@@jamesr2164 Doubles is almost irrelevant. Or would you consider Gigi Fernandez with her 17 doubles slams greater than Sabatini (who has 1 singles and 1 doubles slam)?
Steffi was superb the way she came back but even at 35 what a great player Martina was. The challenges that Steffi had at the beginning of her career, with all time greats Martina and Chris Evert still playing brilliantly, were immense.
Love the contrasting styles...Martina is volleying genius. Elegant and powerful. Graf best footwork ever, so many mini adjustments to set up her laser forehand
Steffi and Martina the Greatest of all Times: they were the class personified, stars of an other tennis, in which counted the talent and not only the power like today.
@@joeyconvery2055 I agree that Seles was the number one when she was stabbed and defeated Graf in the most important matches apart from Wimbledon. But you should also see that the head to head between these two great champions was 6:4 for Graf in 1993. I think many people forget that even before the stabbing Graf won more matches than Seles. The overall head to head is 10:5. But again Seles was an unbelievable player and would have won more Grand Slams without a doubt.
@sebastianstumpf2536 Monica only played professionally for about 3 years before the stabbing and she was still a teen. Graf is nearly 5 years older. Monica was only 15 in her rookie year.
@@joeyconvery2055 Seles had her two best years (1991/92) when Steffi had her 11st-best and 9th-best years. Explains why Seles was #1 in 1991/92. Comparable to Henin and Serena in 2003-07.
@@joeyconvery2055 How would Seles have stopped Steffi in 1993-96? When even as #1 pre-stabbing she always struggled against the German, losing 3 of 5 matches (and 8 of 13 sets)? And we all know how much better Steffi was in 1993-96 and how devastating Karolji Seles's 1993 cancer diagnosis was for Monica (she said so herself). To suggest that Seles would have had a BETTER record against Steffi from than on is asinine.
What an interesting match! I don’t ever recall Graf express herself so outwardly as she did after she got to 40-30 at 5-5 in the third set! Also on an earlier point, she actually toweled down and made Martina wait, which was something that her opponents did to her, as opposed to the other way around! She for some reason clearly really really really wanted to win this match and Martina actually forced her to play beyond her comfort zone and rhythm!
SUPER STAR PLAYERS IN THIS GAME...... BOTH ARE STAMINA FULL, STRONG FULL, TECHNICAL FULL, AND POWERFUL....... IN THIS SITUATION, WINER IS WONDERFUL ..........
Steffi playing with that Dunlap 200G I don’t think the modern players could swing that beast for three sets it weighed as much as two modern racquets and Martina learned on a wood raquet if these ladies had modern equipment from the jump they would play just as well as the current players
Enjoy lot.Nice to see Steffi winning. So far I remember that time I always wanted Steffi to win every match she played.So I couldn't enjoy. I was always in dilemma whether she will make it or not.Most of the time she brought smile on my face & had a good sleep in night.
Seles only became #1 because Steffi‘s level sank considerably from spring on due to off-court distractions. Until then she had made 13 slam finals in a row. But after that she made only 4 of the next 9 ones. What a decline! And so the second-best player took over. But Steffi thankfully regrouped and again made 11 of 13.
I managed to play on the same surface a few times. It was incredibly comfortable under foot - it did actually feel like walking on a carpet. The bounce was also really consistent - I'm surprised they no longer use it.
Martina seemed to make the most out of her compact strokes. Her timing on her forehand was crazy. Graf obviously could just bludgeon her forehand, but Martina seemed to almost scoop it up for winners.
Martina's forehand was known to be her weaker wing. You can see Steffi really go after it at times here. The players knew that if you hammered away at it, Martina often started to mis time it and wrap the frame around the ball. Also, when she got nervous then it often started to fall to bits. She hit it with a continental grip, which is very, very rare these days on the forehand.
@@jamesr2164When an overweight woman like Serena (who won only 13 slams until then) could win 10 slams in her 30s the svelte Steffi (who won 22 slams before her 30th birthday) surely could have topped that. Steffi playing until age 40 most probably would have ended her career with about 35 slams.
Steffi Graf is the greatest of all time. Her domination is unparalleled. Serena may have one more slam but Steffi has statistical numbers superior in every category over Serena. Serena entered many more slams than Steffi did to win just one more. Add it all up, Steffi Graf is #1 of all time.
No doubt that Steffi is one of the all time greats but don't forget that Steffi won a lot of titles when her main rival Monica was out for 3 years after the stabbing. And nowadays it's all about how many slam you have won. 23 is greater than 22. And Serena has won in 3 decades. Steffi did not do that.
Yeah! Mr. Timothy, i agree with you! Steffi Graf 🇩🇪 retired at 1999, she's just 30 years old then!!! While Serena Williams now (2020) is 38 years old!!! See the comparison! Steffi has 107 Titles at the End of her career, while Serena's has??? How many??? Gosh!
But Steffi Graf(1) meet Monica Seles(1)Co-Top Seeded in U. S. OPEN 🇺🇸Final in 1995 & 1996 also at the 1999 French Open Quarterfinals! Guys!!! All won by Steffi Graf 🇩🇪 to have her 22 Career Singles Grand Slams, Not to mention 1984 & 1988 Olympic Gold Medals 🥇 and the Silver 🥈 Medal in 1992 Barcelona Olympic!!! Two Grand Slams in her career 1988 and 1993-1994 Straight Grand Slams!!! Ok! Well said here!!!
@GeorgeHenryThomas, Seles (who kicked the crap outta Graf on the regular) was stabbed between the shoulder blades by a mentally ill German fan of Graf, Günter Parche. He claimed that he committed the attack to help Graf reclaim the world No. 1 ranking. Those are facts, I don't know what your pedo comment was about, I guess it is your attempt at a witty retort.
@@tunde818 Untrue, up to the stabbing incident Steffi won 6 out of 10 games against Monica, in total it is 10 to 5 in favor of Steffi...STEFFI is GOAT.
WOWOWOW....I never say Steffi throw a racquet like that. That just goes to show you the type of pressure Martina put her under. I could not believe what I was seeing. hahaha
She was a huge perfectionist and I think she was also frustrated at not being to find her too gear. In some ways she was lucky to win this match. Martina lost her concentration somewhat at key moments.
Being a fan of both, my praise will definitely go to Martina Navratilova, a 36 years old Martina Navratilova gave so much trouble to 23 years old Steffi Graf that Steffi barely won that match.
Martina was 35, not 36. Don‘t forget that those extremely fast indoor carpet surfaces of the 80s and 90s favored Navratilova very much. Today there are no such surfaces more to be found on the tour.
Yeah! I missed playing Indoor Carpet also! Just to play Serve and Volley or Approach the Net as much as possible! Control the point always! Love the atmosphere at Xaymaca Indoors! Miss it so much... 🤔
compare this athleticism and game between this two great champions with women tennis now day which is ; less talent, big racket ,scream all day and nights , the compettion of GRUNT, lazy waiting from baseline, with more less ability, and precision.
The problem was that Steffi and Martina were the only players who would be considered good athlete's circa 1992 You can't compare the level of athleticism in 1992 female athlete to today. Coco Gauf at 15 is every bit the athlete of either of these all timers.
@@anthonyyusef5897 uh no how, no way, no how does coco gauf have the footwork of either steffi or martina and surely doesn't have the reflexes of a martina at the net.
@Illya Kuryakin I love educating the uniformed. First of all no one said that Coco is a better tennis player than Steffi or Martina in their primes that would be foolish. There have been many great tennis players that werent great athletes or very athletic at all. I guarantee you that at 15 Coco would excel in many other sports that Steffi or Martina would enbarass themselves in. I guarantee you that Coco would be a better: track/field, basketball, volleyball, softball. Thats the definition of athleticism, stupid.. At 15 Coco certainly is a superior athlete than Steffi or Martina were at the same age. This shouldnt had to be explained.
@@littleraspberry4640 My two eyes! You may not be able to discern athletic ability but I can. Not to mention she has played several different sports. Steffi and Martina were elite athletically for the sport they were playing in comparison to their contemporaries. Rememeber you dont have to be great athletically to be a great tennis player. When Coco is at her peak physically she will be on another planet athletically to those two legends.
@@littleraspberry4640Who is the idiot? I can name plenty of tennis HOF'ers who are not and have never been great athletes. You clearly dont know a great athlete when you see one. Go and get informed and then we'll talk
A very strange match in lots of ways. Neither of them at their very best. Steffi really struggling to find her form at times, but Martina losing her concentration when it mattered most. It was all Steffi needed to grind her way to a victory. If either of them had really been on form, they both could have won the match much more easily.
It's a pity Martina never developed a more offensive baseline game so that we wasn't on the defensive so much when she stayed back on second serves or returns. If she'd done that she'd have won 3 more French Opens and probably a few of these matches against Graf. Ah well, that's history.
She did have an excellent forehand, one of the best after Graf. Her backhand was effective as an approach shot and to hang in rallies, she never was going to have one of the most explosive backhands. Her biggest talent was athleticsm, serving, and at the net. Nobody can be the best at everything. Graf certainly isnt either. Well other than maybe Serena when healthy and fit, and even she isnt close to the best volleyer, but is pretty much at the top in every other category, a huge rarity. Even Federer isnt on top at anything but forehand and maybe movement.
@@tylerbam7183 Martina's forehand was very fragile. When she was nervous, it often used to fall apart. Also, a lot of the harder hitting players knew that if you hit hard to Martina's forehand and put real pressure on it, then she either started mis timing it or losing control. You can see here on a lot of points, Steffi really goes after Martina's forehand, trying to break it down
I guess you have to look at when she learned her tennis - effectively in the 1960s with wooden racquets. In those days, with that technology, you had to go to the net if you wanted to win a point. There were very few baseliners in that era. By the time graphite racquets came along, Martina had already developed her game.
@Khwairakpam Napoleon But Steffi is GOAT for most weeks being nr. 1 in female Tennis ! I think 377 weeks nr. 1 !!! Nobody will ever break this I am totally sure !!! !!! Steffi endet tennis age 29 - Martina endet age 44 -played 13 years more !
@@karl-heinznoe9960 You are wrong. Martina's singles career ended in 1994 at age 36. She came back and played doubles in her 40's, and won multiple Grand Slams in doubles in her 40's. Graf played singles for 17 years and Martina for singles for 21 years. They played each other 18 times with a record of 9-9 (5-5 in the 1980's and 4-4 in the 1990's with Martina winning their last grand slam match against each other on hard court at the 1991 US Open semi finals). Let's not include Martina's doubles career because it would destroy every other tennis player (man or woman) who has ever lived. And if you want to combine the two, know this, Martina won the singles AND doubles titles at the same tournament 84 times. That means she was THE BEST SINGLES AND DOUBLES PLAYER AT THE SAME TOURNAMENT 84 times. As for weeks at #1, Graf spent 377 weeks, and Martina was there for 356 (meaning Graf was #1 longer only by 5 months). Martina has won more matches (singles and doubles), tournaments (singles and doubles), more total grand slams in the Open Era (singles, doubles and mixed) than anyone who has ever lived. She has the best singles season record EVER (86-1 in 1984), the longest winning streak EVER (74 straight matches), 3 of the longest winning streaks ever, 5 of the best 10 single season records ever, won the most tournament in a singles season (16 in 1984), the oldest player ever to beat a #1 ranked player (vs. Seles), the oldest person to win a grand slam in the Open era at aged 49 (mixed doubles at the US Open with Leander Paes), and in her 21 years career, out of the hundreds of players she's played, only two players have a winning record against her ( Seles (10-7) and Conchita Martinez (1-7 : all played on clay except one on grass). As for the total # of slams won, Graf has 22 and Martina has 18... but note that Martina missed TEN (10) French Opens in her career and missed THIRTEEN (13) Australian Opens in her career (and that's when it was played on grass). But hey, forget everything I wrote up top, because apparently only slam singles titles matter to some people. Just forget a players dominance and overall career record (which includes the slams, ALL of it) - apparently none of that stuff matters, right.
@@andronevans974 Martina was only 332 weeks nr. 1 !! !! ( Not 356 weeks ! ) Graf has 4 slam titles more and stopped playing at age of 29 - Martina at age 34 !! Graf is the GOAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Martina had the more complete game but sadly she did not have a powerful groundstroke shot to match Stefii Graf's forehand. Had she worked on retooling that forehand, Martina would have stomped out Steffi.
Very true! Martina didn't need a powerful forehand playing against Chris Evert but to keep with Steffi and Monica she did retool her forehand to make it more aggressive with more pace and less spin and started using more of her topspin backhand which is more offensive than the slice. It's too it was a bit too late by the time she had to do that but it did allow her to produce some great results.
Yes, why didn‘t everybody retool their forehand to make it like Steffi‘s? Same as in the 21st century - why don‘t the top players not simply adopt Serena‘s serve?
Martina was actually injured in this match, not badly, but enough to take a bit of edge off her game. Still, Graf was only beaten when others were playing their best tennis.
@John David she's doing that deliberately, to slow Steffi down. I watched this match live back in 1992 and I don't recall there being any mention of Martina being injured.
I remember watching this live at the time and I don't recall there being any mention at all of Martina being injured. She's walking slowly between points deliberately, to slow Steffi down.
Steffi had only the greatest slice backhand ever in the women’s game. People who know a bit about tennis realized how that backhand produced the opportunities for Steffi’s fantastic forehand. Ask Navratilova, Seles, Capriati, Novotna for instance.
A stress releases. She was very frustrated at not being able to find her top gear throughout this match. The racquet throwing was a way of saying "thank god I finally hit a decent shot"
Steffi's slice was always a weakness, ESPECIALLY to a left hander. Her court coverage kept the H2H even. If Steffi had a topspin lob off both wings Martina woulda sobbed. But Martina was always more fun to watch.
Steffi‘s slice was no weakness. Even several of her top opponents said so. For most heterosexual men Steffi was far more fun to watch. Even when she was just standing there and not dancing.
Excuse me but Where's the first set? I would've loved to see Martina spanking Steffi Graf 6-2 in the 1st. And Why isn't their great Semifinal match at the 1986 US Open uploaded & available for viewing on UA-cam by now? I have that amazing match on VHS tape & I need to find a way to convert it to DVD & upload to UA-cam immediately. Martina Navratilova & Steffi Graf were at their best during that match & they thoroughly entertained that live Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd & millions more watching it on TV. I'm just so surprised it hasn't or isn't uploaded now. It's one of the very best competitive pro women's tennis matches ever, without a doubt.
With the way they were both playing going into this final, I was actually expecting Navratilova to easily win this match. Graf struggled with Judtih Wiesner of all people in the semifinals where she played a very unconvincing match. Plus, Navratilova's game was always a challenge for Steffi, even when Steffi was at the top of her game (the constant net rushing and all of Martina''s lefty spins could catch Steffi off-guard). I remember some Graf fans saying that her four indoor court victories at the end of 1992 was a sign that she was geting her mojo back. But I honestly don't think so. Many of her victories in late 1992 were unconvincing at best and she was fortunate in this match that Navatilova was apparently injured. Even in 1993 with Seles absent, she won the French Open and Wimbledon very unconvincingly. She still had a very long ways to go.
I think tennis is the only sport where the women's game enjoys the same status as the men's (women reading this are howling: they don't get paid the same!). But I mean in the esteem the players are held by the fans. The women's game is maybe more fun to watch than the men's: bullet serves and volleys--kind of boring. Rallies have more drama. At any rate--quick!--name the two premier men's players from this period. See what I mean?
@Ilya Kuryakin I’m a fan of both Graf and Henin. I grew up idolizing Steffi. I love her mental strength, attitude, calmness, composure, footwork, agility and stamina. I never liked her forehand but I love her backhand drive and tried to copy it. Henin maybe famous for her backhand but I love her coz of her ATP-like forehand... her strokes are aesthetically pleasing. What could have happened if she was as tall as Steffi? Who do you think would win if they played against each other and both being in their prime? This is my fantasy match...
@Ilya Kuryakin I’ve seen her interview where she said that she somehow patterned her backhand from Steffi’s...I stopped watching tennis when Steffi retired until I saw those AO 2004 matches when Hantuchova defeated Serena and Safin defeated Federer...Daniela and Marat are eye candy...I became interested in following tennis again for all the wrong reasons...After Marat retired, the young Djokovic became my favorite but turned also into a Federer fan. Absurd as it may seem but it was Federer’s elegant strokes that lead me to Henin...Nowadays, I would watch women’s tennis but only when Kvitova plays. I kinda like her because she doesn’t make all those irritating noises when she’s hitting the ball...For me tennis isn’t just the same without Steffi. I don’t care about Serena’s 23 slams and that issue about Seles’ stabbing incident...Steffi is still the greatest for me. It all boils down to attitude and behavior. When confronted with a difficult situation, most of the time, I remain calm and I got to thank Steffi for that. Such a role model...
Most fans think that Steffi is the GOAT: - 22 titles in 54 slams (Serena 23 in 81). - 50 % tournament win rate (Serena 30 %). - Golden Slam. - 8 year-end #1 (Serena 5 years). - 13 slam finals against top-10 all-time greats (Serena 0). - impeccable character (Serena not so much).
Yes. Graf is smiling so widely here. She loved winning more than life itself! So when Seles came along and was better, well, let's just say, April 93, Steffi was smiling again.
@Khwairakpam Napoleon wrong you sound like the stabber. Glad Serena broke her fake record. Graf would have around 16 slams at the very most, if not for the stabbing. No way 22, that's a joke.
@Ilya Kuryakin again I give her 16 slams no more. Unless you're braindead. Remember who stabbed, her fan cause seles was dominating. Just happy Serena broke her fake slam record. Stab the competition to win.
@Ilya Kuryakin poor loser. Seles would have won all 11, leaving Graf with 11 total. I was being nice. Putting her behind seles, Serena, martina, evert. Probably around the 5th greatest.
It was a stress release. Throughout this match, Steffi was incredibly frustrated at not being able to find her top gear. When she threw her racquet there it was a way of saying "Jesus! I finally hit a decent passing shot!" In many ways Steffi was very lucky to win this match. She wasn't playing well and Martina really let her off the hook.
You mean like the Wimbledon final in 99 where Davenport outplayed her ? Or Sydney where her loss was even more one-sided to the same player. She lost to Venus twice that year and Serena and Hingis and Julie Halard-Decugis. Seles beat her in straight sets at the Australian open too. I'm pleased she snatched one more slam at the French but she was clearly second fiddle to Seles on all surfaces except Grass by April 1993 and her subsequent slam victories after that "event" are very questionable to anyone who doesn't wear blinkers.
Don anthony - Don,t waste your breath babes too many Graf haters it was always a weak opponent or some injury they suffered something .......Anything other then the fact that Steffi was an amazing athlete and had talent . Like the saying goes you can,t please everyone ..........Really does not matter she is and always will be a legend in the game and i am sure most of her fellow players feel the same .
Ziad Suidan 4 plus years,as you put it,versus a woman whose main rival who had a 3-1 Grandslam lead(and their GS count total was 11 Graf and 8 Seles) being attacked and leaving the game. Steffi won many of her Slams clearly because of Monica Seles's absence due to the stabbing by a maniacal Graf fan who saw the handwriting on the wall and wanted SG to return to number 1 and win Slams again. (sadly this tainted outcome happened),and SG preoceeded to collect slams at a rate that wouldn't have happened otherwise so your attempt to diminish what the GOAT-Serena has achieved is empty rhetoric-Btw SG herself reportedly said after she lost that 93 AO final that MS won-That MS had her number. There is in fact In my opinion and many others an asterisk attached to many of her Monica Seles less victories.
Steffi's footwork and balance was just sublime but above all her temperament.
Steffis footwork is unbelievable good
I love both women. Greatest talent
The two greatest female tennis players ever, no doubt.
No so fast!!! Serena and Venus are the 2 best ever Just ask the MSM!!
If we're considering singles grand slams and doubles grand slams in the open era, then Martina Navratilova or Serena Williams are the greatest ever.
@@jamesr2164 Yeah, and Gigi Fernandez with her 17 doubles slams is greater than Jennifer Capriati with her 3 singles slams.
You clown.
@@jamesr2164 Doubles is almost irrelevant.
Or would you consider Gigi Fernandez with her 17 doubles slams greater than Sabatini (who has 1 singles and 1 doubles slam)?
Steffi was superb the way she came back but even at 35 what a great player Martina was. The challenges that Steffi had at the beginning of her career, with all time greats Martina and Chris Evert still playing brilliantly, were immense.
Imo Martina talented of course. Cheated you no how. Yes!! Grafs best beats MN best
Exquisite tennis from two great great players. The athleticism and power was off the charts.
I've always loved steffi Graf I loved her style of play Andrea is lucky to be married to her
Two all time greats on the same court, a little bit of history right there :)
steffi is a best player,she uses her brain in every games
Love the contrasting styles...Martina is volleying genius. Elegant and powerful. Graf best footwork ever, so many mini adjustments to set up her laser forehand
Steffi all time my favourite idol stunning player in this world ..she and me same year same date and same month June 1969 ..bravo ..
Steffi and Martina the Greatest of all Times: they were the class personified, stars of an other tennis, in which counted the talent and not only the power like today.
@@joeyconvery2055 I agree that Seles was the number one when she was stabbed and defeated Graf in the most important matches apart from Wimbledon. But you should also see that the head to head between these two great champions was 6:4 for Graf in 1993. I think many people forget that even before the stabbing Graf won more matches than Seles. The overall head to head is 10:5. But again Seles was an unbelievable player and would have won more Grand Slams without a doubt.
@sebastianstumpf2536 Monica only played professionally for about 3 years before the stabbing and she was still a teen.
Graf is nearly 5 years older. Monica was only 15 in her rookie year.
@@joeyconvery2055 Seles had her two best years (1991/92) when Steffi had her 11st-best and 9th-best years.
Explains why Seles was #1 in 1991/92.
Comparable to Henin and Serena in 2003-07.
@@joeyconvery2055 How did it benefit Steffi?
It only COST her the Wimbledon 94 title. Would have had 23 slams like Serena otherwise.
@@joeyconvery2055
How would Seles have stopped Steffi in 1993-96?
When even as #1 pre-stabbing she always struggled against the German, losing 3 of 5 matches (and 8 of 13 sets)?
And we all know how much better Steffi was in 1993-96 and how devastating Karolji Seles's 1993 cancer diagnosis was for Monica (she said so herself).
To suggest that Seles would have had a BETTER record against Steffi from than on is asinine.
Martina Navratilova und Steffi sind beide super. Danke für die Übertragung
What an interesting match! I don’t ever recall Graf express herself so outwardly as she did after she got to 40-30 at 5-5 in the third set! Also on an earlier point, she actually toweled down and made Martina wait, which was something that her opponents did to her, as opposed to the other way around! She for some reason clearly really really really wanted to win this match and Martina actually forced her to play beyond her comfort zone and rhythm!
SUPER STAR PLAYERS IN THIS GAME......
BOTH ARE STAMINA FULL, STRONG FULL, TECHNICAL FULL, AND POWERFUL.......
IN THIS SITUATION, WINER IS WONDERFUL ..........
superb match.. good to see Winning Steffi 👍👍👍
Steffi playing with that Dunlap 200G I don’t think the modern players could swing that beast for three sets it weighed as much as two modern racquets and Martina learned on a wood raquet if these ladies had modern equipment from the jump they would play just as well as the current players
Players nowadays would not have survived with such a racket.
Both these players were better than any player after or before their era except Seles. These 3 women are the 3 GOATs.
Enjoy lot.Nice to see Steffi winning. So far I remember that time I always wanted Steffi to win every match she played.So I couldn't enjoy. I was always in dilemma whether she will make it or not.Most of the time she brought smile on my face & had a good sleep in night.
I lived this feeling too! You really cared.✌️
I think we all did. Imagine if her dad hadn't had the affair......maybe.....maybe Monica wouldn't have been stabbed ..
Seles only became #1 because Steffi‘s level sank considerably from spring on due to off-court distractions.
Until then she had made 13 slam finals in a row.
But after that she made only 4 of the next 9 ones. What a decline!
And so the second-best player took over.
But Steffi thankfully regrouped and again made 11 of 13.
Big Star Graf !
yes, the good old carpet. I loved how the ball bounced after slices and volleys. Almost unreturnable when placed optimally
Steffi Graf, la más grande tenista de todos los tiempos . las de ahora son un fiasco :/
49:10 Incredible athleticism by Steffi to win the match. Then she flipped her racket. Both players were fantastic, probably the two best ever.
No no defiantly not
😂
@@lachdoggy9806 Who else than????
Def better than the Williams brothers. Graf especially. Bc MN while very talented imo cheated. I'll take Chris Evert at her best anyway.
Yes, definitely. 😍
Steffi graf's so beautiful...
Love u steffi All my life
Monica is the GOAT!
Damn! Looks surreal! Even faster than grass nowadays
it is a pitty that courts getting slower and slower.
I managed to play on the same surface a few times. It was incredibly comfortable under foot - it did actually feel like walking on a carpet. The bounce was also really consistent - I'm surprised they no longer use it.
The first 15 seconds......😍😍😍
Steffi's Top Spin backhand is very good.
Too bad she did't use on a regular basis but when she did it was stellar!
My idola steffi
Martina seemed to make the most out of her compact strokes. Her timing on her forehand was crazy. Graf obviously could just bludgeon her forehand, but Martina seemed to almost scoop it up for winners.
Martina's forehand was known to be her weaker wing. You can see Steffi really go after it at times here. The players knew that if you hammered away at it, Martina often started to mis time it and wrap the frame around the ball. Also, when she got nervous then it often started to fall to bits. She hit it with a continental grip, which is very, very rare these days on the forehand.
Martina was the greatest fighter those days her footwork was very best than other is players
😊
Graf’s footwork was superior - according to Navratilova herself.
Steffi was such a natural athlete - could easily have played another 5-7 years and probably bagged another 7-10 slams if she had done so imo.
Lol 😂
@@jamesr2164When an overweight woman like Serena (who won only 13 slams until then) could win 10 slams in her 30s the svelte Steffi (who won 22 slams before her 30th birthday) surely could have topped that. Steffi playing until age 40 most probably would have ended her career with about 35 slams.
ขอบคุณค่ะ
Bringe ich Euch vor 20. Jähren zurück, damit Sie es sahen....Was waren schon gewesen.....Zerfallen aus dem Top Ten listen.....Schweiz...
Steffi Graf is the greatest of all time. Her domination is unparalleled. Serena may have one more slam but Steffi has statistical numbers superior in every category over Serena. Serena entered many more slams than Steffi did to win just one more. Add it all up, Steffi Graf is #1 of all time.
When the opponent who kicks your ass on the regular gets stabbed by your biggest fan, the statistical numbers will be out this world.
Steffi benefited from Monica being stabbed. otherwise she wont have those numbers. Serena is the Greatest.
No doubt that Steffi is one of the all time greats but don't forget that Steffi won a lot of titles when her main rival Monica was out for 3 years after the stabbing. And nowadays it's all about how many slam you have won. 23 is greater than 22. And Serena has won in 3 decades. Steffi did not do that.
Yeah! Mr. Timothy, i agree with you! Steffi Graf 🇩🇪 retired at 1999, she's just 30 years old then!!! While Serena Williams now (2020) is 38 years old!!! See the comparison! Steffi has 107 Titles at the End of her career, while Serena's has??? How many??? Gosh!
But Steffi Graf(1) meet Monica Seles(1)Co-Top Seeded in U. S. OPEN 🇺🇸Final in 1995 & 1996 also at the 1999 French Open Quarterfinals! Guys!!! All won by Steffi Graf 🇩🇪 to have her 22 Career Singles Grand Slams, Not to mention 1984 & 1988 Olympic Gold Medals 🥇 and the Silver 🥈 Medal in 1992 Barcelona Olympic!!! Two Grand Slams in her career 1988 and 1993-1994 Straight Grand Slams!!! Ok! Well said here!!!
Steffi is the GOAT.
Thanks to her mental fans who stab her opponents.
@GeorgeHenryThomas, Seles (who kicked the crap outta Graf on the regular) was stabbed between the shoulder blades by a mentally ill German fan of Graf, Günter Parche. He claimed that he committed the attack to help Graf reclaim the world No. 1 ranking. Those are facts, I don't know what your pedo comment was about, I guess it is your attempt at a witty retort.
Nope. Monica was stabbed by Steffi's crazed fan. She won't have the slams or number 1 record otherwise.
@@anchababymalkin3222 Wimbledon 1992? Monica was completly blown away: ua-cam.com/video/R_bH0O1GaWc/v-deo.html
@@tunde818 Untrue, up to the stabbing incident Steffi won 6 out of 10 games against Monica, in total it is 10 to 5 in favor of Steffi...STEFFI is GOAT.
WOWOWOW....I never say Steffi throw a racquet like that. That just goes to show you the type of pressure Martina put her under. I could not believe what I was seeing. hahaha
She was a huge perfectionist and I think she was also frustrated at not being to find her too gear. In some ways she was lucky to win this match. Martina lost her concentration somewhat at key moments.
Being a fan of both, my praise will definitely go to Martina Navratilova, a 36 years old Martina Navratilova gave so much trouble to 23 years old Steffi Graf that Steffi barely won that match.
But she did. That’s greatness.
@Khwairakpam Napoleon the same reason why Federer and Serena loses on every surface to much younger players
@Khwairakpam Napoleon yes. If exhibition in 89 included.
Martina was 35, not 36.
Don‘t forget that those extremely fast indoor carpet surfaces of the 80s and 90s favored Navratilova very much.
Today there are no such surfaces more to be found on the tour.
@@carrerau7138 Right 35, not 36, thanks. But how the fast surface favored Martina Navratilova but did not favor Steffi Graf?
Didn't it seem like Steffi never came over the backhand (topspin) except when she really needed it?
😘🍀 Steffi 🍀😘
Steffi die deutsche Königin....
the sound of silence...
Yeah it's strange so quiet
I very much enjoy these silent players. Much more elegant to watch then those grunting and screaming hitting machines. Steffi rulez!
STEFFY LA MAS GRANDE
Las dos tenistas más grandes de la historia 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Finally a game based on speed and tactic... Definitely no testosterone here.
Tress Braga like you.
Where has been testosterone?
Are you suggesting Rafa Nadal takes steroids? b/c that would be true.
just ostrogen
I miss the indoor carpet like that. I got the chance to play on it once or twice and it felt great underfoot - really cushioned.
Yeah! I missed playing Indoor Carpet also! Just to play Serve and Volley or Approach the Net as much as possible! Control the point always! Love the atmosphere at Xaymaca Indoors! Miss it so much... 🤔
compare this athleticism and game between this two great champions with women tennis now day which is ; less talent, big racket ,scream all day and nights , the compettion of GRUNT, lazy waiting from baseline, with more less ability, and precision.
The problem was that Steffi and Martina were the only players who would be considered good athlete's circa 1992 You can't compare the level of athleticism in 1992 female athlete to today. Coco Gauf at 15 is every bit the athlete of either of these all timers.
@@anthonyyusef5897 uh no how, no way, no how does coco gauf have the footwork of either steffi or martina and surely doesn't have the reflexes of a martina at the net.
@Illya Kuryakin I love educating the uniformed. First of all no one said that Coco is a better tennis player than Steffi or Martina in their primes that would be foolish. There have been many great tennis players that werent great athletes or very athletic at all. I guarantee you that at 15 Coco would excel in many other sports that Steffi or Martina would enbarass themselves in. I guarantee you that Coco would be a better: track/field, basketball, volleyball, softball. Thats the definition of athleticism, stupid.. At 15 Coco certainly is a superior athlete than Steffi or Martina were at the same age. This shouldnt had to be explained.
@@littleraspberry4640 My two eyes! You may not be able to discern athletic ability but I can. Not to mention she has played several different sports. Steffi and Martina were elite athletically for the sport they were playing in comparison to their contemporaries. Rememeber you dont have to be great athletically to be a great tennis player. When Coco is at her peak physically she will be on another planet athletically to those two legends.
@@littleraspberry4640Who is the idiot? I can name plenty of tennis HOF'ers who are not and have never been great athletes. You clearly dont know a great athlete when you see one. Go and get informed and then we'll talk
A very strange match in lots of ways. Neither of them at their very best. Steffi really struggling to find her form at times, but Martina losing her concentration when it mattered most. It was all Steffi needed to grind her way to a victory. If either of them had really been on form, they both could have won the match much more easily.
Zurich,Filderstadt and the likes were great tournaments, so much better than the current ones in China.
It's a pity Martina never developed a more offensive baseline game so that we wasn't on the defensive so much when she stayed back on second serves or returns. If she'd done that she'd have won 3 more French Opens and probably a few of these matches against Graf. Ah well, that's history.
She did have an excellent forehand, one of the best after Graf. Her backhand was effective as an approach shot and to hang in rallies, she never was going to have one of the most explosive backhands. Her biggest talent was athleticsm, serving, and at the net. Nobody can be the best at everything. Graf certainly isnt either. Well other than maybe Serena when healthy and fit, and even she isnt close to the best volleyer, but is pretty much at the top in every other category, a huge rarity. Even Federer isnt on top at anything but forehand and maybe movement.
@@tylerbam7183 Martina's forehand was very fragile. When she was nervous, it often used to fall apart. Also, a lot of the harder hitting players knew that if you hit hard to Martina's forehand and put real pressure on it, then she either started mis timing it or losing control. You can see here on a lot of points, Steffi really goes after Martina's forehand, trying to break it down
I guess you have to look at when she learned her tennis - effectively in the 1960s with wooden racquets. In those days, with that technology, you had to go to the net if you wanted to win a point. There were very few baseliners in that era. By the time graphite racquets came along, Martina had already developed her game.
Que fuerte estaba Steffi. Terrible mujer!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Steffi strong but terrible ? ........What kind of stupidity is that.
Keep serving and volleying
It's a constant, a future legend has to beat the current legend at some point in their career.
do you think anyone can break Navratilova's record of winning 9 titles of Wimbledon plus doubles n mixed double matches💪💪💪
No she is greatest, better than everyone past present or future
@@shasha5781 only in Wimbledon !!! Not in other gran slams !
@Khwairakpam Napoleon But Steffi is GOAT for most weeks being nr. 1 in female Tennis ! I think 377 weeks nr. 1 !!! Nobody will ever break this I am totally sure !!! !!!
Steffi endet tennis age 29 - Martina endet age 44 -played 13 years more !
@@karl-heinznoe9960 You are wrong. Martina's singles career ended in 1994 at age 36. She came back and played doubles in her 40's, and won multiple Grand Slams in doubles in her 40's. Graf played singles for 17 years and Martina for singles for 21 years. They played each other 18 times with a record of 9-9 (5-5 in the 1980's and 4-4 in the 1990's with Martina winning their last grand slam match against each other on hard court at the 1991 US Open semi finals). Let's not include Martina's doubles career because it would destroy every other tennis player (man or woman) who has ever lived. And if you want to combine the two, know this, Martina won the singles AND doubles titles at the same tournament 84 times. That means she was THE BEST SINGLES AND DOUBLES PLAYER AT THE SAME TOURNAMENT 84 times. As for weeks at #1, Graf spent 377 weeks, and Martina was there for 356 (meaning Graf was #1 longer only by 5 months). Martina has won more matches (singles and doubles), tournaments (singles and doubles), more total grand slams in the Open Era (singles, doubles and mixed) than anyone who has ever lived. She has the best singles season record EVER (86-1 in 1984), the longest winning streak EVER (74 straight matches), 3 of the longest winning streaks ever, 5 of the best 10 single season records ever, won the most tournament in a singles season (16 in 1984), the oldest player ever to beat a #1 ranked player (vs. Seles), the oldest person to win a grand slam in the Open era at aged 49 (mixed doubles at the US Open with Leander Paes), and in her 21 years career, out of the hundreds of players she's played, only two players have a winning record against her ( Seles (10-7) and Conchita Martinez (1-7 : all played on clay except one on grass).
As for the total # of slams won, Graf has 22 and Martina has 18... but note that Martina missed TEN (10) French Opens in her career and missed THIRTEEN (13) Australian Opens in her career (and that's when it was played on grass). But hey, forget everything I wrote up top, because apparently only slam singles titles matter to some people. Just forget a players dominance and overall career record (which includes the slams, ALL of it) - apparently none of that stuff matters, right.
@@andronevans974 Martina was only 332 weeks nr. 1 !! !! ( Not 356 weeks ! )
Graf has 4 slam titles more and stopped playing at age of 29 - Martina at age 34 !! Graf is the GOAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First time looking over the comments section on a tennis vid: and I thought the golf and baseball folks were contentious
Wait! The victor did not fall on her back. I cry foul. Must be photoshopped.
😂😂😂😂
Wann dürfen Wir Euch zurück Experimentieren.....?
Ich wusste es aber mit Wem .....Könnte ich alles Erklärungen....Wer für mich Bestätigen......?
Martina had the more complete game but sadly she did not have a powerful groundstroke shot to match Stefii Graf's forehand. Had she worked on retooling that forehand, Martina would have stomped out Steffi.
Very true! Martina didn't need a powerful forehand playing against Chris Evert but to keep with Steffi and Monica she did retool her forehand to make it more aggressive with more pace and less spin and started using more of her topspin backhand which is more offensive than the slice. It's too it was a bit too late by the time she had to do that but it did allow her to produce some great results.
I suppose you could say if graf developed her net game she would be unbeatable
Yes, why didn‘t everybody retool their forehand to make it like Steffi‘s?
Same as in the 21st century - why don‘t the top players not simply adopt Serena‘s serve?
😂😂😂😂 such silly nonesense what if.
Stomp Steffi i don't think so you Steffi haters are pathetic. 😂😂😂😂
Martina was actually injured in this match, not badly, but enough to take a bit of edge off her game. Still, Graf was only beaten when others were playing their best tennis.
Sniffe6421(
REALLY SHE WAS ONLY BEATEN WHEN OTHERS PLAYED THEIR BEST TENNIS? IMAGINE THAT.
@@andresuston7692 yes quite true...She is the best
@John David she's doing that deliberately, to slow Steffi down. I watched this match live back in 1992 and I don't recall there being any mention of Martina being injured.
I remember watching this live at the time and I don't recall there being any mention at all of Martina being injured. She's walking slowly between points deliberately, to slow Steffi down.
It's kind of scary to think of what Graf would have been like with a better backhand.
Steffi had only the greatest slice backhand ever in the women’s game.
People who know a bit about tennis realized how that backhand produced the opportunities for Steffi’s fantastic forehand. Ask Navratilova, Seles, Capriati, Novotna for instance.
Was fühlen nach 20. Jähren danach....? Fit oder Fix......?
43:29 I don't understand. Why did Graf throw her racquet after winning the point?.
Mr Polite maybe she feels guilty yelling at Martina after that backhand passed down the line.
Hardcore throw
A stress releases. She was very frustrated at not being able to find her top gear throughout this match. The racquet throwing was a way of saying "thank god I finally hit a decent shot"
Steffi's slice was always a weakness, ESPECIALLY to a left hander. Her court coverage kept the H2H even. If Steffi had a topspin lob off both wings Martina woulda sobbed. But Martina was always more fun to watch.
Steffi‘s slice was no weakness. Even several of her top opponents said so.
For most heterosexual men Steffi was far more fun to watch. Even when she was just standing there and not dancing.
Steffi also had a topspin backhand and it was good. However her knife like slice was deadly.
Get your own towel in these days , not so spoilt in them days 😊
its because people are afraid of everything like germs or Corona.
Excuse me but Where's the first set? I would've loved to see Martina spanking Steffi Graf 6-2 in the 1st. And Why isn't their great Semifinal match at the 1986 US Open uploaded & available for viewing on UA-cam by now? I have that amazing match on VHS tape & I need to find a way to convert it to DVD & upload to UA-cam immediately. Martina Navratilova & Steffi Graf were at their best during that match & they thoroughly entertained that live Louis Armstrong Stadium crowd & millions more watching it on TV. I'm just so surprised it hasn't or isn't uploaded now. It's one of the very best competitive pro women's tennis matches ever, without a doubt.
Steven Michael I just watched that match earlier today on youtube.
that amazing match is upoaded now, yeah i would of loved to see the first set - its 1992 for godsake, amazing
shes still a force against graff
With the way they were both playing going into this final, I was actually expecting Navratilova to easily win this match. Graf struggled with Judtih Wiesner of all people in the semifinals where she played a very unconvincing match. Plus, Navratilova's game was always a challenge for Steffi, even when Steffi was at the top of her game (the constant net rushing and all of Martina''s lefty spins could catch Steffi off-guard).
I remember some Graf fans saying that her four indoor court victories at the end of 1992 was a sign that she was geting her mojo back. But I honestly don't think so. Many of her victories in late 1992 were unconvincing at best and she was fortunate in this match that Navatilova was apparently injured. Even in 1993 with Seles absent, she won the French Open and Wimbledon very unconvincingly. She still had a very long ways to go.
@Illya KuryakinGet out living in a cave woman!
How much money do you have? 😂😂
AS IT'S......
47:33 best moment
Fantastic smile! ❤
For me it is Martina Navratilova the best of woman players all time
Peak 1988/89 Steffi was the best.
Frage ich Sie es, Ob ein Lebenden oder Sterblich noch bedeutet sind.........?
I think tennis is the only sport where the women's game enjoys the same status as the men's (women reading this are howling: they don't get paid the same!). But I mean in the esteem the players are held by the fans. The women's game is maybe more fun to watch than the men's: bullet serves and volleys--kind of boring. Rallies have more drama. At any rate--quick!--name the two premier men's players from this period. See what I mean?
@Ilya Kuryakin Good points
@Ilya Kuryakin I’m a fan of both Graf and Henin. I grew up idolizing Steffi. I love her mental strength, attitude, calmness, composure, footwork, agility and stamina. I never liked her forehand but I love her backhand drive and tried to copy it. Henin maybe famous for her backhand but I love her coz of her ATP-like forehand... her strokes are aesthetically pleasing. What could have happened if she was as tall as Steffi? Who do you think would win if they played against each other and both being in their prime? This is my fantasy match...
@Ilya Kuryakin I’ve seen her interview where she said that she somehow patterned her backhand from Steffi’s...I stopped watching tennis when Steffi retired until I saw those AO 2004 matches when Hantuchova defeated Serena and Safin defeated Federer...Daniela and Marat are eye candy...I became interested in following tennis again for all the wrong reasons...After Marat retired, the young Djokovic became my favorite but turned also into a Federer fan. Absurd as it may seem but it was Federer’s elegant strokes that lead me to Henin...Nowadays, I would watch women’s tennis but only when Kvitova plays. I kinda like her because she doesn’t make all those irritating noises when she’s hitting the ball...For me tennis isn’t just the same without Steffi. I don’t care about Serena’s 23 slams and that issue about Seles’ stabbing incident...Steffi is still the greatest for me. It all boils down to attitude and behavior. When confronted with a difficult situation, most of the time, I remain calm and I got to thank Steffi for that. Such a role model...
@Ilya Kuryakin I stopped following Hantuchova when she started wearing skirts again...
Safin is the reason why I know that I’m just bi...hahaha!
Serena was the greatest of all time then Steffi then Evert and Navratilova tied
Most fans think that Steffi is the GOAT:
- 22 titles in 54 slams (Serena 23 in 81).
- 50 % tournament win rate (Serena 30 %).
- Golden Slam.
- 8 year-end #1 (Serena 5 years).
- 13 slam finals against top-10 all-time greats (Serena 0).
- impeccable character (Serena not so much).
Две самые самые!!! За всю историю, да у штеффи золотой шлем, но у мартины 9уимблдонов!!!!
I find todays tennis more and more predictable and less fun.
Für jeder Menschen mich Extras Dummer machen......
💓NOVAK DJOKOVIC💓
🎾
💓MONIKA SELES💓
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
BEST TENIS PLAYERS
ALL TIMES 🙏RESPECT🙏💕
Grüsse aus 🇨🇭 Schweiz 🇨🇭
Graf was the best till Seles dominated and knocked her off and took the #1 ranking, winning 3 of 4 slams two years straight.
Yes. Graf is smiling so widely here. She loved winning more than life itself! So when Seles came along and was better, well, let's just say, April 93, Steffi was smiling again.
@Khwairakpam Napoleon wrong you sound like the stabber. Glad Serena broke her fake record. Graf would have around 16 slams at the very most, if not for the stabbing. No way 22, that's a joke.
@Ilya Kuryakin she won 11 after seles was stabbed. Seles won 6of 8 before the stabbing. You figure it out. Putting her at 16 total is generous.
@Ilya Kuryakin again I give her 16 slams no more. Unless you're braindead. Remember who stabbed, her fan cause seles was dominating. Just happy Serena broke her fake slam record. Stab the competition to win.
@Ilya Kuryakin poor loser. Seles would have won all 11, leaving Graf with 11 total. I was being nice. Putting her behind seles, Serena, martina, evert. Probably around the 5th greatest.
43:33 wtf. Steffi won the point and yet she threw and kicked her racket
Maybe she felt guilty yelling at Martina..
It was a stress release. Throughout this match, Steffi was incredibly frustrated at not being able to find her top gear. When she threw her racquet there it was a way of saying "Jesus! I finally hit a decent passing shot!" In many ways Steffi was very lucky to win this match. She wasn't playing well and Martina really let her off the hook.
Either of these ladies in their prime would have destroyed the Williams brothers.
@@user-ve8eb4dl4l haha
Maybe William Sisters... (Venus and Serena) Sister Slam Champions! 🤩
Stupid racist comment. Go away troll!
So eine bildschöne Frau....Martina Navratilova natürlich
Don't forget it's man vs ladies
Steffi was just lucky as hell for playing tennis at the time where the greats were all effing old and the new guns were still in diapers!
You obviously didn't watch tennis in 99 when Steffi beat all the greats current and up in coming. She wasn't lucky; she was the best.
You mean like the Wimbledon final in 99 where Davenport outplayed her ? Or Sydney where her loss was even more one-sided to the same player. She lost to Venus twice that year and Serena and Hingis and Julie Halard-Decugis. Seles beat her in straight sets at the Australian open too. I'm pleased she snatched one more slam at the French but she was clearly second fiddle to Seles on all surfaces except Grass by April 1993 and her subsequent slam victories after that "event" are very questionable to anyone who doesn't wear blinkers.
Don anthony - Don,t waste your breath babes too many Graf haters it was always a weak opponent or some injury they suffered something .......Anything other then the fact that Steffi was an amazing athlete and had talent . Like the saying goes you can,t please everyone ..........Really does not matter she is and always will be a legend in the game and i am sure most of her fellow players feel the same .
Yes, I totally agree. It doesn't matter what the naysayers believe. You can't change a bitter person.
Ziad Suidan 4 plus years,as you put it,versus a woman whose main rival who had a 3-1 Grandslam lead(and their GS count total was 11 Graf and 8 Seles) being attacked and leaving the game. Steffi won many of her Slams clearly because of Monica Seles's absence due to the stabbing by a maniacal Graf fan who saw the handwriting on the wall and wanted SG to return to number 1 and win Slams again. (sadly this tainted outcome happened),and SG preoceeded to collect slams at a rate that wouldn't have happened otherwise so your attempt to diminish what the GOAT-Serena has achieved is empty rhetoric-Btw SG herself reportedly said after she lost that 93 AO final that MS won-That MS had her number. There is in fact In my opinion and many others an asterisk attached to many of her Monica Seles less victories.
It’s a B to get old. Navratilova acted like an ass to Stefi early on.