and she is one of the greatest of all time in both Singles and doubles as she has won 18 Singles Grand Slam titles and 31 Womens Doubles Grand Slam titles and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slam titles which makes it a total of 69 slams and that is a record in the Open Era. As I said in the clip "Steffi Graf Forehand (Opponent's View)," this is not a. Steffi Graf is the only player in the open era to win all the 4 Grand Slam titles 4 times. References: Amaro. Who did Steffi Graf lose to in 1988? but to sum up her contribution in comparison to Steffi as that of a jester.. .being dominant this long is a testament to her mental & physical strength. Serena's forehand is way bigger than Steffi's. 2 - 0 Serena. That's kind of ridiculous when you think about it. It would be hypocritical of me if I told you that you can-not consider somebody to be the G.O.A.T. after my article regarding LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Despite breaking Grafs record, Williams does not consider herself the GOAT. She is the one and only Queen of tennis. ALSO READ: 2018 ITF World Junior Tennis: The future of American tennis looks bright, Tennis World USA featuring tennis news, stats, rankings, player and tournament information, video highlights, 2018 ITF World Junior Tennis: The future of American tennis looks bright, "North Americans just don't understand," said Serena Williams' husband. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Sports. TENNIS WAS MORE TACTICAL IN THE 80s BUT THE GAME EVOLVED. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 1 mean anything. (@grafgoat) on Jun 27, 2019 at 5:05am PDT. Williams was unseeded in the draw, but had started to emerge as a player tipped for big things. Jack Draper explains his great gesture against Rafael Nadal, Emma Raducanu weighs in on criticism from ex-coach Dmitry Tursunov, Bianca Andreescu 'determined' to play and beat Iga Swiatek at Australian Open, Ons Jabeur expresses sympathy for Naomi Osaka, Jelena Djokovic shares message on Novak Djokovic's Australian Open return, Nick Kyrgios: 'I want to be able to provide for her', Novak Djokovic has hilarious response to one question, wife Jelena also reacts, Rafael Nadal loses temper and argues with chair umpire. HAD SELES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON THE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. By now, most players who are Serena's age (31) are declining. He was number 1 for a straight 209 weeks. Steffi mostly used a slice backhand . I definitely agree that Stefi Graf is the one and only greatest player of all time! However, cumulatively Williams has had only 319 weeks at number one while Graf had 377. Both sisters have been ranked world No. Tom Taylor Dec 25, 2020 at 12:48 am, STEFFI GRAFS ONLY COMPETITOR WAS ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES. I live in NYC and Im sick of Americans thinking that Serena is the GOAT. She's 80-7 since the beginning of 2011. Perhaps the greatest Doubles player the world has ever seen as Martina Navratilova has won 31 Womens Doubles Grand Slam titles and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slam titles. The likes of Sabatini and Sanchez were only good in spurts like Azarenka and li to Serena. She averaged 106 mph and recorded the fastest at 128.6 mph in 2013. Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi are one of the most adored couples in tennis history. And though Serena doesn't have the competition in today's game to rival what Graf would bring to the court, not one player has been able to beat the 16-time Slam champ consistently. HAD SELES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON TBE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. Dallas signs kicker Vizcaino as added insurance, Chargers' Staley: Never felt job was in jeopardy, Vikings GM expects Cousins to return next season, Recovering Hamlin at Bills facility almost daily, Activism group disappointed in Provorov's boycott, Sources: Arkansas' Briles to become TCU's OC, VIP seat for Messi, Ronaldo clash fetches $2.6m, Sources: Dream to get Gray in trade with Wings, Tracing the rise of Josh Allen: Behind-the-scenes stories of how he got here. Although Graf retired in 1999, her legacy lives on. For me Steffi is the GOAT, she is the reason I fell in love with tennis and my love still continues. In the decider, the majority thought Grafs experience would prove the difference, especially when she secured an early break to lead 3-1. What time is Serena playing today? While she had taken time away from the game prior to 1999, Graf was still seeded fifth for Indian Wells and was regarded as one of the best players in the world. Graf won eight Slams in nine events and, in 1988, pulled off the Golden Slam, a spectacular feat that included winning all four majors and the Olympics. Ranking the fights at UFC 283: Will Moreno and Figueiredo deliver again? Pete Sampras was World Number 1 for a then record 286 weeks and Andre Agassi was World Number 1 for a very impressive 101 weeks. In 2020, despite there not being an obvious favorite, other than herself, Williams couldnt capitalize. Her first few years were successful, and in 1987 she won her first Grand Slam (a win in one of the four major tennis tournaments including the U.S. Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon, or the French Open) by clenching the French Open. Her only doubles Grand Slam title came in 1988 at Wimbledon. Did venus Williams ever play Steffi Graf? I. Both matches went to three sets.. A year earlier, Serena was the semi-finalist in Sydney and she proved her class against Steffi again, forcing the great opponent to give her best and sending the clear message it will not be a very long before she would become the leader of the pack on the Tour. Case for Steffi Graf: Of all the matchups this week, this might be the toughest to predict and the one that leads to the most consternation. Up to that point, Serena had been the second best player in her family; when the match was over, she was officially out of her sister Venus shadow, and on her to way to stardom. For Williams, she has five titles and a 54-7 record. Though being a die hard fan of Steffi and tennis, I would like to see Steffi and Serena differently. These were 2 totally different styles of tennis players and everyone loved cheering for Roger and against Novak and this egged him on. After receiving his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, John started his career at a large law firm in Portland. Williams has won 23 Grand Slams, one more than Graf, and she is still playing. I remember thinking, thank God I had a chance just to play her, because I grew up watching her, and she was, just, amazing. She had won 34 consecutive matches amid the best stretch of her career. What is this? Two legends had a chance to play twice against each other in that last season on the Tour for Steffi and the German prevailed in the season opener in Sydney, beating the young American 6-2 3-6 7-5 after a great fight to reach the quarters. Williams has never been in the same class as Graf when it comes to comparing the two as players. The Sports Legends brings forward the inspiring and exciting stories of legendary sports persons who created history. Graf survived a challenging eighth game but Serena sealed the set with another good hold a few minutes later for the third set. #1 Venus Williams Defeated Serena Williams 12 times No player has defeated Serena Williams more times than sister Venus Williams. Force would meet force, and both would feel comfortable with that. One 319 total weeks ranked as world No. Yes, Serena lost to Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open this year, and she hasn't won Down Under since 2010 (she didn't play in 2011), but as a five-time champ, who wants to mess with her? Starting next week at the US Open, Williams will be trying to match Graf's calendar Grand Slam . She has also easily been the most feared player in the Womens game for the two most recent decades. How much money does a tennis ball boy make? Tennis - At the age of 17, Serena was already ranked just outside the Top 20 and she forced Setffi to work hard for this win. That's how truly awesome Serena's past year has been. World no. Here take a look at her top 5 best performances. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The first player we will talk about is Martina Navratilova and she is one of the greatest of all time in both Singles and doubles as she has won 18 Singles Grand Slam titles and 31 Womens Doubles Grand Slam titles and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slam titles which makes it a total of 69 slams and that is a record in the Open Era. 2 at approximately 1:40 p.m. local time (8:40 a.m. Serena Williams split two career meetings with Steffi Graf. Bollettieri split with Agassi after the 1993 Wimbledon over Agassis refusal to concentrate 100 percent on his tennis. In her 30s she still dominated women in their prime, even recently she reaches finals with a whole new and younger generation and stays in the top 10, which is impressive and best part she still isnt done. Serena Williams. Serena reached her 31st Major final at home in New York in 2018 to match Steffi Graf and trail only to Evert and Martina Navratilova. In California, Williams immediately made headlines when she knocked out compatriot and second seed Lindsay Davenport in straight sets. In October of 1986 Steffi won a British tournament for the first time by beating Catarina Lindqvist 6-3, 6-3 in the Pretty Polly final. Steffi Graf edges Serena Williams in their first meeting in Sydney 1999 AUGUST 11, 2018 18:10 by JOVICA ILIC | VIEW 40069 Home Tennis News Blast From the Past Back in 1998, Steffi Graf was. His other annual earnings, running into the multimillions, come from superbrands like Mercedes-Benz, Seiko, Lacoste and Adidas, among others. Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slams titles. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and exploring the beautiful state of Maine. Our final NFL rookie rankings: Gardner vs. Hutchinson for No. She of course hit countless of her infamous, deadly forehands at angles that inspired the Frulein Forehand nickname of the German superstar. She hasnt been able to do so since the Australian open of January 2017, when she beat *yawn* her sister, Venus, in straight sets. Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest players of all time and he is the highest prize earner in tennis history with $156,136,601. As Im sure you all remember, in the Spring of 2020 we had a period where no live sports were being played and we had to somehow make do without. Obviously, he said a few things in his book and weve had a few moments here and there. As strong as Grafs serve is, Williams is stronger, and her kick second delivery is safer and steadier. Steffi Graf. ET following the match between Roger Federer and Adrian Mannarino, which is due to start at 9:45 a.m. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 672 Reads. The resumes of the two make it clear which player is the most accomplished: 900-115 career record, (88.7 win %) 843-147 career record (85.2 win %), 22 Grand Slam wins, 23 Grand Slams wins, One calendar Slam (1988), Zero calendar Slams, 107 career tournament victories, 72 career tournament victories, 377 total weeks ranked as world No. The youngster had the upper hand from the baseline now and Graf lost the momentum on the return, allowing Serena to hold in game five for a 4-1 and again in the seventh game thanks to a service winner from Williams. Serena on the other hand? For a three-year span at the Aussie Open (1988-1990), Graf lost a total of one set (one!). But in terms of endurance, mental & physical strength Serena was in a class of her own. Steffi was a phenomenon, by virtue of how she won, but Serena IS a force of nature by virtue of her passion for the game. She won five Grand Slam singles titles and was the runner-up on three other occasions. Each surface has a different speed and ball trajectory. Matchup: Steffi Graf versus Serena Williams Venue: Australian Open Case for Steffi Graf: Of all the matchups this week, this might be the toughest to predict and the one that leads to the most . Sampras, asked about his relationship with Agassi last September during a conference call with reporters, offered this brief, guarded answer: Its fine. Getty Images, AP Photo In March 1999, Serena Williams had yet to win a major title. Stefan Collins youve spoken like a true pundit. Martina won more on fast courts, and I won more on slow courts, but Steffi came along and won more titles on both surfaces.. Grafs always going to be the greatest womens professional tennis champion in the history of the sport until shes been supplanted by a superior tennis champion and thats unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. 6-3 3-6 7-5. Each won one. I seriously dont get this white american hate for Serena. Take a look at his top 5 best performances. So, lets dissect each of these 3 players individually. Graf faced the likes of Hall of Fame players such as, Gabriella Sabatini, who was vanquished in the finals of Grafs quest for the U.S. Open trophy and an Olympic gold medal. Is she good enough to equal Grafs 88 season? Williams leads the all-time list of WTA hardcourt victories with 505, rank Graf ranks just outside the top 10 with 343 victories. . While the American has made herself into an excellent clay-courter, the German was a more natural mover on dirt, and she would have time on the surface to use her slice to move Williams around and position herself for her big forehand. Read more aboutour 50th Anniversary Celebrationandget caught up on all the matches so far. How many times did Serena Williams play Steffi Graf? She won 22 Grand Slam titles in a 16-year professional career, the second-most behind Serena Williams (23) since the start of the Open Era in 1968, and the third-most in history behind Margaret Court (24). Usually, players prefer a particular surface, but Graf excelled on them all. Mahesh Bhupathi is a 12 time Doubles Grand Slam Champion and he has done it in both mens and mixed doubles. She won more than 2000 matches in her career. Graf achieved her Golden Slam in part because of her ability to excel on all surfaces. That day in London, a changing of the guard took place, and I dont mean outside Buckingham palace. As it turned out, 1999 was the last season in Graf's career, winning her 22nd Grand Slam title in Paris and announcing her retirement in August, a few weeks after losing the Wimbledon final and still ranked in the Top 3. When you win as often as Serena . At Wimbledon, Martina Navratilova defeated Graf to win a sixth consecutive title. Case Type. Theres a reason most players chose to retire early, & it goes beyond will power. She has won 23 Singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles in her career along with 4 Olympic Gold Medals. Serena Williams vs Steffi Graf 1999 Indian Wells Final Highlights Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 577 Reads. Probably not. 1 talent provider. She has won 14 Womens Doubles Grand Slam titles along with her sister Venus Williams and they have won all the 4 Doubles Grand Slam titles Twice. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 362 Reads, Top 5 Best Performances of Mahesh Bhupathi. Rafael Nadal has won 21 Grand Slam titles out of which he has won a record 13 French Open titles. If there was any doubt before, there was none after that match. Its no easy feat.. (ask Clijsters) or any other tennis player that is a mother. The match itself proved to be one of the best in the history of Indian Wells. Whatever the tournament or surface, Steffi Graf dominated the game. And for what it's worth, her career credentials suggest she could be the best, that is, if 22 Slams, 107 titles and 377 weeks as the world No. At their peak, Steffi is the undisputed queen of the court. John is a frequent speaker on divorce-related topics and is well-respected among his peers in the legal community. Im a Senior at Buena Vista University, where I will be playing Football for one last Fall and majoring in Marketing and Sports Management. New Coach, Tone, and History: A Look Back at BVUs Historic 2022 Volleyball Season, Your email address will not be published. Case for Serena Williams: Let's be honest here: When Rafael Nadal lost early at Wimbledon, were you completely shocked? While Williamss career was just burgeoning, another great player, Steffi Graf, was headed for retirement. Now people are saying that I could be, but for me, Im just not there yet. HAD SElES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON TBE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. It was my breakout season. How Fast Is Serena Williams fastest serve? Steffi Graf had a 17 year pro career and in all those 17 years was the biggest star of female tennis all around the world and with good reason. With the final ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tournament of 2020 scheduled to be played this month, I thought it would be fitting to bring this up. Retrieved from: https://tennispal.com/top-5-serves-in-the-wta/, Tennis Wimbledon 1988 final. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 481 Reads, Top 5 Best Performances of Novak Djokovic. It's just for fun, so enjoy and let us know who you think would win. On the other hand for Serena I would say she made it look easy because of the level of her tennis! She was, and is, expected to win every tournament she plays. I have only seen Serena Williams play live so according to me she is the greatest because when she won Grand Slam titles there was no one close to her and she dominated her opponents. It does not store any personal data. What Breanna Stewart's 2023 season might look like in Seattle or New York, Man United end win streak, let Crystal Palace strike back in Weghorst debut, Wait for Marsch? She was also extremely mentally tough and could cover the court as well as, if not better than, Serena., Women's Final: (2) Steffi Graf vs. (5) Serena Williams. No one . Our womens final pits the two most accomplished Grand Slam champions of the Open era against each other. How about Serena? In an interview, the 23-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf praised Serena Williams's greatness. (Dick Enberg NBC Sports) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDhT3h9FWi0. Americans love Serena. Those 107 titles, by the way, are more than twice as many as Serena has to date. All Rights Reserved. In the end it was a 17-year-old Williams who emerged the victor in three thrilling sets sparking a remarkable run of form that would see her win the US Open that same year. RK Dec 8, 2020 at 2:13 am. Andre Agassi was a tennis player and he played from 1986-2006 and in those 20 years he won 8 Grand Slam titles. (npi) Since retiring from professional tennis in 1999, Steffi Graf has done some incredible humanitarian work. SR Feb 16, 2021 at 9:47 am. Try itwere cheering you on! At the start of the year in Sydney, a 29-year-old Graf beat a 17-year-old Williams; that spring, Williams reversed the result over three sets in Indian Wells. Glen (Woody) Pope Mar 25, 2021 at 5:05 pm, A great synopsis and one that rates a Grand Slam. I hope you all enjoyed reading this one and learned something about the history of Tennis. Tennis News. Up to that point, Serena had. 1. At the start of the year in Sydney, a 29-year-old Graf beat a 17-year-old Williams; that spring, Williams reversed the result over three sets in Indian Wells. However, when it comes to winning percentage, Graf is the all-time leader at 89.6 while Williams carries a winning percentage of 85.6. Mattheus S Ayongwa Feb 14, 2021 at 7:07 pm. Recently, Djokovics quest for a Golden Slam came to and end. German legend Steffi Graf is widely recognised as one of the greatest-ever tennis players in history. Published on May 6, 2020 Serena Williams has played pro tennis for 20 years and is still an incredible competitor. Martina Navratilova has won all the 4 Grand Slam titles in her singles career twice and she has been perhaps the most dominant tennis player of the Open era. If any player in the womens game was going to equal the Golden Slam it would have been Serena, granted she still has a chance, but she is clearly past her prime, making it highly unlikely. Editor's note: Our weeklong series of "What If " scenarios are only hypothetical. She has won all the 4 singles Grand Slam titles 3 times in her career and the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open at least 6 times each in her career and she will be playing in this years Wimbledon as well. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams have won 45 Grand slam titles in total. 1 in singles . To add a few more In the department of sportsmanship and conduct on court, Steffi is way above Serena. It's really about personal preference, meaning this battle for supremacy might never truly be settled. And the pressure already is mounting. Harriet Dart believes Indian Wells run is career turning point, Indian Wells: Billie Jean King rallies with old foe Martina Navratilova, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka: The top 5 Indian Wells upsets so far, UFC 285: Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso set for co-main event, Rafael Nadal's wife cries as tennis legend crashes out of Australian Open, Cesar Azpilicueta and male stars can normalise LGBTQ+ players in football, BBC sex noise prank: Ally McCoist and Laura Woods' comical reaction, F1: Jamie Chadwick to continue with Williams Driver Academy, Australian Open: Maria Sakkari fuming over opponent 'screaming in her face'. But when it comes to winning grand slams, Graf is rooting for Williams to break her Open era record of 22 . Golden Calendar Year Slam is the benchmark that Steffi Graf set and no one has been able to match the same in he last 32 years male or female. Which isnt anything to be ashamed of. One year later, an update from Chris Evert on her cancer journey, Aussie wrap: Kokkinakis and Murray face off. Serena Williams left Wimbledon a year ago heading for New York and history: the first calendar grand slam since Steffi Graf's in 1988 was one win away.Yet there was an unmistakable nervousness . At the time, many regarded Graf as the greatest tennis player in history. Sydney. He has been married to fellow tennis player Steffi Graf since 2001. But even then, it would be hard to defend Serena's power. . Required fields are marked *, David Aug 2, 2021 at 1:18 pm. Graf was fiercely dedicated to her mission, the mission of winning. ET. Forehand: Steffi Graf had the best forehand of her time and was head and shoulders above her opponents. Here take a look at his top 5 best performances. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 507 Reads, Top 5 Best Performances of Serena Williams. Given their young age, the ball kids are not paid a traditional wage but given expenses or a stipend which is fixed at 200 GBP ($241 USD) per week. Take a look at her top 5 best doubles performances. Court Number. Her path to the final was helped somewhat by number one seed Martina Hingis shock defeat to Chanda Rubin. She has won 23 Singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles in her career along with 4 Olympic Gold Medals. Who would you want to play for your life, in the biggest of all m. Wondering what the Tournament of Champions is, and how we got here? Agree completely with this article. Even though their father allegedly fixes the outcome of their matches. It is incredibly difficult to be victorious on grass, clay, and hard-court surfaces in such a short period of time. The eighth singles title of Steffis career. Why was Steffi Graf so good? The competition is tougher than it ever was but Steffis rivalries were incredibly one sided in her day. Her sister? #steffigraf #steffi #graf #goat #tennis #tennisplayer #grandslam #goldenslam #germany #forehand #numberone #sport #fitness #wta #tennislife #athlete #tennisplayers #champion #frauleinforehand #goat?#germantennis, A post shared by Steffi Graf Fan Page ? Serena hasnt achieved much since then. Here we take a look at her top 5 best performances. Steffi Graf. As the pair met in the final of Indian Wells, known then as the Evert Cup, there was only one favourite on paper. No, Serena loses the point because Steffi's forehand pattern puts her opponents in an impossible position. However, the slower courts at the Aussie Open today would help neutralize a lot of Serena's pace and allow Graf to leverage her athleticism, which was and still is second to no one's, not even Serena's. Davenport had ended the previous year ranked number one in the world and is the most successful player in the history of Indian Wells. The same year Graf won her first major in France, she won the other three Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. She had won 107 career titles which is the 3rd highest of all time.