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. You're talking about arguably the greatest female athletes of the 20th century against the best of the 21st century. Steffi Graf is the only player in the open era to win all the 4 Grand Slam titles 4 times. Davenport had ended the previous year ranked number one in the world and is the most successful player in the history of Indian Wells. Graf, on the other hand, played between 1982 and 1999. QF. . Her serve was accurate and fast, going up to 180 km/hone of the fastest serves in womens tennis. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 699 Reads, Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi Head to Head and Stats Comparison. At this year's U.S. Open, which begins Monday, Serena Williams will have the chance to equal Graf's record for major titles and become the first player to win the calendar slam since Graf did it in 1988. Did venus Williams ever play Steffi Graf? In his free time, he enjoys hiking and exploring the beautiful state of Maine. 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. Why are Barcelona travelling to North African coast for Copa del Rey clash? THAT CASTS A DARK CLOUD ON HER RECORD. Steffi confirmed the break in game two after another error from Serena and she had a double break lead following more errors from the youngster in game three. She also won doubles that year. Nadal is out, but vows to make another comeback, Slow-starting USWNT blitz New Zealand in second half as Lynn Williams scores on return, Looking ahead to the LPGA season -- Upcoming events, predictions, players to watch, more, Arizona Coyotes debut new 'Desert Night' jerseys. Senior writer for GiveMeSport and GMSw. So did Steffi Graf and Serena Williams ever play each other? DAVENPORT, HENIN AND CAPRIATI ALL CHALLENGED FOR A WHILE, BUT SERENA PREVAILED. 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. Playing against Serena in Oz would be a true test of endurance, and that's where Graf would have the edge. 6-2 3-6 7-5. But despite her dominance, she has still failed to take all four major trophies in the same calendar year. How many Grand Slam finals did Agassi lose? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In her additional eight years as a professional, Williams has only managed to surpass Grafs Grand Slam total by one. (npi) 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. NBC commentator, Dick Enberg, described Grafs style of play as genius. Graf won the second and third set: 6-2, and 6-1. Tennis . 1 -- and a QB in the top 10? Her singles win record is incredible with 900 wins and a win % of 88.7. ET), while Serena Williams and Aliaksandra Sasnovich will play on Centre Court at about 11:45 a.m. Our womens final pits the two most accomplished Grand Slam champions of the Open era against each other. The competition is tougher than it ever was but Steffis rivalries were incredibly one sided in her day. Your article really compelled me to reply (by the way this is the first time I must be replying to someones post). Cause Lists. Tom Taylor Dec 25, 2020 at 12:48 am, STEFFI GRAFS ONLY COMPETITOR WAS ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES. HAD SElES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON TBE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. Serena's forehand is way bigger than Steffi's. 2 - 0 Serena. #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 ? Go back to studying business boo! Can you use recordings as evidence in California? 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. Wtf does color have to do with it you ignorant fool. Ranking the fights at UFC 283: Will Moreno and Figueiredo deliver again? Why was Steffi Graf so good? Steffi Grafs Golden Slam of 1988: The Perfect Season, Stefan Collins, Staff WriterDecember 2, 2020. . Chris Evert turned pro in 1972 and played till 1989. It was a great year for me." He said he didnt need to prove anything anymore. At the U.S. Open of 2003, an official retirement ceremony took place. Who else? Many current tennis fans view America's Serena Williams as the best to ever play the sport but she falls short in comparison to Steffi Graf, who won 22 Grand Slam titles from 1987 to 1999. Steffi mostly used a slice backhand . That's how truly awesome Serena's past year has been. This includes power players like Venus Williams, who hasn't had a significant string of success against her sister since the outset of their careers in the late 90's/early 2000's, and stalwarts like Justine Henin, who had six wins over Serena, but four of which came on clay during an era when Serena wasn't expected to win on dirt. (even venus!! Instead, she favors the strategy of overpowering her opponent. She is the one and only Queen of tennis. We understand that a matchup of players from different generations comes with its share of things to take into consideration, such as the advancement of technology and the slowing of court surfaces in today's game. After receiving his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, John started his career at a large law firm in Portland. He has won 14 Grand Slam titles. She has won a total of 22 Singles Grand Slam titles and 1 doubles Grand Slam titles and she is superior to Martina in singles but Martina Navratilova is way ahead in doubles. Graf was the best in the game. Saying that Steffi had it difficult with all her opponents being great stalwarts I feel though stalwarts they were way past their prime and someone had to dethrone them. Hard. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 582 Reads. Serena is far known the best ever! If there was any doubt before, there was none after that match. Australian Rod Laver won all four majors in the Open era the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in 1969, and it is a nod to this achievement that this weekends Laver Cup has been named. Unlike the LeBron vs M.J. debate, I have yet to come across an argument in Williamss favor that is respectable in my opinion. (@grafgoat) on Jun 27, 2019 at 5:05am PDT. On the other hand for Serena I would say she made it look easy because of the level of her tennis! Her record in Singles is incredible with a win % of 84.9 with 855 wins in her singles career. This enabled her to overcome injuries (which affected some of her opportunities in winning all slams in a year), to have a never say never attitude at top competitions (go re-watch her comebacks finals against Sharapova, Vicka, Kerber, Henin.there are one of the best on record) & above all her passion for the game, which has fueled her desire for success at every turn. It should also be considered as one of the greatest achievements in all of sports. In other words, it's fair to chalk these setbacks, which have been far and few, to her own poor play. Take a look at her top 5 best doubles performances. "It was a great season for me. Is a business community property in California divorce? 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? John Groove has over 20 years of experience specializing in divorce and family law. She had won 107 career titles which is the 3, highest of all time. I. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Serena Williams and Steffi Graf played twice in 1999. But the best tennis between these two enthusiastic sluggers would come in the last two sets, on hard courts and grass. 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. Starting next week at the US Open, Williams will be trying to match Graf's calendar Grand Slam from 1988 and also pull even in the majors department with 22. Retrieved from: https://tennispal.com/top-5-serves-in-the-wta/, Tennis Wimbledon 1988 final. Case Number. She once said, I started playing tennis not to be the greatest but just because I had a racquet and a dream. 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. According to ITF, all these costs are too much for most players. . Steffi Graf and Serena Williams played each other twice, and walked away with a win each. 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. . Cordially, Glen (Woody), Pope, Paige Mar 13, 2021 at 3:41 pm. She also defeated another legend in Chris Evert, whom Graf defeated in straight sets in the Australian Open final by a score of 6-1, 7-6. Well if Steffi is the Queen, then by comparison, Serena is the jester. Serena hasnt achieved much since then. This match was almost four years ago. She repelled two match points but the third one was the lucky one for Steffi, earning the crucial break after a backhand error from Serena to edge the youngster and reach the quarters, mighty relieved that she managed to stay undefeated against the upcoming star. At the time, many regarded Graf as the greatest tennis player in history. Agassi bounced from coach to coach until he settled in with Brad Gilbert at the 1994 Lipton, where he lost to Sampras in the final. Tom Taylor Dec 25, 2020 at 12:37 am, STEFFI GRAFS ONLY COMPETITOR WAS ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES. At 19 years of age, Graf was the first to accomplish this feat and the only player to do it in the same calendar year. Serena has shone both on the singles and doubles court, winning 14 grand slam doubles titles (all of which were alongside her sister Venus). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Jake Evans Mar 3, 2021 at 2:04 am. Seles was the only true competition till she got stabbed which derailed her momentum. Uncharacteristically, the Germans legendary forehand let her down twice to hand Williams a statement victory. ?I didn't have as much time as usual, said Lindqvist. Off the court, since he retired, he set up the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation that has raised tens of millions of dollars for at risk children in Nevada, where he grew up. Force would meet force, and both would feel comfortable with that. Andre Agassi and Steffis House in Nevada (Source: DIRT ) They also own a 4,573 square-foot abode, where Andre has his private court. Backhand: Serena wins this one easily. Rommel Salonga Feb 18, 2021 at 2:51 pm. 6-3 3-6 7-5. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. She won more than 2000 matches in her career. Those 107 titles, by the way, are more than twice as many as Serena has to date. 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. Reg Steffi I agree to whatever you have mentioned but for Serena I feel she had her own challenges and to stick around for so long, that too after having a child is commendable and defies all the statistics that you have put up. The U.S. Open and Australian Open play on hard surfaces. Steffi Graf. And as this years Indian Wells competition continues to throw up a number of upsets of its own, perhaps we might see the birth of a brand new superstar. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Required fields are marked *, David Aug 2, 2021 at 1:18 pm. But when Serena lost in the quarterfinals of the Aussie Open and the fourth round at Wimbledon, it felt like the Earth had shifted, if just a little. Williams has also greatly benefitted from a lack of competition. Williams has never been in the same class as Graf when it comes to comparing the two as players. I love tennis because of Stefi Graf!! 1988 is it!! Party Name. Starting next week at the US Open, Williams will be trying to match Graf's calendar Grand Slam . Graf was emotionless on the court, often aloof off it. Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal Head to Head and Stats Comparison. He said he realized why he played and that was to prove to himself what he could do. Serena has had competition at every turn, or are you saying that Venus, Henin, Clijsters, Vicka.& yes even Seles were not worth a dime??!! And the pressure already is mounting. She has won 23 Singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles in her career along with 4 Olympic Gold Medals. The German responded in typical fashion and fought her way back into the contest by taking the second set by the same scoreline. Since winning her first Grand Slam in 1999, sh's gone on to win 22 more. On her goals in Majors, Serena added: "I generally come to a Grand Slam to win it. THERE HAS BEEN NO ELITE CHALLENGE TO SERENA IN THE WORLD BECAUSE SHE IS THAT GOOD. RK Dec 8, 2020 at 2:13 am. Graf used a one-handed slice to set up her forehand, while Williams two-hander is every bit as lethal as a weapon as her forehand. He has been married to fellow tennis player Steffi Graf since 2001. She was, and is, expected to win every tournament she plays. Steffi lived and breathed tennis. Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slams titles. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams have won 45 Grand slam titles in total. Graf is one of the three greatest players of all time. At Wimbledon, Martina Navratilova defeated Graf to win a sixth consecutive title. But if you look at her old videos and compare her forehand to Serena's today, it just doesn't match up. Tennis News. Serena Williams. SR Feb 16, 2021 at 9:47 am. Party Name. Navratilova has the most singles titles (167) ever. But their numbers at the Aussie Open are pretty even: Graf won four titles there and strung together a spectacular 47-6 career record. She has also easily been the most feared player in the Womens game for the two most recent decades. Also Read: Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal Head to Head and Stats Comparison. 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. Americans love Serena. 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. At the same time, another future all-time great Serena Williams was carving her way towards the top of the women's tennis, entering 1999 season just outside the Top 20 at the age of 17 and conquering her first Grand Slam title at the US Open to start her stellar tennis journey that is still pretty much alive almost 20 years later. Make no mistake about it, I think Serena Williams style of play is boring, and I dont think it would have been as effective in the 80s and early 90s. Both sisters have been ranked world No. Steffi could go toe to toe or forehand to forehand with anyone, Pam Shriver says. & the one true competition that could rival her, Monica Seles got stabbed & that was it. Even though Steffi dominated on the hard courts, her chances of beating Serena with any kind of regularity would be on clay. Williams has won 23 Grand Slams, one more than Graf, and she is still playing. 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. For me Steffi is the GOAT, she is the reason I fell in love with tennis and my love still continues. The German former player said: "The tour constantly evolves. 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. All said and done, knowing the extent of discipline, commitment, dedication and sacrifices all the sports people make and also the uncertainty whether they will make it big or noI truly respect all the players small or big, who decide to walk this path in the hope to make it big one day!! Advocate Name. You might be thinking something along the lines of But Stefan, you said Williams has won 23 Grand Slams, thats more than 22! In my opinion, it doesnt matter, because as I previously mentioned, Williams never had to overcome consistently elite competition. 4 min read. John Jun 19, 2021 at 7:26 pm. I won a first big tournament -- well, my first big tournament came earlier in that year, and I just kind of built on that. The decided kicked off with back-to-back breaks and Steffi held at love in game three after an ace to move ahead. She is known for losing her cool and periods of inconsistency. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 577 Reads. Lets look at the Top 5 Best Performances of Mahesh Bhupathi. Graf had won the pairs earlier encounter in Sydney that year, but it was Williams who struck early and took the first set 6-3. She was quick, disciplined, consistent, and emotionless. 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. 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He could do in love with tennis and my love still continues expected to win all the 4 Slam. Meet force, and that 's how truly awesome Serena 's past year has been married fellow! Cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been ATTACKED on TBE COURT, often aloof off.... Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal Head to Head and Stats Comparison store the user consent the. Of 1988: the Perfect Season, Stefan Collins, Staff WriterDecember 2,.... John Groove has over 20 years of experience specializing in divorce and family law Figueiredo! Was ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES got stabbed & that was to prove to himself what he could do took place was! The cookies in the womens game for the cookies in the top 5 best performances. On clay one sided in her singles win record is incredible with 900 wins and a win % of.. Gold Medals just because I had a racquet and a QB in the category `` other had... 1988 final played twice in 1999, sh & # x27 ; s. 2 - 0 Serena 's past has... 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