Maybe you don't see Steffi in the locker room talking to Martina and Chris in a social way because 1) Steffi just turned 20 and Martina and Chris are 30-somethings; and 2) Steffi and Martina and Chris didn't play a lot of the same tournaments due to the WTA's field commitments and/or Martina and Chris limiting/arranging their schedules due to age or preferences.
Women have come a long way in tennis
USA TODAY
Monday, November 13, 1989
Doug Smith
NEW YORK - In the early days of women's pro tennis, Billie Jean King and a small band of buddies spent as much time pleading for publicity and sponsorship as they did playing matches.
Behind King's determination and Chris Evert's emergence, interest in women's tennis grew steadily in the 1970s. Then, the athleticism and power of Martina Navratilova and her rivalry with Evert helped solidify the women's circuit in the 1980s.
What can fans expect in the 1990s? The answer is being played out this week at Madison Square Garden, where the tour completes its 19th year at the $1 million Virginia Slims Championships. Another legend in the making - Steffi Graf - and a group of young and veteran challengers begin play today in the best attended women's tournament (94,080 fans in 1988) for the biggest payoff. The winner earns $125,000.
The field of stars, which also includes defending champion Gabriela Sabatina and Martina Navratilova, is capable of pushing women's tennis to a higher level in the 1990s.
"With Graf, Martina, Sabatini, (Arantxa) Sanchez-Vicario and (Monica) Seles, we've reached a golden horizon,'' says Ted Tinling, 80, the Virginia Slims international liaison.
This week's championship could very well be the last one without Jennifer Capriati, 13, who will turn pro early next year.
"When Capriati joins the tour next year, that'll make it even better. We never had it so good,'' Tingling says.
No. 1 seed Graf, 20, a grand slam winner in 1988, is undisputedly the game's dominant figure. Her 11 tournament titles this year includes three grand slam events - the Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open. The West German's bid for an unprecedented second consecutive grand slam ended at the French Open, where she lost to Sanchez-Vicario in the final. Graf's match record this year is 69-2.
"Steffi Graf is the reason the game is in such healthy shape,'' says Evert, 34, who retired after the U.S. Open. "She's caused the others to try to catch up to her level. And you have to include Capriati because she could be in the top 10 in the world next year.''
Sabatini, 19, and Sanchez-Vicario, 17, posted the only victories against Graf this year, and Seles, 15, pushed Graf to three sets in their first meeting in the French Open semifinals. Before playing Graf in the French Open final, Sanchez-Vicario proclaimed Graf beatable, then went out and proved it.
Sabatini, who could face Graf in the semifinals this week, handed Graf her first loss of the year in April at the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Fla.
"Steffi is very strong mentally,'' Sabatini says. "I think that's the only difference. I think I'm getting much better mentally.''
Sabatini has won four titles this year, including the Lipton International Players Championships. She and Graf play doubles together at grand slam events.
Sabatini has beaten Graf only three times in 20 matches but has no fear of the player dubbed Fraulein Forehand.
"These young players are not afraid of anyone,'' says Pam Shriver. "And they hit the ball so hard, consistently.''
Evert says Graf "hits the ball twice as hard as any player has ever hit the ball.''
Though Sabatini, Sanchez-Vicario and Seles have demonstrated the ability to beat Graf, No. 2 Navratilova is expected to be Graf's opponent in Sunday's best-of-five final. Evert, Shriver and King also see Navratilova as Graf's major threat for No. 1 next year.
"She's eager again,'' says King, who has helped coach Navratilova since Wimbledon. "Look at her scores, she's getting better. She came close (to beating Graf) at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. I think Martina finally realizes she can beat her again.''
Says Shriver: "Let's say Graf slips a fraction ... if anyone is going to beat her on this surface, it's going to be Martina.''
Navratilova, who has won two consecutive tournaments, withdrew from the Virginia Slims of Chicago last week because of a groin muscle injury suffered during an early match in the tournament. She hopes to take on Graf for the title but says she doesn't think she can replace Graf at No. 1 next year.
"The Slims championship takes on more importance since I sat out two grand slams (Australian and French opens),'' Navratilova says. "I'm really psyched about playing here. (Winning) would be a nice exclamation point to end the year and a good start for next year.''
Navratilova completes her 15th year on the circuit as the leading prize money-winner ($14.9 million) for men and women. Twenty four other women, including Evert ($8.9 million) and Graf ($4.7 million) also have earned more than $1 million in career prize money. Sabatini has earned $2.4 million and Sanchez-Vicario and Seles could have more than $1 million by the end of next year.
King and eight other players began the tour in Houston 19 years ago. Gladys Heldman provided the guidance; Joe Cullman III, chairman emeritus Philip Morris put up the $7,500 prize money. This year, the tour consisted of 63 tournaments offering $17 million prize money. Prize money in next year's Virginia Slims Championships will be raised from $1 million to $3 million.
Tournament director Ella Musolina was excited by last year's performance at the ticket office.
"We expect to do better this year,'' Musolina said. "The Virginia Slims Championships have become the richest and best-attended women's event in the world.''
King is proud of her role in developing the tour, but she's disturbed by the younger pros' lack of camaraderie and involvement in the Women's International Tennis Association, the player's organization.
"Everyone is so insulated,'' says King. "You don't see Steffi in the locker room talking to Martina and Chris in a social way. You just see all these little groups of parents with the player. They go out to practice, then leave and never socialize. Why do you think business people are socializing all the time? It makes everything better for everybody.
"Things are so good now, nobody really cares. I'm sure their actions would change if there wasn't so much money out there.''
Yugoslavian-born Seles, one of five teenagers who qualified for the championships, expects to be involved with the political aspects of the game later in her career. She plans to attend WITA-sponsored seminars designed to help acquaint young pros with relationships with sponsors and the media.
"The first couple of years, I'll go and just listen,'' Seles says. "When I get older I'll get more involved.''
Says King: "The WITA's No. 1 job is ... to get the players more unified, but I don't know how they're going to do it.''
Otherwise, King says the women's game "is just about where I thought we'd be. I hope we can get better.''