Last Updated on December 23, 2021
One of the most important tennis players of all time is without a doubt, Steffi Graf. She retired from tennis in 1999, but her name is of the utmost importance in the tennis world. Steffi Graf, born Stefanie Maria Graf, was truly a brilliant tennis player even from the start of her career. Her success has risen from her deep love for tennis. She started playing tennis at a young age and gradually built her career always focusing on her goals. She demonstrated her determination right from the start and in return, she received only admiration from people all around the world.
| Net Worth | 40 000 000$ |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 June 1969 Mannheim, West Germany |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Turned pro | 18 October 1982 |
| Retired | 13 August 1999 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Early life and first steps in tennis
Born on June 14, 1969, in Germany, she looked up to her parents, Peter and Heidi. They were both tennis players. She received her first tennis racket before she turned 4 from her father. He later became her couch. What is really incredible is the fact that at only 6 years old she won her first tournament. Being taught by her father how to swan a racket, she quickly became an inestimable tennis player. It can be said that her love for tennis runs in the family. Moreover, years later, in 2001, she married fellow professional tennis player Andre Agassi with whom she had a relationship since 1999. They live in Las Vegas and have two children, a son and a daughter.
Steffi Graf Career
At only 13 years old she had her first professional game was for the 1982 Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany. Unfortunately, she lost to Tracy Austin (6–4, 6–0), but this did not stop her from doing what she loved the most. In her first year, she managed to secure the World 124th position. We should also mention her ranking that rose to World No. 98 in 1983, No. 22 in 1984, and No. 6 in 1985.
First WTA Title
April 13, 1986 was an important day for her career. It is the date when she won her first WTA tournament. The finals were held by Family Circle Cup in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where she beat Chris Evert. The following period of time was rich for her path in life as she won at Amelia Island. The same happened at Charleston and Berlin
World No. 1
In August 1987, Steffi Graff was still World No 2, but this was about to change. This year started with her victory in 6 tournaments, including her first Grand Slam, at Roland-Garros. The only time when she was defeated was when she played with Martina Navratilova. Chris Evert won against Navratilova in the semi-finals (6-2, 6-1). Graf won the final (6-3, 6-4) proving extraordinary strength. According to The Lost Angeles Times, she said: “I can’t stop smiling. It feels great. We were talking about it yesterday with my father after Chris won, about the chances if I win today, if I would be No. 1 or not.”
The comment of Evert was even more interesting: “Steffi has had a great year, but she has to have 10 great years to match our record.” Well, this was not a difficult task for Steffi Graf who was world No 1 for 186 weeks straight until 1991. However, she has a total of 377 weeks spent as world No 1. Her record of 22 Grand Slam titles is impressive. She is not only a strong woman, but she is also an incredible tennis player that showed great mental determination.
Grand Slam Success
On this day in 1988 ⏰
Steffi Graf defeats Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 at the Seoul @Olympics & becomes the first player to complete a Calendar Golden Slam! pic.twitter.com/fmytyQ39ue
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) October 1, 2021
In 1988, Steffi Graf was only 19 years old when she won the Golden Slam. This means that she won all four Grand Slams: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. What is even more incredible is the fact that she is the only player that won each of the Grand Slams at least four times! The whole path until she reached her goal is even more impressive. She entered the 1988 Australian Open as a top player because she has previously won her first Grand Slam title.
Firstly, Steffi Graff won against Hana Mandlikova (6-2, 6-2) and then against Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (6-2, 6-3). Her next opponent was Christ Evert (6-1, 7-6). This is how she demanded her right to the Australian Open crown. At the French Open, she started against Gabriela Sabatini (6-3, 7-6). The match with Natasha Zvereva was really outstanding. Her rival didn’t stand any chance (6-0, 6-0). At Wimbledon, Steffi Graf managed to win all her matches in straight sets. The final was more difficult as she had to face the great Navratilova. Navratilova won four games in a row, so Graf’s chances were frail. However, Graf brought out the best of her skills and won the second and the third set (6-1). This is how she won the Wimbledon title. After all these, Steffi Graf entered the US Open and, of course, everybody was focused on her. The public was not disappointed as she won all her matches. Moreover, her winnings were in straight sets! Graf beat Gabriela Sabatini in the third set (6-3, 3-6, 6-1), thus winning her first US Open.
Other Career Details
Her international successful career did not stop here. All these were followed by The 1988 Seoul Olympics. The first two matches were won in straight sets. This time she played against Larisa Savchenko, Zina Garrison, and Gabriela Sabatini.
Her final years in tennis were also memorable. She did not retire because she got tired of tennis or because she would have had different opportunities back then. Injuries caused her a setback. She even lost her No.1 position to another tennis woman named Martina Hingis. She managed to win a few games in 1999, but she lost the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. When she announced her retirement she was ranked at the World No. 3 position. Graf played a few more matches after retirement, but they were for charity purposes as she did not want to come back professionally speaking. She was a strong tennis player and a worthy opponent. In 2015 she received the Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award.
Career Highlights
- Tour Final – 1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996
- Olympic Games – 1988
Steffi Graf Grand Slam Records
Steffi Graf has had impressive success at Grand Slam tournaments, even winning the Golden Slam. We have compiled the statistics of her performance at the major majors in the table
| Australian Open Wx4 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994 |
Roland Garros Wx6 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999 |
Wimbledon Wx7 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996 |
US Open Wx5 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996 |
Steffi Graf Endorsements
Besides appearing in many commercials, Graf signed an endorsement deal with Opel, a car manufacturer in 1985. She also signed a deal with Rexona from 1994 to 1998. These were followed by her being the brand ambassador for Kerala tourism. Teekanne, a tea company, Danone, Citibank, Barilla were companies with which she had other endorsements. She also wore Adidas and used Dunlo Maxx 200G during her career, both of which added to her net worth.
After she has retired, she appeared in commercials for Longines and Cannon.
She partnered with Longines, the famous Swiss watch since 2008. Also, in 2019 she became a brand ambassador of Feiler, a textile company based in Germany. Moreover, she is part of the founding team of Mrs. Sporty, a franchise that focuses on a 30-minute workout concept for women.
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Steffi Graf Net Worth
Before mentioning her actual net worth, it is important to mention the fact that Steffi Graf is interested in real estate and charity work. Therefore, she invested a lot in charities like Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and Education Africa. Steffi Graf has earned 21,895,277 in prize money over her career, and of course much more from her sponsors. Her net worth is estimated to be $45 million.
Steffi Graf prize money compared to the legendary WTA players
Steffi Graf is a former number 1 in the WTA rankings, she knows what it’s like to win a Grand Slam. We compared the prize money of the legendary WTA tennis players to the prize money received by Steffi Graf .
| Player | Prize Money |
| Steffi Graf | $21,895,277 |
| Martina Navratilova | $21,626,089 |
| Chris Evert | $8,895,195 |
| Billie Jean King | $1,966,487 |
| Justine Henin | $20,863,335 |
| Monica Seles | $14,891,762 |
| Martina Hingis | $24,749,074 |
| Lindsay Davenport | $22,166,338 |
| Serena Williams | $94,518,971 |
| Kim Clijsters | $24,522,695 |
Steffi Graf Charity
“Children for Tomorrow” is a non-profit foundation that has Steffi Graf as its founder. The foundation focuses on helping children that have been traumatized by different kinds of situations. For example, atrocities like war. Many refugees that were children and teenagers from Syria, Afghanistan, and Sudan were helped. Their traumas were treated by a team of therapists and doctors. Losing a family member, being in an environment where there is a constant fear of war, being afraid for your safety, the violence, all may result in depression, sleep disorders or even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. That is why the resources that this organization is offering are really important. Since its foundation, they have helped the regions of Eritrea and Uganda. Also, their project called Honighelden has helped children between 6 and 10 years old since 2017.
FAQ:
Steffi Graf was born June 14, 1969. She is now 52 years old.
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi got married in 2001 and have been together for 20 years.
Stefi said that she stopped enjoying tennis and announced her retirement at the age of 30.
Stefi’s husband, the legendary tennis player Andre Agassi. They have been married for more than 20 years.
Steffi Graf began her professional career in October 1982
Steffi Graf earned $21,895,277 in prize money during his professional career
Legendary German tennis player Stefanie Graf is 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) tall
Steffi Graf is currently involved in charity work and founded Children for Tomorrow, an organization that helps children. Steffi and Andre Agassi sometimes participate in exhibition matches.
