Steffi Graf - Unscripted
- Thread starter Moose
- Start date
^^ I always relate Seffi to the stabbing attack. I know she didn't do it, but she didn't seem too upset that nothing was even done to the guy!
britbox
Multiple Major Winner
^Graf was always quiet, unassuming and didn't like the media spotlight. She was a class act.
On the few interviews she was asked about it, she made it clear how she felt.
For example:
Seles stabbing was my fault, says Graf
By LEO SCHLINK
STEFFI Graf blames herself for Monica Seles' stabbing by a crazed German tennis fan.
Graf says Seles would not have been attacked in Hamburg in 1993 if not for Guenter Parche's misguided belief that his German compatriot deserved to be No. 1.
Seles, who had won seven of nine majors leading up to the attack, never regained her stranglehold on the sport, leaving Graf to land 11 of her 21 grand slam singles titles.
"I was devastated," Graf said in an interview to be broadcast on Monday in the United States.
"I still feel there's a certain guilt because if I wouldn't have been around, the guy would never have done it."
Although still a contender, Seles has won only one major since resuming -- the 1996 Australian Open -- and is now locked in an endless battle with leg injuries.
Retirement looms for her.
Graf, one of the world's most recognisable athletes at her peak, said she was also dogged by stalkers.
"I've had a lot of stalkers and crazy people in my life, unfortunately," she said.
"So I've had a lot of experience with crazy people doing crazy things in front of me."
Graf, 35, is now married with two children to American star Andre Agassi, who will miss Wimbledon with a hip injury.
The German retired in August 1999, three months after landing the French Open, where her triumph was swamped with doubt.
"I started getting questions after Paris," she said. " 'Do you think you can win?' I got more questions, suddenly everybody is talking about it.
"I didn't realise how much it got to me. After I won it, I was just in the car crying."
Graf also speaks about the devastation of learning her father and mentor, Peter, had been jailed for tax evasion.
"He was the one that always took the time after work to play with me, even if it was in the backyard or in the living room," she said.
"My brother (Michael) meets me at the airport and he's like, 'Dad got in jail'.
"It was such an incredible shock. Trying to figure out what was going on and what happened. From then on, I was in shock.
"To see your dad in jail was really hard. That was something I struggled a lot with.
"For almost six years myself, there was a chance that I would even come to jail."
Graf said Agassi convinced her to have her own children after the Olympic gold medallist had initially wanted to adopt kids.
"Believe it or not, I always thought about adopting," she said. "He (Andre) made me want our children (Jaden Gil, two, and Jaz, 10 months)."
She said Agassi had helped her to become more extroverted, although she still fiercely protects her privacy.
"On the court, I have always been really quiet and reserved," she said.
"I've always looked forward to the time after my career, to follow my other interests -- then I met Andre and that changed. He started to creep into my mind and then my feelings grew and grew.
"I felt like we have so many goals in life that are the same and so many feelings and emotions that we felt towards each other. It was really incredible."
Graf said she found it difficult early in her career, which produced 107 singles titles and a record 377 weeks at No. 1, to enjoy her achievements.
"So often I just went on to the next tournament and gave it not enough time to let go," she said. "Early on, I just didn't enjoy those moments enough."
Graf said her mother, Heidi, had helped her to explore life outside tennis.
"My mom was my girlfriend on tour," she said. "We would play cards and games and she would take me to museums.
"She was the one who gave me that other side of tennis."
On the few interviews she was asked about it, she made it clear how she felt.
For example:
Seles stabbing was my fault, says Graf
By LEO SCHLINK
STEFFI Graf blames herself for Monica Seles' stabbing by a crazed German tennis fan.
Graf says Seles would not have been attacked in Hamburg in 1993 if not for Guenter Parche's misguided belief that his German compatriot deserved to be No. 1.
Seles, who had won seven of nine majors leading up to the attack, never regained her stranglehold on the sport, leaving Graf to land 11 of her 21 grand slam singles titles.
"I was devastated," Graf said in an interview to be broadcast on Monday in the United States.
"I still feel there's a certain guilt because if I wouldn't have been around, the guy would never have done it."
Although still a contender, Seles has won only one major since resuming -- the 1996 Australian Open -- and is now locked in an endless battle with leg injuries.
Retirement looms for her.
Graf, one of the world's most recognisable athletes at her peak, said she was also dogged by stalkers.
"I've had a lot of stalkers and crazy people in my life, unfortunately," she said.
"So I've had a lot of experience with crazy people doing crazy things in front of me."
Graf, 35, is now married with two children to American star Andre Agassi, who will miss Wimbledon with a hip injury.
The German retired in August 1999, three months after landing the French Open, where her triumph was swamped with doubt.
"I started getting questions after Paris," she said. " 'Do you think you can win?' I got more questions, suddenly everybody is talking about it.
"I didn't realise how much it got to me. After I won it, I was just in the car crying."
Graf also speaks about the devastation of learning her father and mentor, Peter, had been jailed for tax evasion.
"He was the one that always took the time after work to play with me, even if it was in the backyard or in the living room," she said.
"My brother (Michael) meets me at the airport and he's like, 'Dad got in jail'.
"It was such an incredible shock. Trying to figure out what was going on and what happened. From then on, I was in shock.
"To see your dad in jail was really hard. That was something I struggled a lot with.
"For almost six years myself, there was a chance that I would even come to jail."
Graf said Agassi convinced her to have her own children after the Olympic gold medallist had initially wanted to adopt kids.
"Believe it or not, I always thought about adopting," she said. "He (Andre) made me want our children (Jaden Gil, two, and Jaz, 10 months)."
She said Agassi had helped her to become more extroverted, although she still fiercely protects her privacy.
"On the court, I have always been really quiet and reserved," she said.
"I've always looked forward to the time after my career, to follow my other interests -- then I met Andre and that changed. He started to creep into my mind and then my feelings grew and grew.
"I felt like we have so many goals in life that are the same and so many feelings and emotions that we felt towards each other. It was really incredible."
Graf said she found it difficult early in her career, which produced 107 singles titles and a record 377 weeks at No. 1, to enjoy her achievements.
"So often I just went on to the next tournament and gave it not enough time to let go," she said. "Early on, I just didn't enjoy those moments enough."
Graf said her mother, Heidi, had helped her to explore life outside tennis.
"My mom was my girlfriend on tour," she said. "We would play cards and games and she would take me to museums.
"She was the one who gave me that other side of tennis."
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Did anyone read Monica's book when she talked about Steffi coming to visit her at the hospital following the stabbing? It's been many years since I read it, and I gave the book away, so I cannot quote it exactly, but I recall Monica saying the two of them could only look at each other, neither of them knew what to say to each other.
My bad :blush: Somehow I missed all of that about the stabbing :cover I remember the part about her father. However, still for some reason Steffi was just not my cup of tea!
MargaretMcAleer
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