She started her stride to achieve her goal at the age of three, when most infants in the world were busy cuddling under the warmth of their mothers’ arms. She was a disciplined athlete with an extraordinary record that made the world of tennis bow down before her with utmost respect and with the banner ' I wanna be Steffi Graf'. Read the life story of the tennis legend, who was and is the inspirational icon to many tennis players around the globe.
Her Childhood
Stephanie Maria Graf was born on June 14, 1969 in Mannheim, West Germany, to Peter and Heidi Graf. She grew up in a small western German town called, Bruhl. Her parents were tennis players, so it was inevitable for the child to get attracted to the racquet and the ball as they swung them high above the ground. Her father was a nationally ranked player in Germany when Steffi was a toddler.
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| She won her first tournament at the age of six. |
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One of the biography states that when three year old Steffi, expressed an interest in the game, her father Peter did not pay much attention, but her first move did win her an old racquet. Soon for the father’s dismay, he found broken lamps all around the house. The little champion was busy with her schedule. She started learning the game in the family's basement on a makeshift court concocted from two chairs and some string to serve as a net.
When Steffi was five Peter realized her true potential and interest in the game. Peter Graf helped turn his daughter into one of the toughest junior tennis players in Germany. He quit his other jobs and devoted his life to coaching her. Steffi did not let her father down. She won him her first tournament at the age of six. Records state that at the age of 13, she had won the German junior championship. The following year she became the second-youngest player in the history of tennis to achieve an international ranking. In 1984, she traveled to Los Angeles to compete in the Summer Olympics. She walked away from that competition with the gold.
Steffi Graf- The young professional with unbeatable record Steffi Graf's first year as a professional was not an easy ride, as she did not win any tournaments. However that year she did pave her way to the semifinals of the U.S. Open, losing to Martina Navratilova. In 1986 she won 24 straight matches. That year she quickly moved up to the number three ranking in the world.
The ranking did not make the lady sit down with a satisfactory tone, Steffi was now aiming to grab the Grand Slam. She began a rigorous training program that included weightlifting, jumping rope, running and tennis. In 1987, she won the French open against Navratilova. This victory made her ranking move to number two in the world.
Soon she moved up to number one, following her many other victories that year. In 1988, not only did she win the Grand Slam, but she also was the champion of the Olympic Games. Therefore, her tremendous success was called the "Golden Slam". By the season's end, Graf had lost only two of seventy-two matches, winning an amazing 11 of the 13 tournaments she played in. she won all together 22 Grand Slam titles and she was ranked no.1 for a total of 377 weeks including a record 186 consecutive weeks. She also won 107 singles and 11 doubles titles in her career.
Her Final Years Of Tennis War The last few years of Graf's career were beset by injuries, which mainly dealt with her knees and back. In a span of only a few years, the injuries mounted. She was hampered by knee surgery and then an ankle injury. These injuries caused Graf to miss much of the tour in 1997. She lost the World No. 1 ranking to Martina Hingis and failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in ten years. After missing almost half of the tour in 1998, Graf defeated World No. 1 Hingis to the Philadelphia title and finished that year ranked ninth, her lowest ranking since 1984.
Read more about her personal life, marriage with Andrea Agassi and life after retirement in the Next Page Tags: andre agassi, steffi graf, sharon supriya, martina navratilova, martina hingis, michael bartels.
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