Steffi Graf
Country (sports) | Germany[1] |
---|---|
Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada |
Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Turned pro | 1982 |
Retired | 1999 |
Plays | Right; One-handed backhand |
Prize money | $21,895,277 (1st in all-time rankings) |
Singles | |
Career record | 902-115 |
Career titles | 107 |
Highest ranking | No. 1 (August 17, 1987) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | W (1988, 1989, 1990, 1994) |
French Open | W (1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999) |
Wimbledon | W (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996) |
US Open | W (1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 173-72 |
Career titles | 11 |
Highest ranking | No. 5 (November 21, 1988) |
Last updated on: N/A. |
Stefanie Maria Graf (born June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, West Germany) is a former World No. 1 ranked female tennis player from Germany. She is generally considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players of all time. Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other player – male or female – has won since the start of the open era. (Margaret Court won the most (24) but only 11 of them were in the open era.)
In 1988, Graf became the only player, male or female, to win the "Golden Slam" – capturing all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. She was ranked the Women's Tennis Association's No. 1 player for a record 377 weeks – the longest of any player, male or female, since rankings began – and is the only player to have won all four Grand Slam singles tournaments (Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open and the Australian Open) at least four times each. Graf also holds the record (eight) for most years as year end number one.[1]
A notable feature of Graf's game was her versatility across all playing surfaces, exemplified by her winning six French Open singles titles (second to Chris Evert) and seven Wimbledon singles titles (third behind Martina Navratilova and Helen Wills Moody). She is the only singles player, male or female, to have achieved a true Grand Slam across all three types of tennis courts, as the other five true singles Grand Slams occurred when the Australian and U.S. Opens were still played on grass. Graf reached thirteen consecutive Grand Slam singles finals, from the French Open in 1987 through the French Open in 1990, winning nine of them. She played in 36 Grand Slam singles tournaments from the 1987 French Open through the 1996 U.S. Open, reaching the finals 29 times and winning 21 titles. Her French Open title in 1999 left her with a career total of 22 Grand Slam singles titles.
Graf retired in 1999, giving her the distinction of being the highest ranked player to retire.
Graf is married to the former World No. 1 men's tennis player Andre Agassi.
Playing style
The main weapon in Graf's game was her powerful forehand, which earned her the nickname "Fräulein Forehand". Over time, Graf also developed a very effective slice backhand, as well as a consistent volley. She built her powerful and accurate serve up to 180 km/h, and at one point, hers would be the fastest serve in the tournaments she would play. She was also very fast and athletic, chasing down balls that seemed unplayable. Her footwork was unique and instantly recognizable. Her powerful strokes, along with those of Monica Seles, are thought by some to have started the current trend of power baseline tennis that is common among women tennis players today.
Biography
Early career
Steffi was introduced to tennis by her father Peter Graf, a car and insurance salesman and aspiring tennis coach, who taught his three-year-old daughter how to swing a wooden racket in the family's living room. She began practicing on a court at the age of four and played in her first tournament at five. She soon began winning junior tournaments with regularity, and in 1982 she won the European Championships 12s and 18s.
Graf played in her first professional tournament in October 1982 at Stuttgart, Germany. She lost her first round match 6-4, 6-0 to Tracy Austin, a two-time U.S. Open champion and former World No. 1 player. Austin remarked of the then-thirteen year old Graf that "there are hundreds of girls like her in America." Twelve years later, Graf defeated Austin 6-0, 6-0 during a second round match in Indian Wells, California, which was their second and last match against each other.
At the start of her first full professional season in 1983, the 13-year-old Graf was ranked No. 124. She won no titles in the next three years, but her game improved consistently and her ranking steadily climbed: to No. 98 in 1983, No. 22 in 1984, and No. 6 in 1985. In 1984, she represented West Germany in the tennis demonstration event at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles and won the gold medal. Her schedule was closely controlled by her father, who limited her play so that she would not burn out as many young tennis stars had. In 1985, for instance, she played only 10 events leading up to the U.S. Open, whereas another up-and-coming star, Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, who was a year younger than Graf, played 21. Peter Graf also kept a tight rein on Graf's personal life. Social invitations on the tour were often declined as Graf's focus was kept very much on practicing and match play. Working with her father and then-coach Pavel Slozil, Graf typically practiced for up to four hours a day, often heading straight from airports to practice courts. This narrow focus meant that Graf, already shy and retiring by nature, made few friends on the tour in her early years, but it led to a steady improvement in her play.
Graf finally won her first tour title in April 1986 at Hilton Head, South Carolina, defeating Chris Evert in the final. She followed this up with seven additional tournament victories in 1986 and finished the year ranked No. 3.
Breakthrough year
Graf's Grand Slam breakthrough came in 1987. She started the year strongly, with six tournament victories heading into the French Open. In the final, she defeated the World No. 1 Martina Navratilova in an epic battle, 6-4, 4-6, 8-6. Graf lost to Navratilova in the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open later that year. But she won four more tournaments after the French Open, including the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden, and did enough to claim the World No. 1 ranking from Navratilova in August 1987, finishing the year with a 75-2 match record. She also helped West Germany win the Fed Cup that year.
Olympic medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Women's Tennis | ||
1988 Seoul | Singles | |
1988 Seoul | Doubles | |
1992 Barcelona | Singles |
"Golden Slam"
1988 is widely considered to be the pinnacle of Graf's career. She started out the year by winning the Australian Open, beating Evert in straight sets (6-1, 7-6) in the final. Then at the French Open, she successfully defended her title by routing Natalia Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in a 32-minute championship match. Next came Wimbledon, where Navratilova had won six straight titles. After a tight start to the final, Graf took control in the second set and beat Navratilova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, taking 12 of the last 13 games. She then beat Sabatini in three sets in the US Open final to duplicate the feat of winning all four Grand Slam singles titles in one year, previously achieved by only two women – Maureen Connolly (in 1953) and Margaret Court (in 1970). With tennis becoming a full medal sport at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Graf defeated Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 in the Olympic final to win the gold medal and achieve what the media had dubbed the "Golden Slam." Graf also won her only Grand Slam doubles title that year – at Wimbledon partnering Sabatini – and picked up a women's doubles Olympic bronze medal. She was named the 1988 BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.
New challengers and personal challenges
Graf extended her Grand Slam winning streak to five events at the Australian Open in 1989, where she easily defeated Helena Sukova in the final. The winning streak ended at the 1989 French Open, where 17-year-old Spaniard Arantxa Sánchez Vicario beat Graf in three sets. Graf, however, defeated Martina Navratilova in three-set finals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and in four sets in the final of the season-ending Virginia Slims Championships.
In 1990, most believed Graf would dominate the women's game for years to come when she beat Mary Joe Fernández in the final of the 1990 Australian Open, making it her eighth Grand Slam championship in the last nine she contested. Major personal issues arose, however, when Graf's father Peter was the subject of a fraudulent paternity suit brought by a former Playboy model. The difficulty of answering questions about the matter came to a head at a press conference early in the tournament at Wimbledon, where Graf broke down in tears. Wimbledon authorities then threatened to immediately shut down any subsequent press conferences where questions about the issue were asked. The blackmail scheme eventually failed when DNA tests proved Peter was not the baby's father. In the same year at the French Open, 16-year-old Monica Seles beat Graf in straight sets. At Wimbledon, Graf was unexpectedly beaten in the semifinals by Zina Garrison. She then reached the U.S. Open final, but lost in straight sets to Gabriela Sabatini. Graf remained the top ranked player at the end of 1990, even though she did not win a Grand Slam event after the blackmail scandal broke.
A mixture of injury problems, personal difficulties, and loss of form made 1991 a tough year for Graf. Seles established herself as the new dominant player on the women's tour, winning the Australian Open, French Open, and U.S. Open, and ending Graf's reign as World No. 1 in March. Seles did not play at Wimbledon, where Graf won her only Grand Slam final of the year.
Still struggling with injuries, in 1992 Graf won only one Grand Slam event, Wimbledon. Because of injuries, she did not compete at the Australian Open. Seles and Graf met in the French Open final, which Seles won in a very close battle, taking the third set 10-8. Seles and she met again in the Wimbledon final, with Graf winning 6-2, 6-1, a record for the most lop-sided defeat in Wimbledon history of the number one ranked player.[citation needed] Graf won all five of her Fed Cup matches, helping Germany defeat Spain in the final by defeating Sánchez Vicario 6-4, 6-2. At the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Graf lost to Jennifer Capriati in the final and claimed the silver medal. At the U.S. Open, Graf was upset in a quarterfinal by Sánchez Vicario 7-6(5), 6-3.
In 1993, Seles beat Graf in three sets in the final of the Australian Open. The burgeoning rivalry between them was then cut short. During a quarterfinal match between Seles and Magdalena Maleeva in Hamburg, Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by a mentally ill Günter Parche He claimed that he committed the attack to help Graf reclaim the number one ranking. Graf later visited Seles at the hospital. Almost two years elapsed before Seles competed again.
Some wonder whether Seles would have remained number one had she not been attacked. Conversely, some wonder whether Seles would have become the top ranked player if Graf not been plagued by the blackmail scandal and injuries from 1990 through 1992. Head-to-head, Graf never had a losing record versus Seles at any point in her career, and prior to the year the black mail scandal first broke, Graf was undefeated versus Seles in three encounters. Seles, however, won four of the seven matches they played from 1990 through 1993, including a 3-1 advantage over Graf in Grand Slam tournaments. Graf retired with a 10-5 lifetime record over Seles, including a 6-4 winning record versus Seles in Grand Slam singles tournaments.
Second period of dominance
Graf won three of four Grand Slam events in 1993, and in the beginning of 1994, Graf beat Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the final of the Australian Open. For the second time in her career, Graf was the holder of all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously. She lost, however, to Mary Pierce in the semifinals of the French Open and then was surprisingly eliminated in the first round at Wimbledon by the American Lori McNeil. Graf reached the final of the U.S. Open, where she lost to Sánchez Vicario in three sets.
Injury kept Graf out of the Australian Open in 1995. She came back to beat Sánchez Vicario in the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. The U.S. Open was Seles' first Grand Slam event after the 1993 attack. Seles and Graf met in the final, with Graf winning 7-6, 0-6, 6-3. Graf then capped the year by beating countrywoman Anke Huber in a five-set final at the season-ending WTA Tour Championships.
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. In her defense, she stated that her father Peter was her financial manager, and all financial matters relating to her earnings at the time had been under his control. As a result, Peter was sentenced to 45 months in jail. He was eventually released after serving 25 months. Prosecutors dropped their case against Steffi in 1997, when she agreed to pay a fine of 1.3 million Deutsche Marks to the government and an unspecified charity.
In 1996, Graf again missed the Australian Open due to injury and then successfully defended the three Grand Slam titles she won the year before. In a close French Open final, Graf again overcame Sánchez Vicario, taking the third-set 10-8. Graf then had straight-sets wins against Sánchez Vicario in the Wimbledon final and Seles in the U.S. Open final. Graf also won her fifth and final WTA Tour Championships title with a five set win over Martina Hingis.
Final years on the tour
The last few years of Graf's career were beset by injuries, particularly to her knees and back. These injuries caused Graf to miss much of the tour in 1997. She lost the world No. 1 ranking to Martina Hingis and failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in ten years. After missing almost half the tour in 1998, she finished that year ranked ninth, her lowest ranking since 1984.
At the 1999 French Open, Graf reached her first Grand Slam final in three years and fought back from a set and two breaks down in the second set to defeat the top ranked Hingis in three sets. Graf also became the first player in the open era to defeat the first, second, and third ranked players in the same Grand Slam tournament by defeating second ranked Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals and third ranked Monica Seles in the semifinals.
Graf continued her success after the French Open when she reached her ninth Wimbledon singles final, where she lost in straight sets to Davenport.
Graf announced her retirement from the tour in August 1999. She was ranked third in the world at the time of her retirement.
During her career, Graf won 107 singles titles and 11 doubles titles. Her 22 Grand Slam singles titles are second only to Margaret Court, who won 24. Graf won 7 singles titles at Wimbledon, 6 singles titles at the French Open, 5 singles titles at the U.S. Open, and 4 singles titles at the Australian Open. She is the only person to have won at least four singles titles at each Grand Slam event. Her overall record in 56 Grand Slam events was 282-34 (89 percent) (87-10 at the French Open, 75-8 at Wimbledon, 73-10 at the US Open, and 47-6 at the Australian Open). Her career prize-money earnings totalled U.S. $21,895,277. Her singles win-loss record was 902-115 (89 percent). She was ranked No. 1 for 377 weeks (non-consecutive), including a record 186 consecutive weeks (from August 1987-March 1991) – longer than any other man or woman player.
Accolades
In an interview with ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series, Chris Evert said, "Steffi Graf's the best all-around player. Martina [Navratilova] won more on fast courts and I won more on slow courts, but Steffi came along and won more titles on both surfaces." Evert also has said that Graf's forehand was "the best in women's tennis".[2] Billie Jean King said in 1999 that she considered Graf to be the greatest female tennis player ever.[3] Navratilova said in 1996, "Steffi is the best all-around player of all time, regardless of the surface.”[4]
Personal life
With her father reining in her personal life until the Graf tax scandal in 1995, Graf often declined social invitations and made few friends on tour. Soon after retiring she made headlines off the court for dating Andre Agassi. They married in October 2001 with only their mothers as witnesses. Four days later Steffi gave birth, six weeks prematurely, to their son Jaden Gil (named for Andre's longtime trainer Gil Reyes). Their daughter, Jaz Elle, was born in October 2003.
Grand Slam singles finals
Wins (22)
Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
1987 | French Open | Martina Navratilova | 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 |
1988 | Australian Open | Chris Evert | 6-1, 7-6 |
1988 | French Open (2) | Natalia Zvereva | 6-0, 6-0 |
1988 | Wimbledon | Martina Navratilova | 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 |
1988 | U.S. Open | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 |
1989 | Australian Open (2) | Helena Suková | 6-4, 6-4 |
1989 | Wimbledon (2) | Martina Navratilova | 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 |
1989 | U.S. Open (2) | Martina Navratilova | 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 |
1990 | Australian Open (3) | Mary Joe Fernández | 6-3, 6-4 |
1991 | Wimbledon (3) | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-4, 3-6, 8-6 |
1992 | Wimbledon (4) | Monica Seles | 6-2, 6-1 |
1993 | French Open (3) | Mary Joe Fernández | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
1993 | Wimbledon (5) | Jana Novotná | 7-6, 1-6, 6-4 |
1993 | U.S. Open (3) | Helena Suková | 6-3, 6-3 |
1994 | Australian Open (4) | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6-0, 6-2 |
1995 | French Open (4) | Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario | 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 |
1995 | Wimbledon (6) | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 |
1995 | U.S. Open (4) | Monica Seles | 7-6, 0-6, 6-3 |
1996 | French Open (5) | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6-3, 6-7, 10-8 |
1996 | Wimbledon (7) | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6-3, 7-5 |
1996 | U.S. Open (5) | Monica Seles | 7-5, 6-4 |
1999 | French Open (6) | Martina Hingis | 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
Runner-ups (9)
Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
1987 | Wimbledon | Martina Navratilova | 7-5, 6-3 |
1987 | U.S. Open | Martina Navratilova | 7-6, 6-1 |
1989 | French Open | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 |
1990 | French Open (2) | Monica Seles | 7-6, 6-4 |
1990 | U.S. Open (2) | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-2, 7-6 |
1992 | French Open (3) | Monica Seles | 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 |
1993 | Australian Open | Monica Seles | 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
1994 | U.S. Open (3) | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 1-6, 7-6, 6-4 |
1999 | Wimbledon (2) | Lindsay Davenport | 6-4, 7-5 |
WTA Tour singles finals
Winner
Legend (Singles) |
---|
Tier I (15) |
Tier II (30) |
Tier III (9) |
Tier IV (8) |
VS (17) |
Grand Slam Title (22) |
WTA Tour Championship (5) |
Olympic (1) |
# | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | April 13, 1986 | Hilton Head, USA | VS | Clay | Chris Evert | 6-4, 7-5 |
2. | April 20, 1986 | WITA Championship, Florida, USA | VS | Clay | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch | 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(3) |
3. | May 3, 1986 | US Clay Courts, USA | VS | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 |
4. | May 3, 1986 | Berlin, Germany | VS | Clay | Martina Navratilova | 6-2, 6-3 |
5. | August 24, 1986 | UNITED JERSEY, New Jersey, USA | VS | Hard | Molly van Nostrand | 7-5, 6-1 |
6. | September 14, 1986 | Tokyo, Japan | VS | Carpet (I) | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere | 6-4, 6-2 |
7. | October 12, 1986 | European Indoors, Switzerland | VS | Carpet (I) | Helena Sukova | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
8. | October 26, 1986 | Brighton, Great Britain | VS | Carpet (I) | Catarina Lindqvist | 6-3, 6-3 |
9. | February 22, 1987 | VS OF Florida, USA | VS | Hard | Helena Sukova | 6-2, 6-3 |
10. | March 8, 1987 | Miami, USA | VS | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-1, 6-2 |
11. | April 12, 1987 | Hilton Head, USA | VS | Clay | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere | 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 |
12. | April 19, 1987 | WITA Championship, Florida, USA | VS | Clay | Hana Mandlikova | 6-3, 6-4 |
13. | May 10, 1987 | Rome, Italy | VS | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 |
14. | May 17, 1987 | Berlin, Germany | VS | Clay | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch | 6-2, 6-3 |
15. | June 6, 1987 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Martina Navratilova | 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 |
16. | August 16, 1987 | Los Angeles, USA | VS | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-3, 6-4 |
17. | September 27, 1987 | Citzen Cup, Germany | VS | Clay | Isabel Cueto | 6-2, 6-2 |
18. | November 1, 1987 | European Indoors, Switzerland | VS | Carpet (I) | Hana Mandlikova | 6-2, 6-2 |
19. | November 22, 1987 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Gabriela Sabatini | 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 |
20. | January 24, 1988 | Australian Open, Australia | GS | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-1, 7-6(3) |
21. | March 6, 1988 | US Hardcourts, USA | IV | Hard | Katerina Maleeva | 6-4, 6-1 |
22. | March 8, 1987 | Miami, USA | I | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-4, 6-4 |
23. | May 15, 1988 | Berlin, Germany | II | Clay | Helena Sukova | 6-3, 6-2 |
24. | June 5, 1988 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Natasha Zvereva | 6-0, 6-0 |
25. | July 3, 1988 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Martina Navratilova | 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 |
26. | July 31, 1988 | Citzen Cup, Germany | IV | Clay | Katerina Maleeva | 6-4, 6-2 |
27. | August 28, 1988 | UNITED JERSEY, New Jersey, USA | IV | Hard | Nathalie Tauziat | 6-0, 6-1 |
28. | September 11, 1988 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 |
29. | October 2, 1988 | Olympics, Seoul | OT | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-3, 6-3 |
30. | October 30, 1988 | Brighton, Great Britain | III | Carpet (I) | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere | 6-2, 6-0 |
31. | January 29, 1989 | Australian Open, Australia | GS | Hard | Helena Sukova | 6-4, 6-4 |
32. | February 19, 1989 | Washington DC, USA | II | Carpet (I) | Zina Garrison Jackson | 6-1, 7-5 |
33. | March 5, 1989 | US Hardcourts, USA | IV | Hard | Ann Henricksson | 6-1, 6-4 |
34. | March 19, 1989 | VS OF Florida, USA | II | Hard | Chris Evert | 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 |
35. | April 9, 1989 | Hilton Head, USA | II | Clay | Natasha Zvereva | 6-1, 6-1 |
36. | May 7, 1989 | Citzen Cup, Germany | IV | Clay | Jana Novotna | W/O |
37. | May 21, 1989 | Berlin, Germany | II | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-3, 6-1 |
38. | July 9, 1989 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Martina Navratilova | 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1 |
39. | August 6, 1989 | San Diego, USA | IV | Hard | Zina Garrison Jackson | 6-4, 7-5 |
40. | August 20, 1989 | United Jersey, New Jersey, USA | IV | Hard | Andrea Temesvari | 7-5, 6-2 |
41. | September 10, 1989 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Martina Navratilova | 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 |
42. | October 22, 1989 | European Indoors, Switzerland | III | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 6-1, 7-6(6) |
43. | October 29, 1989 | Brighton, Great Britain | III | Carpet (I) | Monica Seles | 7-5, 6-4 |
44. | November 19, 1989 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Martina Navratilova | 6-4, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 |
45. | January 28, 1990 | Australian Open, Australia | GS | Hard | Mary Joe Fernandez | 6-3, 6-4 |
46. | February 4, 1990 | Tokyo, Japan | II | Carpet (I) | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-1, 6-2 |
47. | April 15, 1990 | Amelia Island, USA | II | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-1, 6-0 |
48. | May 6, 1990 | Citzen Cup, Germany | IV | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 |
49. | August 5, 1990 | Montreal/Toronto, Canada | I | Hard | Katerina Maleeva | 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-3 |
50. | August 12, 1990 | San Diego, USA | III | Hard | Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere | 6-3, 6-2 |
51. | September 30, 1990 | Leipzig, Germany | III | Carpet (I) | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-1, 6-1 |
52. | October 14, 1990 | European Indoors, Switzerland | II | Carpet (I) | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-3, 6-2 |
53. | October 28, 1990 | Brighton, Great Britain | II | Carpet (I) | Helena Sukova | 7-5, 6-3 |
54. | November 11, 1990 | New England, USA | II | Carpet (I) | Gabriela Sabatini | 7-6(5) 6-3 |
55. | March 31, 1991 | US Hardcourts, USA | III | Hard | Monica Seles | 6-4, 6-3 |
56. | May 5, 1991 | Citzen Cup, Germany | II | Clay | Monica Seles | 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-3 |
57. | May 19, 1991 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(6) |
58. | July 7, 1991 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-4, 3-6, 8-6 |
59. | October 6, 1991 | Leipzig, Germany | III | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 6-3, 6-3 |
60. | October 13, 1991 | European Indoors, Switzerland | II | Carpet (I) | Nathalie Tauziat | 6-4, 6-4 |
61. | October 27, 1991 | Brighton, Great Britain | II | Carpet (I) | Zina Garrison Jackson | 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 |
62. | March 8, 1992 | VS OF Florida, USA | II | Hard | Conchita Martinez | 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 |
63. | May 3, 1992 | Citzen Cup, Germany | II | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 7-6(5), 6-2 |
64. | May 17, 1992 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
65. | July 5, 1992 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Monica Seles | 6-2, 6-1 |
66. | October 4, 1992 | Leipzig, Germany | III | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 |
67. | October 11, 1992 | European Indoors, Switzerland | II | Carpet (I) | Martina Navratilova | 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 |
68. | October 25, 1992 | Brighton, Great Britain | II | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(3) |
69. | November 15, 1992 | Philadelphia, USA | II | Carpet (I) | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 |
70. | March 7, 1993 | VS OF Florida, USA | II | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-4,F 6-3 |
71. | April 4, 1993 | Hilton Head, USA | I | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 7-6(8), 6-1 |
72. | May 16, 1993 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-4 |
73. | June 6, 1993 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Mary Joe Fernandez | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
74. | July 4, 1993 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Jana Novotna | 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-4 |
75. | August 8, 1993 | San Diego, USA | II | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 |
76. | August 22, 1993 | Montreal/Toronto, Canada | I | Hard | Jennifer Capriati | 6-1, 0-6, 6-3 |
77. | September 12, 1993 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Helena Sukova | 6-3, 6-3 |
78. | October 3, 1993 | Leipzig, Germany | II | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 6-2, 6-0 |
79. | November 21, 1993 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 |
80. | January 30, 1994 | Australian Open, Australia | GS | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-0, 6-2 |
81. | February 6, 1994 | Tokyo, Japan | I | Carpet (I) | Martina Navratilova | 6-2, 6-4 |
82. | February 27, 1994 | Indian Wells, USA | II | Hard | Amanda Coetzer | 6-0, 6-4 |
83. | March 6, 1994 | Delray, USA | II | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 7-5 |
84. | March 20, 1994 | Miami, USA | I | Hard | Natasha Zvereva | 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
85. | May 15, 1994 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | 7-6(3), 6-4 |
86. | August 7, 1994 | San Diego, USA | II | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-2, 6-1 |
87. | February 19, 1995 | Paris, France | II | Carpet (I) | Mary Pierce | 6-2, 6-2 |
88. | March 12, 1995 | Delray, USA | II | Hard | Conchita Martinez | 6-2, 6-4 |
89. | March 26, 1995 | Miami, USA | I | Hard | Kimiko Date | 6-1, 6-4 |
90. | April 16, 1995 | Houston, USA | II | Clay | Asa Carlsson | 6-1, 6-1 |
91. | June 11, 1995 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 |
92. | July 9, 1995 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 |
93. | September 10, 1995 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Monica Seles | 7-6(6), 0-6, 6-3 |
94. | November 12, 1995 | Philadelphia, USA | I | Carpet (I) | Lori McNeil | 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 |
95. | November 19, 1995 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Anke Huber | 6-1, 2-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 |
96. | March 17, 1996 | Indian Wells, USA | I | Hard | Conchita Martinez | 7-6(5), 7-6(5) |
97. | March 31, 1996 | Miami, USA | I | Hard | Chanda Rubin | 6-1, 6-3 |
98. | May 19, 1996 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Karina Habsudova | 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 |
99. | June 9, 1996 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 6-7(4), 10-8 |
100. | July 7, 1996 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 7-5 |
101. | September 8, 1996 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Monica Seles | 7-5, 6-4 |
102. | November 17, 1996 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Martina Hingis | 6-3, 4-6, 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 |
103. | May 25, 1997 | Strasbourg, France | III | Clay | Mirjana Lucic | 6-2, 7-5 |
104. | August 30, 1998 | New Haven, USA | II | Hard | Jana Novotna | 6-4, 6-1 |
105. | November 8, 1998 | Leipzig, Germany | II | Carpet (I) | Nathalie Tauziat | 6-3, 6-4 |
106. | November 15, 1998 | Philadelphia, USA | II | Carpet (I) | Lindsay Davenport | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
107. | June 6, 1999 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Martina Hingis | 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
Runner-up
Legend (Singles) |
---|
Tier I (6) |
Tier II (8) |
Tier III (0) |
Tier IV (0) |
VS (6) |
Grand Slam Title (9) |
WTA Tour Championship (1) |
Olympic (1) |
# | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | October 15, 1984 | Stuttgart, Germany | VS | Carpet (I) | Catarina Lindqvist | 6-1, 6-4 |
2. | May 20, 1985 | Berlin, Germany | VS | Clay | Chris Evert | 6-4, 7-5 |
3. | August 18, 1985 | UNITED JERSEY, New Jersey, USA | VS | Hard | Kathy Rinaldi Stunkel | 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 |
4. | October 6, 1985 | Maybelline, Florida, USA | VS | Hard | Martina Navratilova | 6-3, 6-1 |
5. | February 3, 1986 | VS OF Florida, USA | VS | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-3, 6-1 |
6. | February 23, 1986 | Miami, USA | VS | Hard | Chris Evert | 6-4, 6-2 |
7. | November 23, 1986 | VS Championships, New York, USA | CH | Carpet (I) | Martina Navratilova | 7-6(3), 6-2 |
8. | July 5, 1987 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Martina Navratilova | 7-5, 6-3 |
9. | September 13, 1987 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Martina Navratilova | 7-6(4), 6-1 |
10. | March 13, 1988 | VS OF Florida, USA | II | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 |
11. | April 16, 1989 | Amelia Island, USA | II | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
12. | June 11,1989 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-5 |
13. | May 20, 1990 | Berlin, Germany | I | Clay | Monica Seles | 6-4, 6-3 |
14. | June 10, 1990 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Monica Seles | 7-6(6), 6-4 |
15. | September 9, 1990 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-2, 7-6(4) |
16. | March 10, 1991 | VS OF Florida, USA | II | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-4, 7-6(6) |
17. | April 14, 1991 | Amelia Island, USA | II | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 7-5, 7-6(3) |
18. | April 12, 1992 | Amelia Island, USA | II | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 |
19. | June 7, 1992 | French Open, France | GS | Clay | Monica Seles | 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 |
20. | August 9, 1992 | Olympics, Barcelona | OT | Clay | Jennifer Capriati | 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
21. | January 31, 1993 | Australian Open, Australia | GS | Hard | Monica Seles | 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
22. | March 21, 1993 | Miami, USA | I | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 |
23. | May 2, 1993 | Citzen Cup, Germany | II | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 6-3, 6-3 |
24. | November 14, 1993 | Philadelphia, USA | I | Carpet (I) | Conchita Martinez | 6-3, 6-3 |
25. | May 1, 1994 | Citzen Cup, Germany | II | Clay | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(6) |
26. | August 21, 1994 | Montreal/Toronto, Canada | I | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 7-5, 1-6, 7-6(4) |
27. | September 11, 1994 | U.S. Open, USA | GS | Hard | Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario | 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 |
28. | November 17, 1996 | Philadelphia, USA | II | Carpet (I) | Jana Novotna | 6-4 Ret. |
29. | February 2, 1997 | Tokyo, Japan | I | Carpet (I) | Martina Hingis | W/O |
30. | March 14, 1999 | Indian Wells, USA | I | Hard | Serena Williams | 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 |
31. | July 4, 1999 | Wimbledon, Great Britain | GS | Grass | Lindsay Davenport | 6-4, 7-5 |
Major tournament singles performance timeline
Tournament | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | Career SR | Career Win-Loss |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | 1R | 3R | A | NH | A | W | W | W | QF | A | F | W | A | A | 4R | A | QF | 4 / 10 | 47-6 |
French Open | A | 2R | 3R | 4R | QF | W | W | F | F | SF | F | W | SF | W | W | QF | A | W | 6 / 16 | 84-10 |
Wimbledon | A | Q | 4R | 4R | A | F | W | W | SF | W | W | W | 1R | W | W | A | 3R | F | 7 / 14 | 74-7 |
U.S. Open | A | Q | 1R | SF | SF | F | W | W | F | SF | QF | W | F | W | W | A | 4R | A | 5 / 14 | 75-9 |
Grand Slam SR | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 3 | 4 / 4 | 3 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 3 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 3 | 22 / 54 | N/A |
Grand Slam Win-Loss | 0-0 | 1-2 | 7-4 | 11-3 | 9-2 | 19-2 | 28-0 | 27-1 | 24-3 | 21-3 | 17-2 | 27-1 | 18-3 | 21-0 | 21-0 | 7-2 | 5-2 | 17-2 | N/A | 280-32 |
WTA Tour Championships | A | A | A | A | F | W | SF | W | SF | QF | 4R | W | QF | W | W | A | SF | A | 5 / 12 | 31-7 |
Olympic Games1 | NH | NH | W | NH | NH | NH | W | NH | NH | NH | F | NH | NH | NH | A | NH | NH | NH | 2 / 3 | 15-1 |
Tokyo2 | NH | NH | A | A | W | A | A | A | W | QF | A | SF | W | A | A | F | A | QF | '3 / 7 | 22-3 |
Indian Wells 3 | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | W | A | W | A | SF | F | 2 / 4 | 17-2 |
Miami 4 | NH | NH | NH | SF | F | W | W | A | A | SF | SF | F | W | W | W | A | A | SF | 5 / 11 | 59-6 |
Hilton Head / Charleston 5 | A | A | 1R | SF | W | W | A | W | A | A | A | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | 4 / 6 | 24-2 |
Berlin 6 | A | Q | QF | F | W | W | W | W | F | W | W | W | W | A | W | QF | A | QF | 9 / 13 | 59-5 |
Rome 7 | A | A | A | A | A | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | 1 / 2 | 7-1 |
San Diego8 | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | W | W | A | A | W | W | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | 4 / 6 | 21-2 |
Montreal/Toronto 9 | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | A | A | W | F | 2R | A | A | 3R | A | 2 / 5 | 15-3 |
Moscow 10 | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | / | - |
Zurich 11 | NH | NH | A | A | W | W | A | W | W | W | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 6 / 6 | 30-0 |
Tournaments played | 1 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 10 | N/A | 218 |
Finals reached | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | N/A | 138 |
Tournaments Won | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | N/A | 107 |
Hardcourt Win-Loss | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 19-6 | 20-3 | 23-1 | 38-1 | 34-0 | 23-1 | 21-4 | 13-2 | 32-2 | 38-2 | 17-1 | 21-1 | 3-1 | 14-5 | 14-5 | N/A | 332-38 |
Clay Win-Loss | 0-1 | 2-2 | 5-4 | 14-4 | 23-1 | 32-0 | 20-1 | 23-2 | 20-2 | 19-2 | 25-3 | 21-1 | 14-2 | 11-0 | 14-1 | 10-2 | 0-0 | 9-1 | N/A | 262-29 |
Grass Win-Loss | 0-0 | 2-3 | 7-4 | 3-1 | 0-0 | 6-1 | 7-0 | 7-0 | 5-1 | 7-0 | 7-0 | 7-0 | 0-1 | 7-0 | 7-0 | 0-0 | 6-2 | 6-1 | N/A | 84-14 |
Carpet Win-Loss | 0-0 | 3-2 | 4-2 | 4-2 | 19-2 | 9-0 | 7-1 | 19-0 | 24-1 | 16-2 | 21-2 | 16-2 | 6-1 | 12-1 | 9-1 | 3-0 | 13-2 | 4-2 | N/A | 189-23 |
Overall Win-Loss | 0-1 | 8-8 | 17-12 | 40-13 | 62-6 | 70-2 | 72-3 | 83-2 | 72-5 | 63-8 | 66-7 | 76-5 | 58-6 | 47-2 | 51-3 | 16-3 | 33-9 | 33-9 | N/A | 867-10412 |
Year End Ranking | 124 | 98 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 9 | 3 | N/A | N/A |
A = did not participate in the tournament
Q = qualifying loss
SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played
1Tennis was a demonstration sport during the 1984 Olympic Games.
2 The Toray Pan Pacific Open is held every year since 1984. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1993.
3 Indian Wells event is held every year since 1989. It was originally a tier II event, and is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1996.
4 Miami event is held every year since 1985. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since WTA started the classification in 1988.
5 The Family Circle Cup is held every year since 1973. The event was held in Hilton Head for many years before moving to Charleston in 2001. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1990.
6 The Qatar Telecom German Open is held every year since 1896. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1990.
7 The Rome event is held since 1930. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1990.
8 The San Diego tournament is held since 1984, and is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 2004.
9 The Canadian Open is held every year since 1892. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1990.
10 The Kremlin Cup is held every year since 1996. It is classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament since 1997.
11 The Zurich Open is held is held every year since 1984. It was called European Indoors till 1992, before it was classified on the WTA Tour as a Tier I tournament in 1993.
12 If qualifying event (Hardcourt: 0-1; Clay: 9-2; Grass: 1-1), ITF women's circuit (Clay: 5-5), and Fed Cup (Hardcourt: 9-0; Clay: 6-1; Mixed: 3-1) participations are included, overall win-loss record stands at 900-115.
Awards
- 1986: "Most Improved Player," by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA)
- 1987 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1987 "World Champion," by the International Tennis Federation (ITF)
- 1988 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1988 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1988 "BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year"
- 1989 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1989 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1989 "Female Athlete of the Year," by the Associated Press
- 1990 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1990 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1993 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1993 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1994 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1995 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1995 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1996 "Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1996 "World Champion," by the ITF
- 1996 "Most Exciting Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1998 "Most Exciting Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1999 "Most Exciting Player of the Year," by the WTA
- 1999 "Prince of Asturias Award," one of the most important awards of Spain and named after the apparent heir of Spain, Prince Felipe
- 1999 "Germany Television Award"
- 1999 "Athlete of the Century" for the category "Female Athlete in Ballsports" by a panel of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
- 1999 "Female Athlete of the Year," by the German television broadcaster ARD
- 1999 "Female Sports Award of the Last Decade," by ESPY
- 1999 "Olympic Medal of Honor" granted by Dr. Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC
- 2002 "Medal of Honor," bestowed by the prime minister of Graf's home state Baden-Württemberg, Erwin Teufel
- 2004 Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Special honours
Trivia
At the 1992 Wimbledon champions banquet, she and husband-to-be Andre Agassi showed no interest in one another. However, in a 2006 Sports Illustrated piece, Agassi - who claimed he had been secretly pining for Graf as far back as 1990 - said that officials would not allow him to dance with her, which was a Wimbledon tradition.
In the first season episode "The Crackpots and these Women" of The West Wing, President Bartlet brings in a ringer for a basketball game with the senior staff. Toby Ziegler mentions that it was like the time he and C.J. were playing doubles with him once and he brought in someone he claimed worked at the American Consulate who (despite his denial) was in fact Steffi Graf. Hugh Laurie sang a song about her on the show A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
References
- ^ Before the German reunification, she played for West Germany
External links
- German tennis players
- Tennis Hall of Fame members
- Australian Open champions
- French Open champions
- Wimbledon champions
- US Open champions
- Olympic tennis players of Germany
- Summer Olympics medalists
- Tennis players at the 1984 Summer Olympics
- Tennis players at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Tennis players at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- People from Mannheim
- 1969 births
- Living people