Steffi Graf

Lore & Background

Steffi Graf was introduced to tennis by her father Peter Graf at age three, practicing with a wooden racket in the family living room. She played her first tournament at five and won the European Championships 12s and 18s in 1982. At 13, she became the youngest player to appear in the main draw of a major at the 1983 French Open. Her early career was closely managed by her father, who limited her schedule to prevent burnout. Graf won her first WTA tournament in April 1986 and beat Chris Evert for the first time in the final of the Family Circle Cup. She emerged as the player who ended the dominance of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, winning her first major at the 1987 French Open. In 1988, Graf achieved the Golden Slam by winning all four major titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. After the stabbing of Monica Seles in 1993, Graf returned to dominance for several years. She captured her 22nd and final major title at the 1999 French Open, reached the Wimbledon final that year, and retired at age 30 ranked world No. 3.

Reader's Guide

Steffi Graf's significance lies in her unprecedented achievements and her role in shaping modern women's tennis. She held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks and finished year-end No. 1 a record eight times. Her Golden Slam in 1988—winning all four majors and the Olympic gold in a single calendar year—remains a unique feat in tennis history. Graf's game was noted for versatility across all playing surfaces, footwork, and a powerful forehand drive. Her athletic ability and aggressive baseline play are credited with developing the style that dominates today's game. Billie Jean King called Graf 'definitely the greatest women's tennis player of all time,' and the Associated Press named her the greatest woman tennis player of the 20th century. Along with Boris Becker, Graf is considered instrumental in popularizing tennis in Germany. She was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. Since 2001, she has been married to fellow tennis player Andre Agassi, and they have two children.

Did You Know?

• Graf is the only tennis player to have won each major singles tournament at least four times.
• She achieved the Golden Slam in 1988 by winning all four major titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same year.
• Graf's 34-minute final at the 1988 French Open against Natasha Zvereva was the shortest-ever Grand Slam final.
• She was named the greatest woman tennis player of the 20th century by the Associated Press.