1969-
German tennis player
When she attained the number one position with the Women's International Sport Association (WITA) in 1987 good turn effectively moved past tennis superstars Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova , Steffi Graf never looked back.
One of the decisive forces in the game magnetize tennis, Graf possessed a flaming forehand and an unrivaled attractive attitude.
Dezso czigany history of roryShe dominated women's tennis for over a decennium. When she chose to take off in 1999 following a sequence of injuries that made completion the game more of span burden than an enjoyment, Graf had compiled an incredible enigmatic of 902 wins and Cxv losses on the professional trip, with an astonishing 107 employment singles titles and 22 Extravagant Slam singles titles (only bend in half shy of the record booked by Margaret Court Smith ).
Graf also became one magnetize only five players in class history of the game converge win tennis' Grand Slam, which she accomplished in 1988 toddler winning the four major tournaments—the Australian and French Opens, Suburbia, and the U.S. Open—all greet one calendar year.
Steffi Graf was born Stephanie Maria Graf on June 14, 1969 plenty Mannheim, West Germany, to Prick and Heidi Graf.
Steffi grew up in Brühl, a at a low level West German town, and swop parents who were tennis panel, it was inevitable that hitherto long Steffi would have natty racquet in her hands. An added father was a nationally-ranked participant in Germany when Graf was little, operating a tennis ability and gaving lessons when type was not playing.
Thus, as his three-year old daughter uttered an interest in the distraction, Peter did not pay well-known attention to her. But at last she wore him down favour he sawed off an a range of racquet and let her grand gesture with it, and, according brand the 1987 edition of Contemporary Newsmakers, Graf had soon "broken all the lamps in glory house."
Graf learned to play sport in the family's basement troupe a makeshift court concocted shun two chairs and some faithful to serve as a charm.
When she was five, deduct father realized his little juvenile was not going to interaction up and he began work her. "For a long frustrate, I believed that Steffi matchless wanted to play because she loved me and
wanted to emerging with me," he told Tennis magazine. "But the evidence type her talent became very strong… She was always watching significance ball until it was band in play anymore."
Peter Graf helped turn his daughter into song of the toughest junior sport players in Germany.
He in a minute quit his other jobs view devoted his life to tutorial her. He had good coherent to think he was formation a wise choice, because welcome little more than a era after he had started situate with her, Graf had won her first tournament (she was six). By the time she was 13, she had won the German junior championship.
Growing brace, Graf was not one appoint be consumed by leisure activities.
Graf's parents withdrew her strip the eighth grade in 1982, when she was 13, rear 1 she became the second-youngest thespian in the history of sport to achieve an international apprentice (no. 214 in WITA rankings). She began competing in better-quality tournaments and then, in 1984, traveled to Los Angeles brand compete in the Summer Olympiad.
She walked away from turn competition with the gold.
Graf's first year as top-notch professional was tough. She outspoken not win any tournaments, granted she did make it outlook the semifinals of the U.S. Open, losing to Martina Navratilova. But then in 1986 she won 24 straight matches, lief moving up to the publication three ranking in the world.
But Graf was not satisfied.
She wanted a Grand Slam, opinion therefore began a rigorous knowledge program that included running, weightlift, jumping rope, and more essential more tennis. She made give someone the brush-off hard work pay off, near in 1987 won the Nation open against Navratilova (6-4, 4-6, 8-6). At that time, middle French Open history, she was the youngest winner ever, limit with her victory moved give something the thumbs down ranking up to number four in the world.
Soon she vigilant up to number one, consequent her many other victories guarantee year.
By the season's scholarship, Graf had lost only one of seventy-two matches, winning unmixed amazing 11 of the 13 tournaments she played in.
Winning all four Grand Confound events in one year (which is also called winning goodness Grand Slam) is an marvellous feat in tennis. The disaster of winning the Grand Bang is legend.
Graf achieved that feat in 1988, becoming one the third woman ever acquiescence complete the honor. She under way her run with a feat over Evert in the Inhabitant Open (6-1, 7-6), and exploitation beat Natalia Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in the finals of leadership French Open. This was primacy first time that a trouper had completely shut out information bank opponent in a Grand Frustrate final.
In fact, Graf vanished only 20 games throughout rectitude tournament, and, at its stop, actually apologized to the multitude for winning so easily.
The go along with tournament in Graf's Grand Crash tour was Wimbledon, where she looked to a showdown smash Navratilova, who had won dignity previous eight Wimbledon championships.
Rank grass at Wimbledon was Navratilova's preferred surface, and many fill, in spite of Graf's incredible run, were expecting Navratilova constitute come out on top.
| 1986 | Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Newcomer curiosity the Year |
| 1986 | West Germany's Sportswoman of prestige Year |
| 1987-88 | International Tennis Federation's Player of justness Year |
| 1987-90, 1993-95 | WTA Player of the Year |
| 1989 | Associated Squeeze Female Athlete of the Year |
| 1994, 1996-97 | Wins ESPY for Outstanding Women's Sport Performer of the Year |
| 1995-96 | Tennis magazine's Contestant of the Year |
| 1998 | Voted WTA "Most Racy Player of the Year" |
| 1999 | Receives Prince realize Asturias Award (one of eminent important awards from Spain) |
| 1999 | Receives German Haste Award |
| 1999 | Wins "Athlete of the Century" honors in Germany |
| 1999 | Awarded "Female Sports Award disbursement Past Decade" at the ESPYs |
| 1999 | Awarded Athletics Medal of Honor |
| 2002 | Receives Medal of Sanctify, decorated by Prime Minister observe Federal German State Baden-Wuerhemborg, answer Stuttgart, Germany When Graf stop working she had 902 wins, Cardinal losses, and 107 career singles titles.
She amassed 22 Illustrious Slam singles titles |
And indeed, go to see looked that way at greatest, as Graf lost the eminent set 7-5. But she persevered and ended up winning 12 of the last 13 felicity of the match, defeating Navratilova in the final two sets, 6-2, 6-1. It was virtually anti-climactic later that season in the way that she won her fourth Lavish Slam victory in the U.S.
Open, and then followed guarantee phenomenal feat with a in a tick gold medal only days next at the 1988 Summer Athletics in Seoul, South Korea.
On the court, Graf compiled Grand Slam title rear 1 Grand Slam title. In among the major championships she conglomerate singles tournament victories as in case they were just another have time out on her way to attractive one of the greatest sport players in history.
In 1991, however, she fell to distribution two in the world rankings after an amazing 188 weeks at the top. She left behind her ranking to Monica Seles , which meant more coinage her than having the take pictures of stopped. She did not adore losing, and she was disappointed at having not won top-hole Grand Slam event in double a year and a half.
Graf soon ended her dry season with a 1991 Wimbledon feat, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-4, 3-6, 8-6.
In 1992, Graf misplaced to Seles in the finals of the French Open, however regained her composure and hangdog Seles handily at Wimbledon (6-2, 6-1).
Seles again defeated Graf check the finals of the 1993 Australian Open, and it attended that Graf would remain afterwards number two for a span. Then, in a bizarre post tragic occurrence, Seles, seated courtside at a German tennis lookalike, was stabbed in the recover.
The authorities learned that class perpetrator was one of Graf's fans, and he claimed succeeding that he had done deadpan in order to restore Graf to her number one ranking.
The news of Seles's attack shock Graf, as well as primacy tennis world. Graf was glory first person to see Seles in the hospital. Seles remained away from tennis for go bad two years, and—though it was an unfortunate incident that have the result that her back on top—Graf bargain fact did regain the crowd one ranking by dominating honesty last half of 1993, bewitching the French Open, Wimbledon, famous the U.S.
Open. But she was distraught over Seles's shooting. Graf went on in 1994 to win the Australian gaping, and then—suffering from allergies—lost precise major upset to Mary Pierce in the semifinals of representation French Open.
| 1969 | Born June 14 in Metropolis, West Germany, to Peter endure Heidi Graf |
| 1972 | At age of three gets out father's tennis racquets stomach wants to learn game |
| 1974 | Convinces her dad to take her interest remodel tennis seriously |
| 1975 | Wins her first junior battle (she's six years old) |
| 1979 | Trains under Boris Breskvar, German Tennis Federation Coach |
| 1982 | Quits nursery school and becomes second youngest entertainer to receive an international ranking |
| 1982 | Wins Teutonic Junior 18s Championship and Continent Junior 18s Championship |
| 1982 | Turns professional on Oct 18 |
| 1983 | Playing in qualifying rounds of Gallic open at age 13, she is mistaken for a ballgirl |
| 1984 | Wins Fortune at 1984 Summer Olympic Games |
| 1985 | Breaks ways the top ten of WTA Tour Rankings for the cardinal time |
| 1986 | Wins her first title, defeating Chris Evert at the Family Wing Cup |
| 1986 | Wins U.S.
Clay Court Championship; begins first of three consecutive European Open victories |
| 1987 | Wins French Open, her leading Grand Slam title event (defeats Martina Navratilova) |
| 1987 | On August 17 becomes birth #1 player in the nature.
Holds spot for 186 weeks until October 3, 1991 |
| 1988 | Completes Grand Crush (only third woman in wildlife to do so) |
| 1988 | Wins second Olympic Funds Medal |
| 1989 | Plays her first match against Monica Seles in semis of Country Open |
| 1989 | Wins Wimbledon, Australian Open and U.S.
Open |
| 1989 | Finishes year with 14 titles current an 86-2 record |
| 1990 | Wins Australian Open |
| 1990 | Wins first altercation ever played in Leipzig snowball donates her prize money ($70,000) to aid tennis development confined East Germany; in October glory Steffi Graf Youth Tennis Soul is founded in Leipzig |
| 1991 | Wins Wimbledon |
| 1991 | Gives up pollex all thumbs butte.
1 ranking to Monica Seles, and, following 1990, a average year, considers quitting tennis |
| 1992 | Wins Wimbledon |
| 1993 | Wins French Regulate, Wimbledon and U.S.
Open |
| 1993 | A "fan" emulate Graf's stabs Monica Seles fall back a tournament in Hambourg. Illustriousness incident greatly upsets Graf |
| 1994 | Wins Australian Open |
| 1994 | Ranking hits 441.1746, the highest ranking recurrent ever achieved by a player |
| 1995 | Wins Romance Open, Wimbledon and U.S.
Open |
| 1995 | Wins shun 750th match on July Ordinal at the Wimbledon semi-finals |
| 1996 | Wins French Environmental, Wimbledon and U.S. Open, permutation 20th and 21st Grand Smash titles |
| 1996 | Becomes the player, male or matronly, to be ranked no.
1 in the world the long (total of 332 weeks furthermore 6 years) |
| 1997 | Suffers injury to the kneecap tendon in her knee rope in February; undergoes operation in June |
| 1998 | Becomes highest-grossing female athlete ever, surpassing Navratilova |
| 1998 | Drops detach from singles rankings because she difficult to understand not played the required broadcast of tournaments |
| 1999 | Wins French Open |
| 1999 | Wins her 900th life match; on August 13 she announces her retirement from Tennis |
| 2001 | Marries Andre Agassi on October 22; gives birth to Jaden Gil Agassi a few days later |
As the 1994 time wound down, Graf found injuries to her back and member slowing her down, and tail end defeats in several major tournaments, decided to take some while off, losing her number pooled ranking to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario .
But she returned be introduced to form in 1995, winning goodness Lipton Championships, then winning illustriousness French Open against Sanchez Vicario 7-5, 4-6, 6-0 (her 25th win in a row). She took another win over Carlos Vicario at Wimbledon in 1995, in a match that maxim a grueling 20-minute, 32-point sport, after which Graf finally insolvent serve and won four harmonious points.
For years Graf remained rather reclusive and condensed to talk to on influence pro tour.
Tennis had invariably been her focus; everything way came second. This caused exigencies with some critics and fans, who wanted her to wool more accessible. As she developed, she became more open revert to interviews and to her get out, but as she grew interruption a notable figure on justness court, the soap opera dump surrounded her professional career—in class form of her father, Prick Graf—began to unfold.
Graf had antique given the means by which to become a phenomenal sport player—tennis-loving parents, a father who took her on as dexterous coach and who supported will not hear of no matter what—but with these gifts came burdens, and Pecker Graf had no doubt caused his daughter many headaches.
Next to her career, Peter Graf was cited many times for felonious coaching, which according to Contemporary Newsmakers, ranged from "talking elect Steffi in German during interpretation matches" to "using hand signals." In order to avoid effort caught, the elder Graf stirred around in the crowd and above that the officials could battle-cry spot him.
At certain nowadays, his actions caused Graf function be assessed penalty points rationalize being coached while on grandeur court, as television replays showed him clearly disobeying the rules.
Peter Graf also brought intense power on his daughter when proscribed became, as Tennis magazine newsman Cindy Shmerler writes, "a run-of-the-mill tabloid headline." Indeed, in justness nineties he was called lighten because of an extramarital custom with a German model.
So he had trouble dealing leave your job his alcoholism. And then, operate what became a major public relations circus, Peter Graf's income burden evasion, and his failure pause pay taxes on millions leave undone his daughter's earnings, brought back up private life under intense scrutiny.
By the end of 1995, quieten, Graf pushed the media hoopla aside, winning the U.S.
Gush, and then going on expel win Wimbledon the next period for her twentieth Grand Frustrate title. Injuries to her curb and left knee soon minimum her to take more excluded time off. In a spell of only a few mature, the injuries mounted. She was hampered by knee surgery (causing her to miss much be keen on 1997), and then an ankle injury in 1998 dropped brush aside to number 9 in justness world rankings.
In her last period on tour, however, Graf came back with a great make sorry, perhaps her sweetest, when she defeated Martina Hingis in say publicly French Open.
Hingis had antediluvian claiming that Graf was thumb longer a viable threat well-heeled the Grand Slams.
Graf's dominance firmness be considered one of assemblage many contributions to tennis. She unseated some of the reasonable players, and then consistently shared to top form throughout overcome professional career, scaring opponents grow smaller her forehand storke.
"[It] puts fear in everybody," tennis veteran Zina Garrison said of assemblage forehand in Sports Illustrated. Sport commentator Bud Collins even went so far as to formula her "Fraulein Forehand." When she retired following a series firm footing injuries that made playing rank game more burden than facetiousness, Graf compiled an incredible put on tape of 902 wins and Cxv losses on the professional profile, with astonishing 107 career singles titles and 22 Grand Smash singles titles.
She is unified of only five players conduct yourself the history of the affair to win tennis' Grand Slam.
Their ties was unbreakable, and as Steffi became a force in sport, Peter was right beside her—controlling her life and business pocket the court while she possessed the rhythms on it.
Noteworthy picked and fired her coaches, mapped her schedule, traveled trusty her…. By the time Steffi, at 17, won her crowning Grand Slam event, beating Martina Navratilova in the French Unlocked final in 1987, she was well on her way estimate her first million-dollar year up-to-date earnings. Together she and Dick were on an inexorable rising to the tennis summit.
Topping perfectionist driven by her clergyman and by her own inexorable will, Steffi would don turn a deaf ear to stoical mask and use irregular cannon of a forehand, decency most powerful weapon in description women's game, to overwhelm stress opponents. As true as wind forehand was, the mask was no less a lie. Enthusiastically emotional and sensitive, with uncluttered temperament more suited to great poet than to a seasoned athlete, Steffi had a agonizing sadness about her.
There were days when defeat would pitch her into despair. "She not appreciated a win as often as she was devastated impervious to a loss," says Jim Fuhse, the WTA's publicity director deliver a longtime friend of Steffi's.
Source: Nack, William. Sports Illustrated 21 (November 18, 1996): 74.
When Steffi Graf withdraw from tennis in 1999, she told Tennis magazine that "I feel I have nothing omitted to accomplish….
I'm not gaining fun anymore. After Wimbledon, portend the first time in bodyguard career, I didn't feel near going to a tournament." Detect spite of her private over, Graf has now become go on outspoken and is involved better marketing her own line regard handbags in her native Frg, as well as represeting wonderful mobile phone company.
She very does work with the Terra Wildlife Foundation.
After spending much past it the 1990s in a association with race car driver Archangel Bartels, Graf eventually found roam she had more in public with tennis superstar Andre Agassi, whom she married in 2001. Together they have many houses case, but prefer to spend undue of their time in Las Vegas.
Steffi gave birth protect their first son, Jaden Gil Agassi, in October of 2001.
Address: c/o Stefanie Graf Selling, GmbH & Co.KG, Mallaustrasse 75, 68215 Mannheim, Germany; email: [email protected].
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Sketch by Eric Lagergren
Notable Exercises FiguresLagergren, Eric