Steffi Graf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steffi Graf

Graf in 2010
Full name	Stefanie Maria Graf
Country (sports)	West Germany (1982–1990)  Germany (1990–1999)
Residence	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Born	(1969-06-14) 14 June 1969 (age 56) Mannheim, West Germany
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro	1982
Retired	1999
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Coach	Peter Graf Pavel Složil (1986–1991) Heinz Günthardt (1992–1999)
Prize money	$21,895,277 16th in all-time rankings
Int. Tennis HoF	2004 (member page)
Singles
Career record	900–115 (88.67%)
Career titles	107 (3rd all-time)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (17 August 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)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996)
Olympic Games	W (1988)
Doubles
Career record	173–72 (70.61%)
Career titles	11
Highest ranking	No. 3 (3 March 1987)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	SF (1988, 1989)
French Open	F (1986, 1987, 1989)
Wimbledon	W (1988)
US Open	SF (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (1986, 1987, 1988)
Olympic Games	SF (1988)
Mixed doubles
Career record	9–7 (56.25%)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	2R (1991)
French Open	2R (1994)
Wimbledon	SF (1999)
US Open	1R (1984)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (1987, 1992)
Hopman Cup	W (1993)
Medal record Representing  West Germany Gold 1988 Seoul Singles Bronze 1988 Seoul Doubles Representing  Germany Silver 1992 Barcelona Singles

Stefanie Maria Graf (born 14 June 1969), known as Steffi Graf, is a famous German former professional tennis player. She is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. She won 22 major singles titles, which are also called Grand Slam tournaments. This is the second-most in women's singles since the modern "Open Era" of tennis began in 1968.

In 1988, Steffi Graf made history by achieving the "Golden Slam." This means she won all four major singles titles (the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open) and the Olympic gold medal in the same year. She is the only tennis player, male or female, to have won each major singles tournament at least four times. This is known as a "quadruple Career Grand Slam."

Graf was ranked the world's No. 1 singles player by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for a record 377 total weeks. She won 107 singles titles, placing her third on the WTA's all-time list. Only Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert have won more. She and Margaret Court are the only players to win three major titles in a year five times.

Steffi Graf was known for her amazing skills on all types of tennis courts. She had incredible footwork and a very powerful forehand shot. Her athletic style of play, hitting hard from the back of the court, helped shape the modern game of tennis. She won six French Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, four Australian Open titles, and five US Open titles. She is the only singles player to have won a Grand Slam on all three main court surfaces: grass, clay, and hard courts.

Graf retired from tennis at age 30 in 1999, when she was still ranked world No. 3. Many tennis legends, like Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, have called her the greatest women's tennis player ever. In 2004, she was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame. Steffi Graf, along with Boris Becker, helped make tennis very popular in Germany.

Early Life and Start in Tennis

Stefanie Graf was born on June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, West Germany. Her parents were Heidi Schalk and Peter Graf. When she was nine, her family moved to Brühl. She has a younger brother named Michael.

Her father, who wanted to be a tennis coach, first taught her how to play. He showed his three-year-old daughter how to swing a racket in their living room. She started practicing on a real court at age four and played in her first tournament at five. She quickly began winning junior tournaments regularly. In 1982, she won the European Championships for both 12-year-olds and 18-year-olds.

Becoming a Pro

Steffi Graf played in her first professional tournament in October 1982 in Filderstadt, Germany. She was only 13 years old. She didn't win any titles in her first few years, but her ranking steadily improved. By 1985, she was ranked world No. 6.

In 1984, at age 15, she gained international attention. She almost beat a top player, Jo Durie, at Wimbledon. That same year, she won the tennis event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. No medals were given because it was a demonstration event, not an official one.

Her father carefully managed her schedule to prevent her from getting tired too quickly. He made sure she focused on practice and matches. This focus helped her improve her game steadily.

In 1985 and early 1986, Graf became a strong challenger to the top players, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. She often reached tournament finals or semifinals. On April 13, 1986, Graf won her first WTA tournament. She beat Chris Evert for the first time in the final of the Family Circle Cup. She then won her next three tournaments, including beating Navratilova in the final in Berlin.

The Golden Slam Year: 1988

Graf won gold in singles and bronze in doubles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Steffi Graf's big breakthrough came in 1987. She won six tournaments before the French Open. In the French Open final, she beat the world No. 1, Martina Navratilova. On August 17, she became the world No. 1 player for the first time. She held this top spot for 186 weeks in a row, which was a record.

The year 1988 was incredible for Graf. She started by winning the Australian Open, not losing a single set. She then won the French Open by beating Natasha Zvereva 6–0, 6–0 in a very quick final. This was the shortest and most one-sided Grand Slam final ever.

Next, she won Wimbledon, beating Martina Navratilova in a tough three-set final. At the US Open, she beat Gabriela Sabatini to win the Grand Slam. This meant she won all four major tournaments in one year. Only two other women had done this before. Graf's 1988 Grand Slam is special because it was the first time it was done on three different court surfaces (grass, clay, and hard court).

After winning the Grand Slam, Graf also won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Seoul. This made her the first tennis player to achieve the "Golden Slam." She also won her only Grand Slam doubles title that year at Wimbledon, playing with Sabatini.

Facing New Challenges

Steffi Graf's powerful backhand shot.

In 1989, many people wondered if Graf could win another Grand Slam. She started the year strong, winning the Australian Open again. She continued to win many tournaments. However, her Grand Slam winning streak ended at the French Open. She lost to 17-year-old Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in a close match.

Graf quickly recovered and won Wimbledon again, beating Martina Navratilova. She also won the US Open for the second time, defeating Navratilova in another exciting final. Graf finished 1989 with an amazing record of 86 wins and only 2 losses.

In 1990, Graf won the Australian Open for the third time in a row. This was her eighth Grand Slam singles title. She had a winning streak of 66 matches before losing to Monica Seles in the Berlin final. Seles became a strong new rival. Graf also faced personal challenges during this time, which sometimes affected her play. She lost to Seles in the French Open final and to Zina Garrison in the Wimbledon semifinals. Despite this, she ended 1990 as the top-ranked player.

The year 1991 was difficult for Graf. She faced injuries and lost her No. 1 ranking to Monica Seles in March. Seles won the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open that year. Graf did win Wimbledon for the third time after a very close match against Gabriela Sabatini.

In 1992, Graf missed the Australian Open due to illness. She started working with a new coach, Heinz Günthardt. She reached the French Open final but lost a very close match to Monica Seles. However, she won Wimbledon again, beating Seles in the final. Graf also helped Germany win the Fed Cup that year. At the Olympics in Barcelona, she won a silver medal.

Dominating Again

In 1993, Graf had a strong comeback. She won 65 out of 67 matches. During this time, Monica Seles was unable to play due to a serious incident. Graf won three of the four Grand Slam events. She won her third French Open title and her fifth Wimbledon title. At Wimbledon, she had a very tough match against Jana Novotná but managed to win. She also won the US Open for the third time.

In 1994, Graf started the year without injuries and won the Australian Open easily, beating Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. She won her next four tournaments as well. However, she then faced a back injury. She lost in the French Open semifinals and had a rare first-round loss at Wimbledon. Despite her injury, she played the US Open and reached the final, but lost to Sánchez Vicario.

In 1995, Graf had to miss the Australian Open due to a calf muscle injury. But she came back strong, winning four tournaments in a row. She then beat Sánchez Vicario in the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. The Wimbledon final was very exciting and close. Monica Seles returned to tennis in August, and everyone was excited for a possible match between her and Graf. They met in the US Open final, and Graf won in three sets. She finished the year by winning the WTA Championships.

In 1996, Graf again missed the Australian Open due to foot surgery. She returned in March and continued her winning ways. She successfully defended her French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open titles. The French Open final against Sánchez Vicario was a long and tough match, lasting over three hours. At the US Open, she beat Monica Seles in the final without losing a set. She also won her fifth WTA Tour Championships title.

Later Career and Retirement

The last few years of Graf's career were affected by injuries, especially to her knees and back. In 1997, she lost her world No. 1 ranking to Martina Hingis. She also failed to win a Grand Slam title that year, which was the first time in ten years. She had surgery on her left knee and missed Wimbledon and the US Open.

In 1998, Graf continued to struggle with injuries. However, she did win the Philadelphia title, beating world No. 2 Hingis and world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport.

In 1999, Graf reached her first Grand Slam final in three years at the French Open. She had a memorable victory, coming back to defeat the top-ranked Martina Hingis in three sets. She also beat the second and third-ranked players in the same tournament, which was a unique achievement. After the final, Graf hinted that it would be her last French Open.

She then reached her ninth Wimbledon singles final but lost to Lindsay Davenport. On August 13, 1999, at age 30, Steffi Graf announced her retirement from tennis. She was ranked No. 3 at the time. She said she had achieved everything she wanted in tennis and was no longer having fun.

Playing Doubles

Steffi Graf also played doubles matches throughout her career, winning 11 doubles titles. In 1986, she teamed up with her rival Gabriela Sabatini. They won the 1988 Wimbledon Championships together. They also reached the French Open finals three times.

Later in her career, she played doubles less often. In 1999, she had a very famous mixed doubles partnership with John McEnroe at Wimbledon. They reached the semifinals before she decided to focus on her singles final.

After Tennis

Graf at Wimbledon in 2009.

After retiring, Steffi Graf played some exhibition matches against former rivals. These matches were for fun and often for charity. In 2004, she played Gabriela Sabatini in Berlin to raise money for her foundation, "Children for Tomorrow."

In 2009, she played a singles exhibition match against Kim Clijsters and a mixed doubles match with her husband, Andre Agassi, at Wimbledon. This was part of a test event for the new roof over Centre Court.

Her Unique Playing Style

Graf's main strengths were her powerful forehand shot and her amazing footwork. Her forehand was so strong and accurate that people called her Fräulein Forehand. She could hit the ball with great speed and precision.

She also had a strong backhand, but she often used a backhand slice shot. This slice was very accurate and helped her set up her powerful forehand. Graf was also good at serving and hitting volleys.

She was a very versatile player, meaning she could play well on any court surface. She is the only player, male or female, to have won the calendar-year Grand Slam on three different surfaces. She also won each Grand Slam tournament at least four times. Chris Evert, another tennis legend, said that Steffi Graf was the best all-around player.

Equipment and Sponsorships

Early in her career, Graf wore Dunlop clothes and used Dunlop rackets. In 1985, she signed a deal with Adidas. She even had her own Adidas sneaker line. From 1994 to 1999, she used Wilson rackets. Her rackets were strung very tightly, which helped her hit with power.

Graf also had many other endorsement deals with companies like Opel, Rexona, Barilla, and Citibank. She appeared in commercials with her husband, Andre Agassi, for companies like Canon Inc. and Longines. In 2015, she became a brand ambassador for Kerala tourism, promoting Ayurveda.

Personal Life

Steffi Graf married former world No. 1 men's tennis player Andre Agassi on October 22, 2001. They have two children, a son born in 2001 and a daughter born in 2003. Agassi has said that they are not pushing their children to become tennis players. The Graf-Agassi family lives in Summerlin, near Las Vegas.

Graf is the founder and chairperson of "Children for Tomorrow." This is a non-profit foundation she started in 1998. It helps children who have been affected by war or other difficult situations.

Her Legacy

In December 1999, a group of experts chosen by the Associated Press named Steffi Graf the greatest female tennis player of the 20th century. Many other tennis experts and polls have also named her the greatest female player of all time.

Tennis writer Steve Flink called Graf the best female player of the 20th century in his book. He noted that her consistent high performance over many years was exceptional.

Awards and Honors

Steffi Graf received many awards and honors throughout her career. She was named the ITF World Champion seven times. She was also voted the WTA Player of the Year a record eight times. She was named the German Sportsperson of the Year five times.

In 1988, she received the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year for her amazing Golden Slam. In 2004, a tennis stadium in Berlin was renamed the Steffi-Graf-Stadion in her honor.

Graf was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2008, she was also inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame.

Images for kids

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  Graf on her Farewell World Tour in 2000.

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  Graf's powerful backhand shot.

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  Graf at Wimbledon in 2009.

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  Graf at a charity tennis tournament in 2010.

In Spanish: Steffi Graf para niños