As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the US Open, we look back at the 50 champions who have left an indelible mark on this inimitable event.
Journalistic giant Bud Collins called her “Fraulein Forehand.”
Rival Chris Evert said that, of her generation of stars, she “is the best all-around player.”
Another contemporary, Mary Joe Fernandez, simply said, “She was just dominating. People went out (on the court) knowing they were going to lose.”
Any way you want to say it and by any name, the simple fact is that Steffi Graf is one of the greatest women’s players of all time.
Her career statistics are staggering.
She won 22 major singles titles – the Australian Open four times; French Open six times; Wimbledon seven times; and the US Open five times. Graf was runner-up nine more times.
At Flushing Meadows from 1987-96, Graf was in the final eight times. She won in 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1996. In the final, she beat Gabriela Sabatini in 1988, Martina Navratilova in 1989, Helena Sukova in 1993 and Monica Seles in 1995 and 1996. Graf was runner-up in 1987, 1990 and1994. Her career won-lost match record at the Open was 73-10.
The phrase “Golden Slam” was coined to commemorate Graf’s 1988 season, when she won all four majors and the Olympic gold medal in the same year. In that “Golden Slam” season, Graf beat Evert at the Australian, Natasha Zvereva at the French, Navratilova at Wimbledon and Sabatini at both the US Open and Olympics.
Graf was No. 1 in the world for 377 cumulative weeks and had 107 career WTA tournament victories. She led Germany to Fed Cup titles in 1987 and 1992 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2004 in her first year of eligibility.
Graf’s game was built around her signature shot – a blistering inside-out forehand that might have been the best and biggest single shot in all of women’s tennis. But there was a lot more to her game than just the forehand. Graf was incredibly quick around the court with great footwork, and through hours of training, she was exceptionally fit. She was always on the offensive, looking to attack the ball on every swing.
Knee and back injuries took their toll on Graf, and in 1999, she was forced to retire. Coincidentally, that was the same year that superstars in other sports – Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and John Elway – also retired.
50 Fact: Graf married Andre Agassi in 2001 to form tennis’ power couple. Together the pair has continued to be champions off the court with their charitable efforts for the Andre Agassi Foundation and Children for Tomorrow.
