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Stefanie Maria Graf ( / ɡrɑːf, ɡræf / GRA (H)F, German: [ˈʃtɛfi ˈɡʁaːf] ⓘ; [4] [5] born 14 June 1969) is a German former professional tennis player. [a] She won 22 major singles titles, [7] the second-most in women's singles won since the start of the Open Era in 1968 and the third-most of all-time.
- Who Is Steffi Graf?
- Early Years
- Professional Tennis Success
- Controversies
- Tennis Retirement and Legacy
- Personal Life
Steffi Graf entered pro tennis at 13 and became one of the sport's top players. Known for her powerful forehand, Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles; in 1988, she had a "Golden Slam," winning all four major competitions and Olympic gold in one calendar year. Graf retired from tennis in 1999 and wed fellow tennis player Andre Agassiin 2001.
Stefanie Maria Graf was born on June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, West Germany. Her parents, Peter and Heidi, were both tennis players, and Peter gave his daughter a tennis racket with a sawed-off handle to swing before she turned 4. At age 6, she won her first junior tournament. With Peter serving as her coach, Graf earned acclaim as one of the sport’s ...
Graf turned professional in October 1982 at just 13 years and 4 months of age, and a few weeks later, she became the second-youngest player to earn an international ranking (No. 124). Although tennis was just a demonstration sport at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, she outlasted the field to win an honorary gold medal. Her schedu...
Graf's father remained heavily involved in his daughter’s career even after relinquishing full-time coaching duties in the mid-1980s, earning the unflattering nickname "Papa Merciless." After mishandling some of Graf's income, Peter was convicted of tax fraud in 1997 and spent 25 months in prison. Although Graf was cleared of any wrongdoing, her ga...
Although injuries had taken their toll, Graf was still a highly ranked player in 1999. She won the French Open that year and almost added another Wimbledon singles title before a close loss in the final. However, she realized that her enjoyment of the game was slipping, so she announced her retirement that August at age 30. Over the course of her c...
On October 22, 2001, Graf married Agassi, another tennis player who had reached the highest echelons of the sport. The couple lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with their two children, Jaden and Jaz. In addition to family life, Graf stays active with charity work. This includes her foundation, Children for Tomorrow, which offers help to crisis-stricken c...
Jul 11, 2022 · By age 3, Steffi, armed with a sawed-off wooden racket, was batting a ball back and forth over a couch in their living room. If Steffi could return Peter’s shots 25 times in a row, she was ...
May 9, 2024 · Steffi Graf (born June 14, 1969, Brühl, West Germany [now in Germany]) is a German tennis player who dominated women’s tennis in the late 1980s and ’90s, winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles. Graf began playing tennis with the encouragement of her father, who became her coach.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Jun 15, 2021 · In one of the most dominating performances in Grand Slam finals, Steffi Graf whipped Belarus’ Natasha Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 to claim her second-consecutive French Open crown. It lasted just 34 minutes and is the only ‘double bagel’ Grand Slam final.
Jul 8, 2014 · Get the latest Player Stats on Steffi Graf including her videos, highlights, and more at the official Women's Tennis Association website.
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With 22 major singles titles and the only player to win the “Golden Grand Slam,” capturing all four majors and an Olympic Gold Medal in the same year, Steffi Graf laid claim to being anointed one of the greatest women’s players in history.
