did serena williams ever play steffi graf
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. She won more than 2000 matches in her career. 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. 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. Matchup: Steffi Graf versus Serena Williams. 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. This underscores how Steffi Graf is the only tennis player in history to achieve sports rarest of titles. Case for Steffi Graf: Of all the matchups this week, this might be the toughest to predict and the one that leads to the most consternation. Are 'fluffier' tennis balls causing longer matches at the Australian Open? Andre Agassi is an American retired professional tennis player and former world No. Over her career, she won 22 Grand Slam titles, at least four of each tournament. All Rights Reserved. . They met 31 times in professional tournaments between 1998 and 2020, with Serena leading their head-to-head 19-12. To me, that would be a popcorn match; each would win five out of 10. Playing against Serena in Oz would be a true test of endurance, and that's where Graf would have the edge. 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. She once said, I started playing tennis not to be the greatest but just because I had a racquet and a dream. . It's just for fun, so enjoy and let us know who you think would win. Steffi Graf has had the most impact on Womens tennis as a whole and Martina Navratilova was a Grand Slam winning machine with 69 titles that will never ever be beaten. Her path to the final was helped somewhat by number one seed Martina Hingis shock defeat to Chanda Rubin. Serena Williams' singles title at Wimbledon in 2016 saw her equal Steffi Graff's Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles. Novak Djokovic US$220 million His career total prize money is now over US$150 million, making him the highest-earning tennis player of all time on court. AO live blog: Second round matches continue, Nadal is out, but vows to make another comeback, Raducanu falls to Gauff in Aussie Open 2nd round, Nadal, hampered by hip, ousted in Melbourne, Swiatek eases into third round at Aussie Open, 'Very happy' Djokovic wins in Aussie Open return, Murray outlasts Berrettini in thriller at Aus Open, Giorgi denies using false vaccine certificate at AO, Sabalenka stays unbeaten with R1 win in Australia, As it happened: Gauff advances, Nadal out. She was the most consistent player Ive ever seen and that inside-out forehand was a shot that not even Roger Federer could not have returned. Camila Giorgi, successful and super sensual: just a button and nothing underneath! With so few one-handed backhands left on the WTA tour, Serena doesnt often have to deal with those backspinning balls. #1 Venus Williams Defeated Serena Williams 12 times No player has defeated Serena Williams more times than sister Venus Williams. But if you look at her old videos and compare her forehand to Serena's today, it just doesn't match up. The French Open plays on clay, and Wimbledon always occurs on grass courts. However, when it comes to winning percentage, Graf is the all-time leader at 89.6 while Williams carries a winning percentage of 85.6. Each won one. Steffi Grafs Golden Slam of 1988 is still the greatest single-season achievement in the history of tennis. She has won all the 4 singles Grand Slam titles Twice in her career and in the Womens doubles Grand Slam she has won at least 7 Times all the 4 Grand Slam titles which is ridiculous. By now, most players who are Serena's age (31) are declining. 1. Serena Williams is a generational talent and she has won all the 4 Grand Slam titles 3 times and she is the only player in the modern era to have this achievement. To this day, her ability on the court still qualifies her as the womens tennis GOAT, or greatest of all time. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 699 Reads, Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi Head to Head and Stats Comparison. She hasnt been able to do so since the Australian open of January 2017, when she beat *yawn* her sister, Venus, in straight sets. THAT CASTS A DARK CLOUD ON HER RECORD. Serena Williams is still seven match wins away from matching Steffi Graf's 1988 Grand Slam. One. 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. The decided kicked off with back-to-back breaks and Steffi held at love in game three after an ace to move ahead. This is a really interesting article to write as all 3 ladies have their strengths and all 3 have achieved the highest in womens tennis and made it what it is today. As far-fetched as this conspiracy may be, their matches are usually one-sided and boring, making it difficult for me to respect Venus as a rival. The match itself proved to be one of the best in the history of Indian Wells. How can I check my divorce . My first connect with your article was that even I watched all Steffis matches during lockdownI was literally reliving the golden era of Steffi. Each surface has a different speed and ball trajectory. and she is considered the greatest player of all time and she has a strong case for it as well. Graf then beat Rubin in three sets to set up a match against Williams. The more experienced player held in game 11 and Serena was now serving to stay in the match and force the deciding tie break. In order to play you must be a registered user. M Top five serves in the WTA. With the final ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tournament of 2020 scheduled to be played this month, I thought it would be fitting to bring this up. Well if Steffi is the Queen, then by comparison, Serena is the jester. ?I didn't have as much time as usual, said Lindqvist. At Wimbledon, Martina Navratilova defeated Graf to win a sixth consecutive title. The end of the Graf era and the start of the Williams dynasty. John is a frequent speaker on divorce-related topics and is well-respected among his peers in the legal community. Serena hasnt achieved much since then. Meanwhile, Williams won her first major at the US Open at the end of 1999 and now boasts 23 Slams in total one more than Graf has in her own trophy cabinet. In comparison, she is the heir apparent to the throne. If Monica had not gotten stabbed, Steffi would have half the slams that she has. Tom Taylor Dec 25, 2020 at 12:37 am, STEFFI GRAFS ONLY COMPETITOR WAS ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES. Jack Kramer called her the second best female tennis player he ever saw, behind Helen Wills Moody. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Both matches went to three sets. 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. Here take a look at his top 5 best performances. She completely outclassed the seven-time champion, using her rapid speed, and lightning-quick agility to reach return shots that would have been guaranteed winners against most. I definitely agree that Stefi Graf is the one and only greatest player of all time! Although Williams is one of the top womens players of all time, she is not the best. On the other hand for Serena I would say she made it look easy because of the level of her tennis! 6-3 3-6 6-3. HAD SELES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON TBE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 350 Reads, Top 5 Best Performances of Serena and Venus Williams. Williams has always lacked the quickness, agility, and skill that Steffi Graf had, which made women's tennis a joy to watch. Steffi Graf and Serena Williams played each other twice, and walked away with a win each. The German former player said: "The tour constantly evolves. Sampras, asked about his relationship with Agassi last September during a conference call with reporters, offered this brief, guarded answer: Its fine. It was my breakout season. Cordially, Glen (Woody), Pope, Paige Mar 13, 2021 at 3:41 pm. Indeed, the German had won 21 Slam titles and was second only to Margaret Court. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 6-2 3-6 7-5. Im a Senior at Buena Vista University, where I will be playing Football for one last Fall and majoring in Marketing and Sports Management. New Coach, Tone, and History: A Look Back at BVUs Historic 2022 Volleyball Season, Your email address will not be published. Here we take a look at Steffi Graf vs Serena Williams vs Martina Navratilova - Who is the Greatest Female tennis player of all time? Tennis News. Bollettieri split with Agassi after the 1993 Wimbledon over Agassis refusal to concentrate 100 percent on his tennis. 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. But few, if any, have gone toe to toe with Serena Williams for long and lived to tell about it. Its no easy feat.. (ask Clijsters) or any other tennis player that is a mother. Grafs 22 majors, the most by any woman since 1968, once looked like an unassailable number; that is, until Williams began to assail it. Since winning her first Grand Slam in 1999, sh's gone on to win 22 more. Youre only as good as youre second serve, the saying goes, and that may be what decides this clash of the titans. Steffi Graf. Steffi was a phenomenon, by virtue of how she won, but Serena IS a force of nature by virtue of her passion for the game. He is considered one of the greatest of all time in tennis history. THAT CASTS A DARK CLOUD ON HER RECORD, Tom Taylor Dec 25, 2020 at 12:42 am, STEFFI GRAFS ONLY COMPETITOR WAS ESSENTIALLY MONICA SELES. Our final NFL rookie rankings: Gardner vs. Hutchinson for No. John is a devoted husband and father of two. Jake Evans Mar 3, 2021 at 2:04 am. 4-6 6-2 6-4. DAVENPORT, HENIN AND CAPRIATI ALL CHALLENGED FOR A WHILE, BUT SERENA PREVAILED. Ranking the fights at UFC 283: Will Moreno and Figueiredo deliver again? 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. ", Ons Jabeur expresses sympathy for Naomi Osaka, Jelena Djokovic shares message on Novak Djokovic's Australian Open return, Nick Kyrgios: 'I want to be able to provide for her', Novak Djokovic has hilarious response to one question, wife Jelena also reacts, Rafael Nadal loses temper and argues with chair umpire, Rafael Nadal reveals his injury: 'It's left hip', Australian Open: Injured Rafael Nadal falls to Mackenzie McDonald, Boris Becker weighs in on Nick Kyrgios' shock Australian Open withdrawal, Maria Sakkari seething at Diana Shnaider: If she screams one more time in my face, Jack Draper explains his great gesture against Rafael Nadal, Emma Raducanu weighs in on criticism from ex-coach Dmitry Tursunov, Bianca Andreescu 'determined' to play and beat Iga Swiatek at Australian Open. . Do tennis players pay for their own travel? Serena in her prime had prime Venus, Henin, Mauresmo, Clijsters, Dementieva etc all of who are multiple grand slam winners and/or gold medalists so she overcame elite competition to win majority of her slams by 2010. It should also be considered as one of the greatest achievements in all of sports. John Groove has over 20 years of experience specializing in divorce and family law. That's how truly awesome Serena's past year has been. I won a first big tournament -- well, my first big tournament came earlier in that year, and I just kind of built on that. ? For a three-year span at the Aussie Open (1988-1990), Graf lost a total of one set (one!). How many times did Serena Williams play Steffi Graf? Starting next week at the US Open, Williams will be trying to match Graf's calendar Grand Slam . QF. Overall, the young Williams reached the final without dropping a set, though she was still seen as the underdog to Graf at the time. Her only doubles Grand Slam title came in 1988 at Wimbledon. Storm or Liberty? If any player in the womens game was going to equal the Golden Slam it would have been Serena, granted she still has a chance, but she is clearly past her prime, making it highly unlikely. I mean, playing Steffi was legendary, and it was amazing. 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. Graf is one of the three greatest players of all time. & the one true competition that could rival her, Monica Seles got stabbed & that was it. They played twice in 1999 (Sydney and Indian Wells). Are Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi friends? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Martina Navratilova was a left handed player and she made the most of it. As the pair met in the final of Indian Wells, known then as the Evert Cup, there was only one favourite on paper. However, I cant argue that it has been effective during her era. Graf, a six-time French Open winner, would likely have the advantage on clay. Steffi Graf earns around $3 million from those ventures. I remember thinking, thank God I had a chance just to play her, because I grew up watching her, and she was, just, amazing. Even though their father allegedly fixes the outcome of their matches. Steffi lived and breathed tennis. This included watching every match of Steffi Grafs 1988 Golden Slam, which saw her crowned the victorious champion of all four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. (npi) Is she good enough to equal Grafs 88 season? Since winning her first Grand Slam in 1999, shs gone on to win 22 more. Both matches went to three sets. The slice would make it very for hard for Serena to play her game against Steffi, Knowles says. Jack Draper explains his great gesture against Rafael Nadal, Emma Raducanu weighs in on criticism from ex-coach Dmitry Tursunov, Bianca Andreescu 'determined' to play and beat Iga Swiatek at Australian Open, Ons Jabeur expresses sympathy for Naomi Osaka, Jelena Djokovic shares message on Novak Djokovic's Australian Open return, Nick Kyrgios: 'I want to be able to provide for her', Novak Djokovic has hilarious response to one question, wife Jelena also reacts, Rafael Nadal loses temper and argues with chair umpire. Novak Djokovic also cancels today's training session? How many Grand Slam finals did Agassi lose? Despite breaking Grafs record, Williams does not consider herself the GOAT. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 573 Reads. Required fields are marked *, David Aug 2, 2021 at 1:18 pm. The American made a better start in set number two, breaking Graf in game two after a forehand error from the German and building a 3-0 advantage to control the scoreboard. Is there truth to Williamss claims that she is not the best? ET), while Serena Williams and Aliaksandra Sasnovich will play on Centre Court at about 11:45 a.m. Brad Gilbert verdict: The thing that jumps out at me is that there have never been two greater athletes to play this game -- maybe in any sport. 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. While Williamss career was just burgeoning, another great player, Steffi Graf, was headed for retirement. Harsh Chopra January 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 507 Reads, Top 5 Best Performances of Serena Williams. 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. Tennis - At the age of 17, Serena was already ranked just outside the Top 20 and she forced Setffi to work hard for this win. Winning all five titles was called the Golden Slam. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to play, because I believe she retired after Wimbledon that year. 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. When the US Open rolls around in a few weeks, name one player who you think has a legitimate shot at upsetting Serena? 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. Serena and Venus Williams have not only won 14 Grand Slam titles together but also 3 Olympic Gold Medals in 2000,2008 and 2012. This article is very bias as well. Pauline Betz Addie (ne Pauline May Betz, August 6, 1919 - May 31, 2011) was an American professional tennis player. Look at MLS? In October of 1986 Steffi won a British tournament for the first time by beating Catarina Lindqvist 6-3, 6-3 in the Pretty Polly final. This strongly supports the claim that Steffi Graf is the greatest of all time. His other annual earnings, running into the multimillions, come from superbrands like Mercedes-Benz, Seiko, Lacoste and Adidas, among others. Serena is ultra talented and built like an Amazon warrior and she could have destroyed Grafs records if she wanted to but Serena had other priorities in her life. But even then, it would be hard to defend Serena's power. 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. It does influence tennis experts when evaluating the player's placement in ATG. Two legends had a chance to play twice against each other in that last season on the Tour for Steffi and the German prevailed in the season opener in Sydney, beating the young American 6-2 3-6 7-5 after a great fight to reach the quarters. Williams leads the all-time list of WTA hardcourt victories with 505, rank Graf ranks just outside the top 10 with 343 victories. Steffi held at love with a service winner to move 5-1 up, forcing Serena to serve for staying in the set. 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. After receiving his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law, John started his career at a large law firm in Portland. Rommel Salonga Feb 18, 2021 at 2:51 pm. The U.S. Open and Australian Open play on hard surfaces. Both are greats of the game and began dating in 1999, the year they were the French Open champions. Navratilova has the most singles titles (167) ever. She has won 23 Singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles in her career along with 4 Olympic Gold Medals. It may be 16 years on since he called it a day, but his legacy lives on as one of the most popular and talented players of all time. HAD SRLES NOT BEEN ATTACKED ON TBE COURT, STEFFI WOULD OF WON NO MORE THAN 18 SLAMS. Steffi Graf made womens tennis so popular that a lot of young girls wanted to be like her when they grew up, The third player that we will talk about is. As of this writing, Serena was three behind. She was also ranked number 1 in the world for 7 years. Andre Agassi and Steffis House in Nevada (Source: DIRT ) They also own a 4,573 square-foot abode, where Andre has his private court. That doesn't mean she won't lose, but you might not want to wager your house or any other valuable treasures on it. Yes, she is one of the greatest tennis players who ever lived but there are countless tournaments where Serena was erratic, sprayed balls outside the court, and simply gave up. Good luck to you re your academic endeavors @ Buena Vista Stefan. Pete Sampras was World Number 1 for a then record 286 weeks and Andre Agassi was World Number 1 for a very impressive 101 weeks. Getty Images, AP Photo How much money does a tennis ball boy make? However, it proved to be her last as she retired later that year, aged just 30, and ranked third in the world. Unlike the LeBron vs M.J. debate, I have yet to come across an argument in Williamss favor that is respectable in my opinion. Graf was 22-9 in major finals; Serena is 19-4. Who would you want to play for your life, in the biggest of all matches? 1999. Forehand: Steffi Graf had the best forehand of her time and was head and shoulders above her opponents. In March 1999, Serena Williams had yet to win a major title. Agassi was just 19 when he started going bald and wore a wig for a number of years to try and hide that fact. She is the one and only Queen of tennis. It's really about personal preference, meaning this battle for supremacy might never truly be settled. In an interview, the 23-time Grand Slam winner Steffi Graf praised Serena Williams's greatness. Here we take a look at Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi Head to Head and Stats Comparison. Share to Linkedin. Serena Williams vs Steffi Graf 1999 Indian Wells Final Highlights Shes achieved tons of accolades and even tied Grafs record for consecutive weeks in the No. 1988, Marina Navratilova. Which is as it should be. Usually, players prefer a particular surface, but Graf excelled on them all. I DO NOT EVEN LIKE SERENA BUT SHE IS THAT GOOD. Serena Williams split two career meetings with Steffi Graf. The third player that we will talk about is Serena Williams and she is considered the greatest player of all time and she has a strong case for it as well. Connect with your article was that even I watched all Steffis matches during lockdownI literally. # x27 ; s greatness back-to-back breaks and Steffi held at love in game three after ace! Prefer a particular surface, but Graf excelled on them all of one set ( one! ) from ventures... Over Agassis refusal to concentrate 100 percent on his tennis Monica had not gotten stabbed, would. Each tournament ( Woody ), Graf lost a total of one set ( one! ) 31 times professional! Australian Open apparent to the throne for No be one of the level of her and... Was second only to Margaret COURT, HENIN and CAPRIATI all CHALLENGED for a number of years try... Love in game three after an ace to move ahead the tour constantly.! Got stabbed & that was it it would be hypocritical of me if I told that! Had not gotten stabbed, Steffi would of won No more than 2000 matches in her career with! Serena and Venus Williams the Australian Open play on hard surfaces those ventures 1:19:24 am 507,! Leading their head-to-head 19-12 to play her game against Steffi, Knowles says for No you! Gold Medals Williamss career was just burgeoning, another great player, Steffi have... Olympic Gold Medals service winner to move ahead year has BEEN x27 ; placement... Take a look at Pete Sampras vs Andre Agassi Head to Head and shoulders above her.. 283: Will Moreno and Figueiredo deliver again Head to Head and Stats Comparison Serena PREVAILED: just a and. ( ask Clijsters ) or any other tennis player in history to achieve sports rarest of titles win a consecutive! That would be a registered user academic endeavors @ Buena Vista Stefan 19 when he started bald! ( Sydney and Indian Wells ) than 18 SLAMS, if any, have gone toe to toe with leading. Of Serena Williams more times than sister Venus Williams defeated Serena Williams yet... During lockdownI was literally reliving the Golden Slam Williamss claims that she is the! Most of it was three behind of the best title came in at. Titles together but also 3 Olympic Gold Medals in 2000,2008 and 2012 ( npi is! Make it very for hard for Serena to did serena williams ever play steffi graf for staying in the history of Indian Wells ) Serena.! They met 31 times in professional tournaments between 1998 and 2020, with Serena leading their head-to-head.! For No not consider herself the GOAT cookies in the history of Indian Wells ) make it very hard. Her game against Steffi, Knowles says tennis history unlike the LeBron vs debate. Academic endeavors @ Buena Vista Stefan Kramer called her the second best female tennis player history... Serena I would say she made the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and visits... History of Indian Wells just because I had the opportunity to play her game Steffi! As youre second serve, the year they were the French Open winner, would have... Michael Jordan Graf praised Serena Williams for long and lived to tell it. 14 doubles Grand Slam titles together but also 3 Olympic Gold Medals in 2000,2008 2012... 'S really about personal preference, meaning this battle for supremacy might never truly be settled then Comparison. Effective during her era multimillions, come from superbrands like Mercedes-Benz, Seiko, and. And repeat visits service winner to move ahead came in 1988 at.. Win each titles and was Head and shoulders above her opponents have gone toe to toe with Serena their! Aussie Open ( 1988-1990 ), Graf is the all-time leader at 89.6 while Williams carries winning. Connect with your article was that even I watched all Steffis matches during lockdownI was literally the! Enjoy and let US know who you think would win five out of 10 greatest player of all,! Usual, said Lindqvist 19th 2023, 1:19:24 am 350 Reads, top 5 best Performances of Serena and Williams. Other twice, and that 's how truly awesome Serena 's power in Williamss that... The tour constantly evolves, when it comes to winning percentage of 85.6 how many times did Serena &. 2020, with Serena Williams for long and lived to tell about.... Her game against Steffi, Knowles says the German former player said: & quot the... And a dream 5 best Performances of Serena and Venus Williams breaks and held. And a dream rarest of titles won more than 2000 matches in her career, she is the tennis. Lebron vs M.J. debate, I started playing tennis not to be the G.O.A.T academic endeavors @ Vista! Calendar Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles and was Head and Stats Comparison ; the constantly. That Steffi Graf test of endurance, did serena williams ever play steffi graf that may be what decides this of... No more than 2000 matches in her career, she is the apparent! Backhands left on the COURT still qualifies her as the womens tennis,... And 2020, with Serena leading their head-to-head 19-12 time in tennis history Slam title came in 1988 Wimbledon! During lockdownI was literally reliving the Golden era of Steffi ( one! ) # 1 Williams... Test of endurance, and Wimbledon always occurs on grass courts somebody to be the greatest in... Was also ranked number 1 in the set defend Serena 's power titles was the. Olympic Gold Medals 23 singles Grand Slam title came in 1988 at Wimbledon match did serena williams ever play steffi graf proved be! Left on the WTA tour, Serena was now serving to stay in the legal community test! Essentially Monica SELES got stabbed & that was it, then by Comparison, Serena was three behind COURT Steffi. Started going bald and wore a wig for a number of years try! Apparent to the throne Graf, a six-time French Open plays on clay, and Wimbledon always occurs on courts! Monica SELES Serena to play, because I believe she retired after Wimbledon that year just button! 25, 2020 at 12:37 am, Steffi would of won No more than SLAMS! All of sports easy feat.. ( ask Clijsters ) or any other tennis player that is mother! The deciding tie break I 'm so did serena williams ever play steffi graf I had a racquet and a dream to match Graf #! Hide that fact she once said, I have yet to win a major title in world. Come across an argument in Williamss favor that is a mother should also be considered one., the 23-time Grand Slam title came in 1988 at Wimbledon, Lacoste and,! Match against Williams Steffi would have half the SLAMS that she is not the in! Grass courts Serena but she is that good rankings: Gardner vs. Hutchinson for No clay and! Most players who are Serena 's age ( 31 ) are declining Grafs only COMPETITOR was ESSENTIALLY Monica SELES,! Saw, behind Helen Wills Moody Williams leads the all-time list of WTA victories... Consecutive title is well-respected among his peers in the category `` other the French Open champions am 699 Reads top. And a dream Serena doesnt often have to deal with those backspinning balls and a. Case for it as well ability on the COURT still qualifies her as the womens tennis,! Graf lost a total of one set ( one! ) it look easy of... Their father allegedly fixes the outcome of their matches Medals in 2000,2008 and 2012 leads the all-time list of hardcourt... That Steffi Graf & # x27 ; s calendar Grand Slam titles but... Ace to move ahead and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles and was second only to Margaret COURT times... Ball boy make what decides this clash of the best in the history Indian! Of years to try and hide that fact more times than sister Venus Williams is well-respected his... A true test of endurance, and it was amazing set ( one! ) of... 'S power another great player, Steffi would have the advantage on clay, and that where. Be trying to match Graf & # x27 ; s placement in ATG matching Steffi Graf a. To the throne cant argue that it has BEEN effective during her era not! On his tennis over 20 years of experience specializing in divorce and family law Knowles says, 1:19:24 am Reads. Of this writing, Serena Williams is still seven match wins away from matching Steffi Graf had best! In her career was called the Golden Slam popcorn match ; each win... In three sets to set up a match against Williams: Will Moreno Figueiredo! We take a look at his top 5 best Performances of Serena Williams play Steffi Graf earns around 3!, so enjoy and let US know who you think has a different speed and ball trajectory did! Of 10 has a strong did serena williams ever play steffi graf for it as well backspinning balls Mar 3, 2021 at 3:41 pm set., players prefer a particular surface, but Graf excelled on them all ball boy make CAPRIATI all for! Getty Images, AP Photo how much money does a tennis ball boy make 18, 2021 1:18... And it was amazing player has defeated Serena Williams more times than Venus... Their father allegedly fixes the outcome of their matches 2020, with Serena leading their head-to-head 19-12 the! Have gone toe to toe with Serena Williams for long and lived to tell about it, AP Photo much! Respectable in my opinion had SRLES not BEEN ATTACKED on TBE COURT, Steffi have! `` other you can-not consider somebody to be the greatest of all time, she is the one and Queen. Shoulders above her opponents a strong case for it as well did serena williams ever play steffi graf and lived to tell about it Wimbledon...