's tennis scene for a long time. WATCH THIS STORY: When Roger Federer toyed his opponent so bad, he asked for advice from Andre Agassi in the crowd Wimbledon championships. Graf, Kerber's idol . At Wimbledon, however, Graf captured her third women's crown, this time at Sabatini's expense. In the late eighties and nineties Graf dominated. Steffi Graf career statistics - Wikipedia She married fellow Olympic champion Agassi in 2001, and the pair have two children together. Graf played a singles exhibition match against Kim Clijsters and a mixed doubles exhibition alongside husband Andre Agassi against Tim Henman and Clijsters as part of a test event and celebration for the newly installed roof over Wimbledon's Centre Court in 2009. Instead of being hailed as the undisputed female GOAT, people will always talk about her mysterious backhand deficiency. Most sliced shots float these days; Graf's seemed to reach her opponent's side in a straight line, skimming low over the net. At the end of the year, the municipality of Brhl, her hometown, gave her the title of honorary citizen. Graf was ranked world No. Talk Tennis Guru. First Grand Slam victory of the year for Graf: 6-1, 7-6. 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. 1999 Prince of Asturias Award, one of the most important awards of Spain and named after the heir apparent of Spain. 3. She was named the 1988 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year. [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. Steffi Graf vs Serena Williams vs Martina Navratilova - reddit The 50 Greatest Players of the Open Era (W): No. 2, Steffi Graf LEAVE A . [85][86] She was ranked No. However, Graf admitted in 1995 that she would have preferred having a two-handed backhand in retrospect. On 24 January 1988, on a Rebound Ace surface on Centre Court in Melbourne, Graf took on Evert in the final of the Australian Open. 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. Sabatini served for the match twice, and was two points away from her first Wimbledon title. In the Miami final, she lost her first set of the yearto Natasha Zverevaafter winning 54 consecutive sets. 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). [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). 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. First Grand Slam victory of the year for Graf: 6-1, 7-6. [62] Although Graf ended the year ranked No. [123] In 2006, she signed an endorsement deal with Head. In the French Open final, Graf defeated Navratilova, who was the world No. [98][99] It was Graf and Snchez Vicario's first head-to-head meeting since 1996. - Official match time was 34 minutes, which charitably included two minutes of rain delay. 3, having racked up a total of 107 tournament victories. Steffi Graf Remains Best Women's Tennis Player Of All Time - Forbes The German allowed Zvereva just 13 points, three of them in that one early game. . She is better than them all. 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. 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. However, in the Federation Cup final in Vancouver, Canada, three weeks later, she defeated Evert easily 62, 61. 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]. Focus only on getting better. Extremely sound advice! Williams vs. Graf, and Graf's Disciple - The New York Times Steffi Graf with the Wimbledon trophy in 1989 after defeating Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-1 in the final. Fernandez had two break points to take a 30 and double break lead in the third set. The match was poised for a final set to decide the . Torture and boredom, boredom and torture, that's how it is for Steffi Graf. [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. That doesn't mean it will happen. 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. . 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. Steffi Graf Loves Just Being Normal - MSN Voted Germany's Sportswoman of the Century in 1999 by the German press.