Steffi Graf - Classic Forehand Pattern (versus Serena Williams)

This point is worth noting because of what it tells us about how timeless Steffi's forehand pattern is. It is not like Serena loses this point because she can't execute her shots or she isn't as fast/powerful as she is going to be at her peak. (She's probably already that fast/powerful.) No, Serena loses the point because Steffi's forehand pattern puts her opponents in an impossible position.
As I said in the clip "Steffi Graf Forehand (Opponent's View)," this is not a simple matter of hitting behind your opponent. That comes nowhere close to explaining why players like Steffi, Federer, and Sampras have dominated the sport with forehands. When Steffi seizes control of the point with her forehand (from the backhand corner), she has widened the court to such a degree that there is simply too much space for Serena to cover. This would have continued to be the case if Steffi had not retired in 1999.
For those interested, there is a more complete explanation of what I am saying here in this instructional clip, • Video . The examples in that clip are Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. As I have argued before, only the men play like Steffi did.
Hong Kong 1999.