Steffi Graf(1969 — ?)
Steffi Graf
Allemagne
5 min read
Steffi Graf is a German tennis player, considered one of the greatest champions in the history of the sport. In 1988, she achieved the unique feat of the “Golden Slam” by winning all four major tournaments and the Olympic gold medal in the same year.
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Born on June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, Germany
- Achieved the “Golden Slam” in 1988: the four Grand Slam tournaments plus the Olympic gold medal in Seoul in the same year, an unprecedented feat
- Won 22 Grand Slam singles titles over the course of her career
- Held the world number 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks, including 186 consecutive weeks
- Ended her career in 1999 after a final victory at the French Open
Works & Achievements
Her first major victory, at age 17, launching her dominance over world tennis.
A unique feat in history: all four majors and Olympic gold in the same year.
The all-time record for longevity at the top of the rankings, men and women combined.
A tally that places her among the very greatest players in the history of tennis.
Her last major title, won just before leaving the sport at the height of her powers.
The charitable organization she founded to help children traumatized by war and crises.
Anecdotes
In 1988, Steffi Graf achieved a feat never repeated since: the “Golden Slam.” She won all four major tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) AND the Olympic gold medal at the Seoul Games, all in the same year. No player, man or woman, has done it since.
Her forehand was so formidable that journalists nicknamed her “Fräulein Forehand” (Miss Forehand in German). She struck that shot with such power and precision that it became the main weapon of her game.
Steffi Graf spent 377 weeks ranked world number 1, an all-time record for both men and women that long stood unmatched. That amounts to more than seven cumulative years at the summit of world tennis.
In 1999, after winning the French Open, she announced her retirement at just 30 years old, while still at the top. She then married American champion Andre Agassi in 2001; the couple form one of the most decorated duos in the history of sport.
Her career was marked by her rivalry with Yugoslav player Monica Seles. In 1993, Seles was stabbed in the middle of a match by an unbalanced fan of Graf; deeply shaken, Steffi later visited her rival in the hospital, a gesture that moved the world of tennis.
Primary Sources
I have accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish. I no longer feel the joy I once did. The time has come to leave.
Steffi Graf holds the record for longevity at the world number 1 ranking with 377 weeks, including a record run of 186 consecutive weeks.
Women's tennis, ladies' singles: gold medal awarded to Steffi Graf (FRG), the first Olympic tennis champion since the sport's return to the official program.
Key Places
City in West Germany where Steffi Graf was born on June 14, 1969. She grew up in the nearby region of Brühl.
The most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, played on grass. Graf won seven singles titles there, making it her most successful tournament.
Grand Slam tournament played on clay, where Graf won six titles, including her very first in 1987 and her last in 1999.
Host of the 1988 Olympic Games where Graf won the gold medal, sealing her historic Golden Grand Slam.
City where Steffi Graf settled after her career, with her husband Andre Agassi, and where they raise their children.