Tennis Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Steffi Graf Admiration Thread Vol 2

864K views 6K replies 140 participants last post by  Michael! 
#1 ·
This is a great idea to start this topic...
I shall dedicate this thread to the player who made me notice tennis and follow it eversince I saw her play.....

Steffi Graf!
:bounce: :bounce:
 
#5,938 ·
A VIEW OF STEFFI GRAF'S SUCCESS THROUGH THE EYES OF AN EX-COACH
Scripps Howard News Service
Tuesday, November 21, 1995
GREGORY B. RICHARDS

Pavel Slozil calls, but Steffi Graf doesn't answer.

Despite winning three of this year's four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and the season-final WTA Tour Championships, Graf's life is currently in an emotional and physical tailspin that Slozil wishes he could help her straighten out.

After all, Slozil's responsibility was to take care of Graf's emotional and physical bouts as her coach for five years until 1991.

But instead of feeling Graf's emotions or hearing her thoughts directly as he once did, Slozil has been reduced to reading and watching the news just like the rest of us.

"Contact is very minimized ... I don't know. I think very good friends at least call each other, but we don't have such a relationship anymore. She's busy. There's other things going on in the world than to call me. It's difficult to reach her. I tried to reach her through the agency to try to help her or talk to her. But, that's probably normal," Slozil said.

Slozil, 39, reflected on his relationship with Graf upon a recent visit to the World Tennis Center as part of a German group of players visiting Naples.

But Graf is not far from his thoughts, and he continues to keep a close eye on her career both on and off the court.

Particularly troubling to him is the investigation Graf is going under for suspected tax evasion. Already her father, Peter Graf, has been in jail for months for those same suspicions. Slozil was shocked when he heard the news.

"All I can say is she is a nice girl, very quiet, very fair. She would never do something wrong. But somebody made a mistake. Somebody is responsible for those tax problems. I cannot say. I had nothing to do with the money at the time, and it's already been four years," Slozil said.

Slozil was intimate with the Graf family for some time and developed his own take on the family's patriarch, Peter.

"Everyone says he's a bad guy. But he's the one who made her. She was born a champion. He made her like tennis every day and train it. I credit him for what she is.

"At 16 to 16 1/2, I started coaching her, and tried to be around as much as possible. He slowed down and started to trust me. Our relationship was good. That's how we stayed together for five years."

There have been times when Steffi Graf and Slozil have run across each other at Wimbledon and occasionally in Germany, but Slozil describes the conversations as rather short and perfunctory.

But perhaps their strongest contact came at one of the most notorious incidents in tennis history when tennis star Monica Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan on April 30, 1993 in Hamburg, Germany.

Slozil who was then coaching Magdalena Maleeva, was among the spectators.

"I saw it. We spoke about it. It was terrible. Monica was on the ground for a while and she was screaming and yelling. It was a shock. I was nervous. I had to hide myself away for a while." Slozil said.

From the stabbing to the present time, Graf has dominated women's tennis, winning six of the last 10 Grand Slam tournaments. Graf lost her No. 1 position to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario at the beginning of 1995, but regained it after defeating Sanchez Vicario in the French Open.

Graf has since maintained her No. 1 ranking winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open where she defeated Seles in the final after Seles' two-and-a-half year layoff.

Slozil, like the rest of women's tennis, is glad to see Seles back, but Slozil believes Graf needed her more than anyone.

"(Seles) was younger and more eager. She had the will to win," Slozil said of the time Seles dominated the game before the tragedy. "(Graf) had a lot of her success behind her, and she had won everything. Now she enjoys the challenge of Monica."

But before Seles' subsequent challenges, Graf took over women's tennis from Martina Navratilova and produced one of the greatest runs in sports history that is fondly dubbed the "Golden Grand Slam," where Graf won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open all in 1988.

What made it sparkle even more was a shimmering Gold medal dangling around her neck at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

So why did they split if things were rolling along so smoothly? It was just time to let go and for Graf to get new ideas. Shortly after the split, Heinz Gunthardt became her coach and is still her coach today.

"Five years is a lot of years. I was with her 32 to 35 weeks a year. It's not easy. It's like a tennis marriage without the sex," Slozil said.

After Graf, Slozil coached Jennifer Capriati for five months at the beginning of 1992 and then switched to Maleeva, whom he coached until May 1994.

He has not coached anyone on the major pro circuit since. Slozil now lives in Austria with his wife and daughter and has opened his own tennis academy.

"I'm trying to give (Nick) Boliterri a little competition."

And competition was part of Slozil's life for a while as he played seven years on the tour and won two singles titles including the 1985 Austrian Open. His highest rank was 34th.

Slozil was better in doubles where he won 34 tournaments and several of them with Davis Cup teammate Thomas Smid. In fact, Slozil is a one-time Grand Slam champion himself winning the 1978 French Open mixes doubles crown with Renata Tomanova.

Slozil also helped Czechoslovakia win the 1980 Davis Cup with a team that included Ivan Lendl.

But Slozil will most likely be remembered for his years with Graf, whom many cite as perhaps the game's greatest player ever.

"It's a close call to say who is the best ever. She's won 18 slams titles. There's so many (great ones), but to me she's the best ever."

(Gregory B. Richards writes for the Naples Daily News in Naples, Fla.)
 
#5,939 ·
Graf shows world what it means to be a true champion
South China Morning Post
Tuesday, November 21, 1995
CRAIG GABRIEL

IF you ask Steffi Graf how she is holding up, her response speaks volumes - "That's for other people to judge but I think I am holding up all right."

Few sporting identities have been through what this world number one has experienced in 1995 and it is a testament to her strength that she has been able to put to one side such distractions. Her recent life has been like a soap opera.

For the past 18 months Graf has been suffering chronic back problems and they became so bad that she was forced to withdraw from the 1995 Australian Open. Then the off-court dramas involving her father, Peter, hit the headlines and he was arrested and imprisoned for tax evasion. There was a time when it seemed that even the 26-year-old star was going to be indicted, but after a three-hour session of gruelling questions it was felt that she had no part to play in the tax scandal.

The irony of it all is that Graf was the one German tennis player who elected never to drop her German residency. Boris Becker set up a tax base in Monte Carlo, but since getting married and becoming a father he has moved back to Munich, and Michael Stich is living in Salzburg, Austria, with its liberal tax laws.

Naturally she refuses to talk about what has happened, but it certainly appears that when this whole case goes to court there will be a lot of dirty laundry aired.

Herr Graf is reportedly not a well man, but is expected to remain incarcerated in Mannheim "for a long time". It is alleged one person that could be named is the German finance minister Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder who was a close friend of Peter Graf, but is now denying any such association. Peter Graf has made it clear that deals were made with important authorities for privileged treatment. As an example; reports have been confirmed that in 1993 Peter Graf and tax authorities in their particular region agreed that Steffi's taxable income was US$2.5 million when in fact it was US$16 million. Also, no tax returns were filed from 1989 to 1992.

Through all this Steffi has had to put on a brave face and play tennis at the highest level. It just goes to show what a remarkable athlete and champion she is. Coming into this week's season-ending tournament for the women, the WTA Tour Championships at Madison Square Garden, she had lost just two matches - to Amanda Coetzer at the Canadian Open in August and to Mariaan de Swardt at Brighton in October.

Amazingly, this is the year she refers to as her best ever for tennis which is saying something when you consider her record that includes the only "Golden Slam" ever recorded in tennis history. In 1988 she won the Grand Slam (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open) and then added the Olympic Gold Medal to the tally.

"I have had in my career incredible wins, but this is my best year by far," said Graf. "This was a year that I toughed out. I unexpectedly won the French, I unexpectedly won Wimbledon and I very unexpectedly won the US Open. Even though I have many other Grand Slams that mean a lot for a lot of different reasons, by far the US Open this year was the most difficult and I had to overcome a lot of difficult obstacles to win it and of all, it means the most to me."

However, she did concede there were times when getting motivated was difficult.

Graf said: "It is rare that I feel that I am bored on court, but it might happen when I have other things on my mind. Maybe I should put it this way, it doesn't really mean that I am bored, it just means that may be I am not 100 per cent on the court for different reasons.

"I'm sure that everybody finds times in their lives when it is difficult to always remain focused. Certain things off court will distract you and there are other things you feel that are more important."

Looking at her walk on court this week to accept her award as Player of the Year, one would never have believed so much turmoil was churning up her private life.

"Tennis allows me to get away from a lot of things," she said.

"I've got something that I love doing and so to be able to do it is just a pleasure . . . that's how I look at it."

When she is away from the courts her attention goes to interior decorating and art. Fashion is another hobby for her. She launched the Steffi Graf Collection soon after Wimbledon, but unfortunately it appears this too has been caught up in the tax problems and she is reluctant to talk about it.

Her ultimate goal is to play perfect tennis, but ask what perfect tennis is for her and you will see those blue eyes searching for the right answer.

"It's a feeling you have got once you're on the court, you feel that things are are going the way that you really want them to and shots have incredible placement or certain speed and you can do almost anything on court. Once you get to that zone, it's that feeling, a feeling that you can't really describe," she said.

All she wants to do, and ever wanted to do, is play tennis and because of that she did not want to be bothered with the financial aspects of her business.

Steffi Graf has admitted making a mistake in not being more attentive with her financial affairs and "rather blindly trusted that everything was in order". She has now appointed Price Waterhouse to oversee things, and has promised to pay whatever taxes are owed.

With the women's tennis season for 1995 at a close, she might have time to do it in between playing some money exhibitions in Mexico and South America.
 
#5,940 ·
FIVE-SET FINAL TURNED A HO-HUM MATCH INTO A THRILLER
The Star-Ledger
Newark, NJ
Tuesday, November 21, 1995
AL PICKER

The only five-set singles final on the circuit for women tennis players is at the WTA Tour Championships in Madison Square Garden.

If the fans had a vote, it would be landslide in favor of having five-set wrapups at the Grand Slams, too.

Sunday's title match between Steffi Graf and Anke Huber might have had a pedestrian conclusion to the biggest women's competition outside of the Grand Slam events. It didn't, thanks to its unique five-set format.

Just imagine if Graf had won in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-1. The second set would have been considered only an aberration, that Huber had just caught Graf off guard and that the first and third sets were really the difference between the players.

Instead, the Garden crowd was treated to an exciting five-set battle with the conclusion in doubt until the final two games. Graf was unexpectedly taken through the wringer by an opponent playing the match of her career before the world champion emerged with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory.

In 1988, Graf stormed through the French Open final in 32 minutes, crushing Natasha Zvereva, 6-0, 6-0. The WTA Tour Championships is a nationally televised showcase event, and when Graf had a triple-break situation for a 6-0 first set after 21 minutes there was serious concern that a rout would be an embarrassment for the women players.

As it turned out, Huber had time to regroup and make it a match that fans will remember for a long time, outdistancing the only other five-set final to go the full distance. That was when Monica Seles, a relative newcomer, rallied from a 1-2 deficit in sets to beat Gabriela Sabatini for the 1990 crown.

MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR the women to reconsider their constant rebuff of overtures to add best-of-five-set finals at the majors. The Australian Open tried to drop the traditional best-of-three sets match for its 1995 tournament in Melbourne and the women rejected the change.

Huber, as expected, was wholeheartedly in favor of such a change away from the traditional setup.

"I think it would be great if they make it (five sets) in all the Grand Slam tournaments ... the finals, at least," said the 20-year-old Huber, flush from extending Graf to the limit two days ago. No one is asking for more than the final round. "For women's tennis it would great... great for the spectators. I think they should do it."

While Huber gave an enthusiastic affirmation, Graf was in favor, but had her reservations.

"It all depends on the surface," said Graf, the world's No. 1-ranked woman player. "I think that it would be tough for us to play on a clay court best of five (referring to the French Open). Or even in Australia where it's pretty hot. Going five sets there, going the distance would be pretty difficult. But it's possible."

Graf has obviously given some thought to the subject. She's right about the French and Australian Opens. The clay in Paris' Stade Roland Garros is the red stuff, the slow surface. A long, drawn out encounter between baseliners could go on for hours. The rallies could be boring beyond description. A three or four hour title match would hurt a game trying to show off its best side to courtside fans and to millions of TV viewers.

Add in the possibility of rain delays and one could even envision two-day finals.

The Australian Open's Flinders Park has a retractable stadium roof so rain wouldn't be a problem, but the heat is another matter. The summer heat Down Under has seen the court thermometer soar to 130 degrees.

But consideration should be given to making the creative move at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Heat is no factor at Wimbledon and the grass courts are fast enough so that matches would not be interminably long.

Tradition might hold back change for a while at the All-England Club, home for Wimbledon. But that would not be any trouble for the American Grand Slam in Flushing Meadow, N.Y. Innovations are nothing new at the U.S. Open, which was the first to incorporate tie-breakers and night tennis.

REMEMBER THE BOYCOTT the women were planning to make at the 1996 Australian Open?

The U.S. Open and the Australian Open had been offering equal prize monies to the men and women, while the French Open and Wimbledon were paying the men slightly more.

Revolt talk came about when the Aussies decided on a new pay scale, offering the men a total of $330,000 more because it was felt that the men played longer matches and the public found their matches more interesting. The difference wouldn't be in the top prize but would have been parceled out in the earlier rounds.

WTA Tour officials and Tennis Australia, sponsor of the Australian Open, have decided to compromise, making the differences in payoffs right down the line, top to bottom. The women have wisely backtracked on this issue this time around with the Grand Slam event only two months away, and plans are already afoot that would make amends in the future.

The players have agreed that a boycott was not the solution, that $330,000 shouldn't knock a Grand Slam event from the schedule. A major consideration was that the tour had a new sponsor (Corel Corp., an international leader in computer graphics and CD-ROM technology) coming aboard, investing some $12 million for the next three years.

"We're not happy with what happened," observed Billie Jean King, a leader of the women's revolt for equal pay 25 years ago. "It's too late to organize a boycott and the players will go with the package. But it was important for them to show their displeasure."

Pam Shriver felt that it was "taking a step backwards after 10 years of equality. It's disheartening. But the adjustment that we have now agreed to gives us about 90 per cent of the men's prizes. What's disappointing is that we have to continually prove ourselves."

The five-set final between Graf and Huber certainly goes a long way in proving the interest and competitiveness in the women's ranks. And when Seles returns fulltime, there should be a real fight for No. 1.

"There are a lot of good players who will challenge me," offered Graf, the top-ranked player in seven of the last nine years. "But on a steady basis, she (Seles) is the one."
 
#5,941 ·
Sampras, Graf keep spots atop rankings for third year in row
USA TODAY
Tuesday, November 21, 1995
Doug Smith

Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf each overcame sobering, emotional challenges to be ranked No. 1 in the world on their respective tours for a third consecutive year.

"It just goes to show you with a little hard work and dedication, things work out pretty well at the end," Sampras said.

Said Graf, "I definitely passed a few barriers that I didn't think I could."

Sampras, 24, a semifinalist at the IBM/ATP Tour World

Championship, finished 77 points ahead of Andre Agassi on the ATP computer.

Sampras became the fourth men's pro to be ranked No. 1 at least three years in a row. The others: Jimmy Connors (1974-78), John McEnroe (1981-84) and Ivan Lendl (1985-87).

"To be put on the same page is certainly something I will appreciate later on when my career is over," Sampras said.

Graf completed her bittersweet year Sunday by defeating compatriot Anke Huber 6-1, 2-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 at the Corel WTA TOUR Championships in New York. Chris Evert (1975-77) and Martina Navratilova (1982-86) are the other women's pros to be ranked No. 1 at least three consecutive years.

Though hobbled by back and foot injuries, Graf won nine titles, including Wimbledon and the French and U.S. opens, and finished with a remarkable 47-2 record. She lost her first match in August, weeks after her father was jailed for in connection with a tax evasion case.

Graf will share No. 1 with Monica Seles, who returned to the tour in August after a two-year absence. Seles, impressive in a stirring three-set U.S. Open final loss to Graf, skipped the season finale because of tendinitis in her left knee.

Graf, who became No. 1 in 1987, slipped to No. 2 in 1991 when Seles dominated the tour for two years.

Graf reclaimed the top spot after a fan stabbed Seles April 30, 1993, during an event in Hamburg, Germany.

"I think Monica is the main competitor to look forward to," Graf said. "There are a lot of other good players that can challenge you, but on a steady basis, . . . she's the one."

Sampras began the year at No. 1, fell behind Agassi in the spring, then regained the top spot after Agassi bowed out of the Paris Open last month with a strained chest muscle. Agassi also missed the ATP finale because of the injury.

Sampras won five titles, including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. He cried during an Australian Open match after his coach, Tim Gullikson, was diagnosed with brain tumors. Sampras dedicated his U.S. Open title to Gullikson.

Final Top 10

ATP

1. Pete Sampras, USA

2. Andre Agassi, USA

3. Thomas Muster, Austria

4. Boris Becker, Germany

5. Michael Chang, USA

6. Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Russia

7. Thomas Enqvist, Sweden

8. Jim Courier, USA

9. Wayne Ferreira, South Africa

10. Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia

WTA

1. Steffi Graf, Germany

1. Monica Seles, USA

2. Conchita Martinez, Spain

3. A. Sanchez Vicario, Spain

4. Kimiko Date, Japan

5. Mary Pierce, France

6. Magdalena Maleeva, Bulg.

7. Gabriela Sabatini, Argentina

8. Mary Joe Fernandez, USA

9. Iva Majoli, Croatia

10. Anke Huber, Germany
 
#5,942 ·
Just not enough time off between the end of the season and the beginning of the next.

Graf adds name to Open field
ASHLEY BROWNE
November 22, 1995
The Age

With the threat of a women's boycott having officially subsided, Steffi Graf yesterday added her name to the field for the Ford Australian Open at Flinders Park in January.

While Graf was always expected to play, she was one of several signatories to a letter to Tennis Australia objecting to the loss of parity with men's prize money. The matter was settled in New York last week following a meeting between the WTA and Tennis Australia president, Geoff Pollard.

Graf's 1995 campaign included three grand slam titles and the WTA championship. She is a four-time Australian champion.

''I think I'll be stronger next year," Graf said in New York on Monday after clinching the WTA title with a five-set win over Anke Huber.

If as expected, Monica Seles enters the Open in the next few days, tournament organisers can keenly anticipate a Graf-Seles final, which will be only their second meeting since Seles' comeback to the sport.

Huber, Mary Joe Fernandez and Iva Majoli have also formally entered the Open. Fernandez is a dual finalist at Flinders Park, while Croat Majoli, at 16, is already the ninth-ranked player in the world.
 
#5,943 ·
The acknowledgements that Steffi was/is "real world" tough begin to trickle in.

OTHER VOICES
GIVE SOME THANKS FOR THESE PEOPLE

The Star-Ledger
Newark, NJ
Friday, November 24, 1995
By BILL LYON

At the time of the year when we say thanks and head for the shopping malls, here are some sports figures for whom I am especially thankful:

* John Lucas. Not Luke the 76ers coach, who is by turns funny and furious and frustrated, but Luke the persistent and indefatigable, the recovering drunk and druggie who never meets a soul he doesn't consider worthy of salvation. For him, no cause is ever too hopeless, and even if he is betrayed or let down, he does not waver in his reaching out. His is an example truly worth emulating.

* Cal Ripken Jr. Not just for the dignity he brings, not just for being the durable epitome of what is known as keep on keepin' on, but for the victory lap he was shoved into taking the night of No. 2,131. What struck me was that he stopped to shake the hands of groundskeepers and obviously knew them, most by name. The essence of a man is revealed in such moments, and Ripken demonstrated an uncommon common touch.

* Don Mattingly. Donnie Baseball, The Last Yankee Hero, apparently is retiring. Once he was the best all-round player in the bigs. No ring for him, but sing no sad songs. Like Ripken and Eisenreich and Lucas, Mattingly understands what matters. "My father was a mailman," he said, "and he worked hard and did the best he could. To me, that's a hero, that's a role model." Amen.

* Lou Tepper. He is the football coach at the University of Illinois, and his wins barely outnumber his losses, but he insists that black players room with white players, and vice versa, and once a week there is Unity Night and his players, of both colors, say they are much the better for the experience. Oh yes, going into this year, 62 of Tepper's 63 seniors have graduated. Hmmmm, racial understanding and obliterating stereotypes and an education. Kind of makes the Rose Bowl seem a little irrelevant, doesn't it?

* Jim Eisenreich. Not for his level batting stroke, but for his level approach to life. He brings children in by the busload every month during the Phillies season and tells them that the Tourette's syndrome that makes them emit strange noises and convulses their bodies in uncontrollable tics and twitches can be what they make of it. Eisenreich initially prayed that the nervous disorder would be lifted from him. It was not, and he learned to make it work for him, and now he tells them that some of our greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

* Steffi Graf. The impression is that of a poor little rich girl. She's made $100 million and is the best in the world at what she does, but her life is a mess. Her father is in jail, the government hounds her even though, unlike many tennis stars, she didn't desert her country and take up residence in a tax-free municipality. She has broken down and cried in public and looks terribly alone and vulnerable at 26. Yet she gathers herself and plays on with inspired fury. She got to the finals of nine tournaments this year and won them all. Nine-for-nine through a veil of tears - now that's one tough athlete.

* Julie Krone. She rode her 3,000th winner this month, and that's pretty close to 3,000 base hits. Hall of Fame stuff. She is 32. She is in her 15th year of riding. A generation ago, there were no female jockeys. About half the bones in her body have been broken. Usually, they are still healing when she's being boosted back on another mount. People ask who's the toughest athlete and I always nominate her. She can make them run faster than they thought they could. We genuflect before coaches for less.

* Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. The Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig of their sport. Gretzky is an appealing mixture of elegance and humility. He has been the very best but never acted it. Lemieux is a recurring example of the indomitability of the human spirit.

* Joshua William Lyon, born six days ago. His grandfather's indulgent fantasy is that he follow his older brother, Evan Michael Lyon, 2, as winner of, first, the Heisman Trophy, and then the Nobel Peace Prize. Other than that, guys, no pressure on you at all.
 
#5,944 ·
Of course Shriver would rant the loudest. There were and are waaaaayyy too many players who think they deserve money because they hit the ball over the net a little bit, as if playing tennis were a job with any social utility beyond a your-mileage-will-vary entertainment value. The money comes from sponsors and spectators, who want something in return. And if they don't feel like they are getting a fair return, they can go elsewhere for their exposure and entertainment. The Sorority Sisters and their behind-the-scenes cronies from Back In The Day either could not see/understand that they really had come a long way from needing to get sponsorship and fans by playing on people's social conscience ("We know most of us stink, and you know most of us stink, but give us your money to show your support for women's lib!") or they believed women's tennis could never be a legitimate revenue generator as a competitive performance sport. The old need to pay above market value to the fill-in-the-draw players because the WTA had only 75 or so women with which to fill a draw was long gone. They should have thrown the rank-and-file and "top" players who never beat other top players under the bus and acknowledged the tour's real money-makers.

Market value now deciding pay scales
The Washington Times
Friday, November 24, 1995
Josh Young

Professional tennis has always operated like a quasi-welfare state, and it looks like there are going to be some cuts.

This was the subtle point Australian Open officials were making in their recent announcement that the total women's purse for the 1996 event will be $330,000 less than the men's, although the women's champion and runner-up still will earn the same amount as the men.

Australian Open officials were saying that the women's final is as valuable as the men's, but the early rounds aren't. Whether or not the two singles finals are of equal value, the fact is that early round women's matches at Grand Slam events generally are boring, straight-set affairs.

Grumbles from women's tour officials and players about the Australian Open's market-driven decision reverberated last week through the catacombs of Madison Square Garden, where the women were playing their year-end WTA Tour Championships. There was even talk of a boycott, but out of deference to the new tour sponsor, Corel, the women's players decided against it.

Pam Shriver, a past president of the WTA Tour, ranted the loudest.

"For me, this Australia thing has been the most hurtful and politically backward maneuver in all the time I've been around," she told The New York Times.

Of course, the women don't deserve equal pay as the men. They play best-of-three sets, not best-of-five, at the Grand Slams. The men receive more television time because their game is more popular than the women's and brings in a larger share of the revenue. But that's beside the point.

The women should be worried that their new sponsor might catch on to the welfare state that exists in tennis. The men should worry about it, too, because their ATP Tour probably supports twice as many players as the women's WTA Tour.

Basically, the top players support the rest of the tour. Corporate sponsors spend money on tennis to get attention for their products. The top players attract attention to an event through the print media. The more popular these players are, the more watched the sport is and the more money corporate sponsors will pour into it.

Consider that in men's tennis, the No. 100-ranked player this year will earn more than $200,000 in prize money. Although this is nowhere near the $5 million-plus that No. 1 Pete Sampras will make, most of the No. 100 player's money was put into the sport because of the Sampras-caliber players.

Promoter John Korff recognized this welfare state a long time ago. Its existence was one of the reasons he sold the franchise rights to his women's event in Mahwah, N.J., in the late 1980s and now runs an exhibition event.

Korff reportedly has paid players like Monica Seles, Steffi Graf and Jennifer Capriati more than $300,000 to play in his exhibition. Meanwhile, the total prize money for his tournament is less than $150,000. He pays based on market forces.

The Australian Open appears to have caught on to the real economics of tennis. Because of this, women's tennis needs to be careful where it picks its fights.

MAKING A RACKET - The ATP Tour Board of Directors has endorsed a rule change that would outlaw the use of rackets more than 29 inches long, down from the current maximum of 32 inches.

The catalyst for this proposed ban, which will now be taken up with the International Tennis Federation, was Michael Chang. When he switched to a 29-inch racket, he become the first pro to play with a racket longer than 28. Tour officials fear things might get out of hand, as they did in the early 1970s with the "spaghetti" string rackets.

This picayune measure is sure to spark debate over the real racket issue: fiber. The arrival of graphite and boron rackets in the early 1980s was the advent of three-shot-rally power tennis. Many traditionalists have called for a return to wood rackets in the pros, similar to Major League Baseball's rule banning metal bats.

NO LAUGHING MATTER - Steffi Graf 's tax problems with the German government are so serious that people are making jokes about it now.

On ESPN SportsCenter last Sunday night, Keith Olbermann did a segment on the final of WTA Tour Championships, won by Graf in five sets over Anke Huber. He announced that Huber had won $250,000 as the runner-up. Then he said, "We won't tell you how much Steffi won in case you work for the German tax authorities."

Neither will we.
 
#5,945 ·
When behaving like a mature, rational, responsible professional is impressive enough to get a nomination for "sainthood," that's a damning statement about everybody else. Steffi did what billions (no exaggeration) of other people on the planet did/do all the time. All the time. While the Seles camp might have sneeringly asked, "How can she just continue to play tennis, as if nothing were wrong and her father sits in jail back home. Why wasn't she at home helping him?" or been genuinely shocked that she did, the vast majority of humanity sees carrying on in the face of adversity and uncertainty as admirable, or at least necessary,

Saintly Graf wins points over rivals in more ways than one
South China Morning Post
Monday, November 27, 1995
JOHN CREAN

IF ever there was a prima facie case for a sports star to be canonized, Steffi Graf presented it powerfully this season.

Saint Steffi has a good ring to it, don't you think?

She deserves an honorary sainthood at the very least after emerging with halo intact and reputation burnished from one of those annus horribilis that British Royals keep twittering on about.

What could be more horrible than seeing your father thrown in jail for alleged tax evasion (with your money) and having to hobble about with excruciatingly painful back and foot injuries?

Graf endured the pain and somehow managed to play the best tennis of her career.

She won all three Grands Slams she entered (injury kept her out of the Australian Open) and finished the season on a high by defeating fellow German Anke Huber in the WTA Tour Championship last week.

And, are you listening Australia, that was over five sets. Yes, mate, just like the guys.

This is how she summed up the last 12 months: "It's been an unbelievable year. I have definitely passed a few barriers that I did not think I could. I went in to the French and US Opens not very well prepared, not playing very many tournaments.

"Physically, because I have not been able to train, I have not been really ready."

Is that disarmingly modest, or what? The girl is, well, a real saint.

Let's just stand her alongside fellow professionals Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati for a moment.

When the physical pain from the stabbing incident had gone, Seles continued to stay away from the tennis circuit. Her will had been broken and it took almost two years before she started competing again.

Capriati, with all that teenage angst building inside her, quit the tour and hung out with her friends.

She experimented a bit with the stuff American presidents don't inhale but that just brought about grief with the cops. Being a pre-pubescent superstar, with all that money, just sucks, gee it does.

If anyone had a ready-made excuse to hibernate or space out it was Graf, but she did not hide or do anything dopey. While daddy Peter (whose dalliances in the past have caused her untold anguish) was being locked up and the tax authorities were cutting her wealth by hundreds of millions, Graf fronted for tournaments and faced the often wicked press.

There were the occasional sobs and sometimes she looked like a little girl lost when pressed for details about the tax investigation, but she carried on with her life and her tennis.

Hell, last week she even wore a one-piece tennis dress for the first time in her career, not an act of someone who is trying to escape from the spotlight.

What a gem, what an angel, what a saint.
 
#5,946 ·
Papa finally sobered up enough to understand that he wasn't going to get out of that mess just because he was the father of Steffi Graf.

GRAF'S FATHER SET TO TALK ON TAX MESS
Rocky Mountain News
Tuesday, November 28, 1995
REUTER

The father of German tennis star Steffi Graf will break his silence today over his family's tax affairs, the prosecutor's office said Monday.

Peter Graf has been in jail since August on suspicion of evading tax on millions of marks earned by the women's world No. 1 tennis star. Steffi Graf also is being investigated but authorities so far have seen no need to arrest her.

Mannheim prosecutor Peter Wechsung told Reuters that lawyers defending Peter Graf, who so far has declined to be questioned over the charges, had said their client planned to make a statement to the prosecutors' office today.

News weekly Focus reported Saturday that Graf was ready to accept full responsibility for the tax evasion case to shield his daughter from taking any blame and could be released on bail by Christmas. But Wechsung said there had been no decision on granting Graf bail.

The magazine said Peter Graf also would pledge to reveal full details of his daughter's earnings and what had been done with the money.

In return, he hoped the investigation against the tennis star would be dropped and he would be released from jail where he is being kept to prevent him fleeing the country or concealing evidence, the magazine said.

Peter Graf, 57, has handled his daughter's financial affairs since the start of her career. She says she took no interest in the matter and did not even know how much she had earned.

Steffi Graf already has deposited $14 million to cover taxes investigators believe may have been evaded.
 
#5,949 ·
But still a day late and a dollar short as we would say in English. Also obvious that the writer didn't understand the ranking system or know when the stabbing happened.

Graf's father still jailed over taxes - 'Explanation' not enough for prosecutor
San Antonio Express-News
Wednesday, November 29, 1995
Compiled from Wire Reports

A written declaration by Steffi Graf's father about his part in a tax evasion case won't be enough to get him out of jail, a prosecutor in Mannheim, Germany, says.

Mannheim prosecutor Peter Wechsung also said Tuesday that because of secrecy laws on tax information, he could not reveal details in the two-page document received by his office from Peter Graf.

"We have acknowledged his explanation," Wechsung said Tuesday, but pointed out that Peter Graf still refuses to answer "critical questions."

Wechsung added that there was "considerable qualitative difference," between a written declaration and answering intense questions from a prosecutor.

"The reasons for his arrest remain," Wechsung said.

Graf was arrested in August for allegedly failing to declare or pay taxes on what media reports have said is up to $71 million earned by his daughter. He had acted as her financial manager.

Also arrested in the case is the Graf family tax adviser, Joachim Eckardt.

In an interview with the Munich-based Focus magazine, Peter Graf's lawyers said they expected him to be released from jail before Christmas, after he cooperated with prosecutors and posted bond.

Wechsung said he would "take no part in such speculation."

Wechsung said he didn't expect the investigation of Steffi Graf, the world's top-ranked female player, to be completed this year.

Steffi Graf, playing a limited schedule because of back ailments that cut into her tournament play, still managed to win $2,538,620 and rank No. 1 in money winnings this year.

All that is for singles play. She cut out doubles competition in order to rest her ailing back as much as possible.

Steffi Graf also remains tied for No. 1 on the Women's Tennis Association computer listing, despite her relatively light schedule.

She was also helped out by the fact that Monica Seles did not play for more than a year after being stabbed by a Graf fan who said he did it to eliminate Steffi's chief competitor from serious contention for the top ranking. Seles remains in a tie for first, even though she earned no points this year.

Injured Agassi withdraws from Davis Cup

The United States will play without Andre Agassi when it meets Russia this week for the Davis Cup title.

The world's No. 2 player has an injured chest, and the U.S. Tennis Association announced his withdrawal yesterday.

Agassi strained a chest muscle in September during the Davis Cup semifinals against Sweden in Las Vegas. He aggravated the injury last month during a tournament in Essen, Germany, and has not played since.

Agassi, who lost his No. 1 ranking to Pete Sampras during the layoff, was replaced by doubles specialist Richey Reneberg.

"You've got to go with healthy people," U.S. team captain Tom Gullikson said.

The competition in Moscow begins Friday with two singles matches on the red clay of indoor Olympic Stadium.

Gullikson said Agassi expressed interest in doubles before Gullikson left for Moscow last week. Though he and Agassi have yet to communicate since his arrival, Gullikson has made his decision.

"I just assumed Andre was not going to be ready," Gullikson said. Oddly, it was Agassi who convinced Sampras they should both play Davis Cup this year instead of focusing on their race for Grand Slam singles titles and computer points.

In early April, Sampras and Agassi joined forces to beat Italy in the quarterfinals in Palermo.

"It's a little ironic," Sampras said. "Andre certainly was very much a part of me playing in Palermo. We sacrificed quite a bit. It's too bad he wasn't fit enough to be here. We would have had an unbelievable team with me, Jim (Courier) and Andre; so many different combinations in singles and doubles.

"But that's just the way it goes in sports. I feel I am playing pretty well, and hopefully I can do it. But it's a pick 'em match."

Gullikson is expected to use Sampras and Courier for singles, and Reneberg and Todd Martin for doubles.

The Russians, seeking their first Davis Cup trophy, are expected to be represented by Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Alexander Volkov, Andrei Chesnokov and Andrei Olhovskiy.

The Russians defeated Germany in the semifinals, with Chesnokov saving nine match points against Michael Stich before clinching the fifth and decisive match.
 
#5,950 ·
Only tangentially related, but interesting for the sake of perspective. The amount that this guy owed was roughly Steffi's entire earnings, and his lovely legal loophole to avoid prosecution is a great example of how every county has wacky tax laws and sly people (the ones who make the wacky tax laws and the ones who take advantage of them). And yet the German media didn't make a big deal out of it.

GERMAN BANKNOTE BOSS DENIES TAX EVASION CLAIMS
Scripps Howard News Service
Wednesday, November 29, 1995
WOLFGANG MUNCHAU, The Financial Times

The owner of the company that prints half of Germany's banknotes has denied charges that he received illicit funds and tried to evade paying taxes.

Over the past few days German news media have leveled a series of accusations against the owner of Giesecke & Devrient, an old and respected Munich-based banknote printing company and a close and trusted associate of the Bundesbank.

In the past Siegfried Otto's complicated family life provided headlines for newspapers, rather than his commercial dealings and definitely not his secretive banknote printing company.

Little is known about Giesecke & Devrient, other than that it has sales of about $709 million, that it employs about 4,000 staff and that it prints banknotes for about 60 countries.

The accusations surfaced in a report last weekend in a Frankfurt-based newsletter which claimed that Otto had filed suit against himself -- a peculiarity of German tax law which allows someone to come clean on a tax debt.

Under German law, any citizen can file a self-incriminating suit, which automatically gives them immunity from future prosecution, as long as no investigation has been started at the time of the filing. The details of the suit, including the amounts involved and the circumstances, also remain subject to privacy laws.

Otto, 80, confirmed he had indeed filed a self-incriminating suit, but added that this was a normal procedure to iron out differences of opinion with the tax authorities.

"There is not, nor has there been, a pending investigation by the tax authorities against S. Otto," he said. "As far as there had been different views in the past between S. Otto and the tax authorities, these have been cleared up and have been transformed into legally binding decisions."

He did not divulge the amount he repaid to tax authorities although reports put the figure at $70 million. If this figure is correct, it would dwarf the amounts that Peter Graf, father of tennis star Steffi Graf, is alleged to have evaded in taxes.

The important difference is that Otto, having filed a self-incriminating suit, is immune to prosecution, unlike Graf.

Some of the allegations levelled against Otto could not have been reprinted in newspapers had Otto and his company not denied them in a statement.

Giesecke & Devrient's management board said: "The board believes that through false allegations there has been an attempt to destroy the life work of a successful businessman. ... Never has this company been involved with dubious businesses."

The board said it knew the source of the allegations, adding that they had taken "legal steps" against the person responsible.

The company was founded 143 years ago in Leipzig by Hermann Giesecke and Alphonse Devrient. It was rebuilt after World War II by Otto himself. Apart from security printing, Giesecke & Devrient also make credit cards and other security cards.

In Germany, more is known about Otto himself than about his company. As one of the country's richest men, Otto and his family have frequently been the subject of interest from Germany's mass-circulation newspapers.

Most recently he made headlines over reports that he wants to divorce his wife Ursula, whom he married six years ago.

(All currency U.S.)
 
#5,951 ·
Again, I'm not sure why some people in the tennis community expected Steffi to quit or go on hiatus or play half-heartedly. If anything she needed something "positive" and probably needed a cashflow. Besides, sitting at home for 27 months had already been done.

Graf ready to extend her reign - Tennis
Stuart Jones talks to the world No1's coach, who says reports of her retirement are premature.

The Times
London, England
Friday, December 1, 1995
Stuart Jones

Fears that Steffi Graf's tennis career may be truncated have been dispelled by her coach. Heinz Gunthardt, whose decision to change his own secondary job had helped to strengthen those suspicions, has now disclosed that the world's No1 woman player is ''more committed than ever".

Gunthardt is to join Eurosport, the satellite television channel, as a commentator next year, a move that suggested that his coaching duties might be curtailed, but he expects to be as busy with Graf as he was this year. Although her troublesome back so restricted her schedule that, midway through the year, she played only in grand slam events, he has seen significant recent development.

''The back problem is by no means fine, but it's manageable and I can't see her retiring soon," Gunthardt said. ''The condition she has been in in the past few months, there is no reason why she can't go on for some time. She's more committed than ever, though why I don't even think she knows herself."

He believes that the widely publicised distraction of her father's imprisonment for alleged tax evasion has spurred his charge. ''Maybe, when things go wrong in one area, you try to compensate for that," he said. ''Perhaps she needed a new motivation as well."

The return of Monica Seles was ''not a major factor. Steffi had so many problems that she didn't have the time to focus on anything but herself."

Gunthardt believes that it is Graf's ability to channel her concentration that has been her saviour. ''I've never met anyone like her in that respect," he said. ''That is why she's a champion. She can block things out so they don't exist. On court, nothing else matters. Her will-power is amazing."

Graf, with virtually no practice on clay, won the French Open title and, with scarcely any practice on grass, became the Wimbledon champion. Shortly afterwards, her father's case was exposed and she has since been besieged, by the German media in particular.

Nevertheless, she went on to take the US Open title and, a fortnight ago, the WTA Tour championship in New York. ''There's been no lack of desire since Wimbledon," Gunthardt said, ''and that has surprised even me. Where she draws the energy from beats me."

She has had to learn to be independent, too. When he asked Graf whether she wanted to change the weight and balance of her rackets, Gunthardt was astonished by the reply. ''It was outrageous," he said. ''She had no idea. She'd been told that they were all identical. She'd never had to think for herself."

Although Graf must still choose her schedule with care to protect her back, her coach's appraisal will soothe the concerns of women's tennis. For two years, and without a sponsor, the game lost stature and money partly because of the absence of a rivalry between her and Seles.

They have met only once, in the final of the US Open, during a year that has been dominated by Graf. At the start of it, the German was physically incapable of competing and, in spite of the psychological traumas that she has since suffered, she has ended it with only two defeats in her 49 matches.
 
#5,952 ·
^ I wish i could've known you when Steffi was winning, could've discussed alot (i knew no Graf fan's at the time). But in the late 90's there was no (significant) internet, so that would've been difficult. But she was my fave for many year's, but i have since moved on. I followed Steffi by clipping magazine article's at the time, and waiting impatiently for HBO to show her match during Wimbledon. :lol:
 
#5,953 ·
Having today's internet back in Steffi's era would have been fun, but then again maybe there would have been a real shooting war. If I tried to explain to the young'uns how different anything was before widely-available internet, I'd sound like Grandma talking about swinging on the outhouse door, but this view of Steffi's career (or any of the Year threads that we've posted stuff in) was not possible at the time, unless maybe you had The Best International Newsstand In The World, Ever nearby, and even then you'd be missing out on the smaller tournaments. That there really are so many Grafans from back in the day is amazing, given how hard it was to follow anything. One of my favorite fandom moments was overhearing a conversion in the late Eighties amongst a bunch of twenty-something-year-old guys at the marina about how hot Steffi's physique was and how cute her nose made her look.
 
#5,954 ·
An example of one a non-German would have never known about back in 1995. Also an example of a member of the German media taking his colleagues to task for their feeding frenzy.

The Hidden Face of Steffi Graf
Max Magazin
December 1995

Steffi Graf is the subject of a letter that Harald Wieser wrote to a New York society reporter. For the first time, the journalist who knows her from very personal past interviews comments on the Gräfin's 1995 plagued by the tax scandal of her father.

Dear Myriam!

Warm thanks for your letter in which you describe a nice New York City evening in early November to me: Your visit to the Ambassador Theater on Broadway to see the comedy "Fool Moon." For you, however, the main characters of that evening apparently weren't on the stage, but rather sat amongst the audience in the parquet -- Steffi Graf right beside her mother. Now you ask me if I would like to send you a "character assessment" of Steffi Graf. Because you are sitting over the task of writing a portrait of the Gräfin for your honorable New York newspaper.

Don't take offense, but I must refuse. So that you don't wonder about my motives, I would like to tell you a story. After the arrest of Peter Graf, my telephone must have rang a dozen times. The callers from my former battle stations, "Spiegel" and "Stern," and also from "Focus" invited me to write similar character assessments of Steffi Graf and her family, pleasantly professional like yourself. I, the regular Joe with hat in hand that I am, held the receiver in my hand, felt badly flattered, highly overrated, and said no.

Or the gentlemen lost interest in me during the chat because I had nothing revealing to offer. In the end, I let myself be induced to write a critical but in no way spiteful recollection of Peter Graf for a Sunday newspaper -- he who had once spread out his life to me in an eight-hour monologue while we sat at his kitchen table in Brühl. It landed in the waste basket.

For a few moments, I was even in the telephonic favor of those tabloid papers which otherwise wouldn't employ someone like me even as a doorman. One of their editors treated me like Dresden porcelain at first, and the same in order to shatter with words after my refusal: "Why don't you cooperate with us? For a few luscious intimate tidbits, we'll give you a handful of dollars." The mafioso type of another tabloid: "I don't want to step on your toes. But your silence quite seems as though you served the plastic bags of Mr. Graf."

Presumably it knocks the socks off even a streetfighter like you when she learns why I am able to quote these cheeky demands so perfectly. Quite simply, our common trade is such a disreputable neighborhood that the two "colleagues" didn't think it the slightest thing to entrust my answering machine with syllable after syllable; and this useful machine also records forever the gruff addition of their names and return numbers. The next time you should be in Hamburg, I will gladly bring you to the deposits of the journalistic red light district to listen.

"The monster bangs on the title page!" goes an Italian thriller. Thus are "Bunte"'s colors nailed to the mast while I write to you -- a whole week long at every German newsstand. On its cover, it announces, "Depressing details from the life of Peter Graf. Did you know for example that his mother poisoned herself?" On the inside are nine photos of the prisoner trotting behind walls lined with barbed wire. And not somewhat subdued in tone either, but rather with the pride of a pirate, the text blurts: "From a high rise 700 meters away, a 'Bunte' photographer takes a picture from above of Peter Graf jogging in the prison yard." To boot, the report isn't directed at the readers. The headline was much more: "Steffi, your father as he runs in the yard."

In the serious press, the work of the people with the photo lens is carried out now and then by those with a subjective psychological penchant. Hardly a week goes by in German papers without psychologists painting phantom pictures of Steffi Graf and her network of relationships. The same analysts who draw conclusions about their anonymous patients in good conscience only after careful questioning, but who publicly expound on their self-chosen celebrity client although they have never once met her and they therefore know her less than a silhouette painter knows the chance passer-by in the street. I have nothing to add to these "character assessments" that arose from secret writing desks. What I can offer aren't huge sensations, but instead small scenes.

I first met Steffi Graf on May 13, 1990, in the bar of the Hotel Intercontinental in Berlin. Near the bar, at which I am the only guest at six o'clock in the evening, camera people positioned themselves to film an interview with Steffi Graf. The woman at the bar serves me my order of espresso and asks: "Are you waiting for her here, too?" Her tone irritates me, but I nod. The woman takes a squeaky clean glass in her hand and holds it in the sunlight to examine it. "The theater that surrounds this person. I wouldn't like to be in her place."

Five minutes later, Steffi Graf wanders through the lobby in search of me and finally comes up to the bar. I look in an unexpectedly cheerful face and feel a soft, almost awkward handshake. That surprises me, I had imagined a more hard-hitting "Fräulein Forehand." "Excuse me that I didn't immediately recognize you. I should have recognized you." I try to joke with her who has so kindly credited me with prominence: "I see, you had me investigated by a private detective." -- "Not so, really!" she says seriously. Then the light bulb appears over her head. Her eyes positively laugh at the joke.

I would like to persuade her to have a glass of wine. She declines with a playful groan and suddenly acts like she is sitting on hot coals: "Wine? Do you know what happened to me two years ago in America? I ordered a glass of only five percent alcohol wine. Then the headwaiter takes my half-finished glass away from me. 'You aren't 21 yet, lady!' " A cute little price of her fame. When I tell her about the remark of the woman at the bar, her expression darkens within for a second: "Everyone lives in his own little room. I make an effort to play good tennis. Hopefully she brings your coffee just fine."

My oh my. Not only on that first evening, but also at later times did that lightning-quick change of her infectious good mood astonish me. And when someone irritated her, she found a figurative hair in her figurative bowl of exquisite soup. But I never once saw that her annoyance had flowed into arrogance. I am convinced of two things many times over: That this young woman doesn't know the term "star allure" even exists in the dictionary; and that her sometimes seemingly curt monosyllabicness when in front of the camera comes from an honest heart. Because she is incapable to the point of embarrassment of pretending to be someone she isn't and would prefer to accept an unfavorable image rather than to tell a lie about herself. More than one time, she told me that she didn't look after her millions. I don't doubt for one minute the information from this virtually physically honest person. So her tax affair will turn out to be a wild goose chase.

Four days after our rendezvous in the hotel's bar and still during the women's Berlin tournament, the storm of tabloid headlines about Steffi Graf floods in from out of the blue sky: Her father reportedly got mixed up with a shady model and was blackmailed by her "protector." Steffi Graf's press manager at the time, Horst Schmitt, to him alone I owe thanks for contact with her, phones me, calm as always: "You will not recognize that light-hearted girl from Berlin." In fact, she loses in the final against Monica Seles for the first time and not only fairly puts down that loss, but also the "pairs of eyes that stare at her from everywhere."

"Stern," the magazine for which I ask Steffi Graf to give me her time with my tape recorder, wants to slip me a considerable sum to liven up the proceedings with her. Because we are in the picture concerning the tennis scene at the top: John McEnroe had just recently demanded 150,000 Marks from another newspaper for a 90 minute interview -- and got it. It's not that I want to save my publication the fee but rather that I want to spare myself the feeling of having bought her willingness. I suggest to my skeptical executives that we shouldn't offer anything to her, even for weeks-long interview sessions. After her temporary low in Berlin, and back up on top again and all the more ready to speak in her own words, in Brühl she tells me she "absolutely agrees."

For the start of our interview marathon, we meet up during the Grand Slam tournament in Paris in the hotel "Le Warwick." Although she is gripped with a fever, she makes short work of the stylishly purple-attired American Santrock in the stadium court at Roland Garros: "No wonder, this clay court pigeon was so slathered with make-up that she probably couldn't see me well at all."

She flees from an on-the-cheap photographer who waits around the clock in the hotel entrance for his "quick picture" by stepping into a pizzeria on the Rue de Berri. "That shameless jerk!" There it is again, that all too understandable lightning in her eyes that already struck the woman in the bar in Berlin. But we barely have our spaghetti on our plates when an entire female class of German abitur candidates/graduates throng around our table: "We would very much like to go to the movies with Steffi Graf." As though this good, overly possessive imposition were the most natural thing in the world, she excuses herself politely, saying that she is sick.

Around midnight little old me leans back with Horst Schmitt and Peter Graf in his hotel suite, drinking red Crimean champagne. Things get controversial amongst the three different gentlemen. Then the door opens and she appears sleepily in the frame: "Could you all show a little more consideration? You don't go out on court again early tomorrow, but I do."

In their rented house at Wimbledon we are profitably undisturbed during our interviews for a whole week long. Mostly undisturbed. Because on the first day her father phones every 15 minutes from Brühl in order to ask about the way things stand. Now the general preconceived notion that she couldn't leave the shadow of her father was being etched in me as well. Fiddlesticks. At the fifth call, she asks him just as affectionately as firmly to leave us in peace. Her father accepts. Coming back from a break to get Chinese food, she responds to a young, splendid-looking British man who wanted her autograph. Not the fan, but the star blushes.

A year later in Hamburg, I pick up her in my car from the hotel "Ramada." She has a desire to steer the run-down BMW herself and turns down the wrong route. A policeman on a motorcycle stops us on the Jungfernstieg: "Good evening, Frau Graf, next time you will certainly obey the traffic regulations." -- "Good evening, Frau Graf," she says as we drive on and shakes her head. "That also happened to me in Tokyo." The experience of the world as her village.

In the restaurant "Osteria," the waiters eventually huddle together on my account, whispering: Is he a new lover? Too bad, only a journalist. After I dropped her off in front of the hotel again, she said good-bye as she got out of the car: "Today I am so gone." -- "I beg your pardon?" -- "That I won't give away to you." And that she need not. Because in the "Osteria" the magic of her company helped me to obtain the welcome worthy of a high dignitary: In the week after that evening, no bill at all is presented to me there.

In Boca Raton, her second residence in Florida, she wins the tournament. During her days off between matches, she becomes acquainted with the views an American "journalist" has of his occupation -- he flies over the yard of her house in a helicopter and photographs her with no clothes on. She says to me in a hurt, violated tone: "That is like rape." And although she has other thoughts while picking strawberries and playing billiards with a friend, she doesn't shake off the experience so quickly.

So the victory party in a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale near Miami wafted with the charm of a funeral ceremony. The champion left the party early with her friend and disappeared in a disco. "That's Steffi," says her mother, "often not even happy with a victorious final." How that must seem a completely different final to her, despite her "Masters" triumph in New York: the somehow lost year of 1995.

Yours,

Harald Wieser
Steffi Graf, das verborgene Gesicht
Max
Dezember 1995

Steffi Graf ist das Thema eines Briefes, den Harald Wieser an eine New Yorker Gesellschafts-Reporterin geschrieben hat. Damit äußert sich zum ersten Male ein Journalist, der sie aus sehr persönlichen Gesprächen kennt, über die 1995 von der Steueraffäre ihres Vaters bedrängte Gräfin.

Liebe Myriam!

Freundlichen Dank für Deine Post, in der Du mir einen hübschen New Yorker Abend in den ersten Tagen des November schilderst: Deinen Besuch der Komödie "Fool Moon" im "Ambassador"-Theater am Broadway. Für Dich standen die Hauptpersonen dieses Abends jedoch offenbar nicht auf der Bühne, sondern saßen unter den Zuschauern im Parkett - Steffi Graf nebst ihrer Mutter. Nun bittest Du mich, ich möge Dir ein "Charakter-Urteil" über Steffi Graf zusenden. Denn Du sitzt, für Deine ehrenwerte New Yorker Zeitung, an einem Portrait der Gräfin.

Nimm es mir nicht übel, aber ich muß Dir einen Korb geben. Damit Du über meine Motive nicht rätselst, möchte ich Dir eine Geschichte erzählen: Nach der Verhaftung Peter Grafs klingelte bei mir wohl ein Dutzend Mal das Telefon. Die Anrufer meiner ehemaligen Gefechtsstände Spiegel und stern, aber auch von Focus luden mich zu ähnlichen Charakterurteilen über Steffi Graf und ihre Familie ein: angenehm professionell wie Du. Da hielt ich kleiner Mann mit Hut den Hörer in der Hand, fühlte mich arg geschmeichelt, höchst überschätzt und winkte ab.

Oder die Herren verloren noch während des Geplauders ihr Interesse an mir, weil ich nichts Enthüllendes anzubieten wußte. Schließlich ließ ich mich für eine Sonntagszeitung zu einer kritischen, aber keineswegs gehässigen Erinnerung an Peter Graf anstiften - der mir an seinem Küchentisch in Brühl in einem achtstündigen Monolog einst sein Leben ausgebreitet hatte. Sie landete im Papierkorb.

Für einige Augenblicke geriet ich sogar in die telefonische Gunst jener gelben Blätter, die einen wie mich ansonsten nicht einmal als Pförtner beschäftigen würden. Einer Ihrer Redakteure behandelte mich zuerst wie Meißner Porzellan, um selbiges, nach meiner Absage mit den Worten zu zerschlagen: "Warum kooperieren Sie nicht mit uns? Für ein paar knackige Intimitäten legen wir locker eine Handvoll Dollar drauf." Der Mafioso eines anderen Blattes: "Ich will Ihnen ja nicht zu nahe treten. Aber Ihr Schweigen sieht ganz so aus, als bedienten Sie sich aus der Plastiktüte des Herrn Graf."

Vermutlich zieht es selbst einer Streetfighterin wie Dir die Schuhe aus, wenn sie erfährt, wieso ich diese Zumutungen so fehlerfrei zu zitieren vermag. Ganz einfach, unser gemeinsames Gewerbe ist revierweise ein solches Bahnhofsviertel, daß die beiden "Kollegen" nicht das Geringste dabei fanden, sie Silbe um Silbe meinem Anrufbeantworter anzuvertrauen; und diese nützliche Maschine verewigt auch die bellenden Hinzufügungen Ihrer Namen und Rückrufadressen. Solltest Du demnächst in Hamburg sein, bringe ich Dir die Ablagerungen des journalistischen Rotlichtmilieus gerne zu Gehör.

"Knallt das Monster auf die Titelseite!" heißt ein italienischer Thriller. So zeigt, während ich Dir schreibe, die "Bunte" Flagge - eine Woche lang an jedem deutschen Kiosk. Auf ihrem Cover kündigt sie "Düsteres aus dem Leben von Peter Graf" an: "Wußten Sie z.B., daß seine Mutter sich vergiftete?" Im Innenteil neun Fotos des hinter Mauern mit Stacheldrahe trabenden Häftlings. Dazu der nicht etwa kleinlaute, sondern mit Piratenstolz präsentierte Text: "Von einem 700 Meter entfernten Hochhaus herab fotografierte ein Bunte-Fotograf den joggenden, Peter Graf im Gefängnishof." Der Bericht dazu wendet sich nicht an die Leser. Die Überschrift lautet vielmehr: "Steffi, dein Vater beim Hofgang."

In der seriösen Presse wird das Werk der Leute mit dem Foto-Objektiv zuweilen von solchen mit dem Psycho-Subjektiv verrichtet. Kaum eine Woche vergeht, ohne daß Psychologen in deutschen Blättern nicht an Phantombildern der Steffi Graf und ihres Beziehungsgeflechts malen. Nämliche Analytiker aber, die über ihre anonymen Patienten guten Gewissens erst nach intimer Befragung befinden, verbreiten sich über ihre selbstgewählte prominente Klientin - obwohl sie ihr niemals begegnet sind und sie also weniger kennen als der Scherenschnitt-Künstler die zufällige Passantin auf der Straße. Diesen an geheimen Schreibtischen entstandenen "Charakterurteilen" habe ich nichts hinzuzufügen. Was ich anbieten kann, das sind nicht große Sensationen, sondern kleine Szenen.

Ich lernte Steffi Graf am 13. Mai 1990 an der Bar des Hotels "InterContinental" in Berlin kennen. Nahe der Bar, an der ich gegen 18 Uhr der einzige Gast bin, haben sich Kameraleute postiert, die Steffi Graf bei einem Interview filmen. Die Barfrau serviert mir den gewünschten Espresso: "Warten Sie auch auf die da?" Mich irritiert der Ton, doch ich nicke. Die Barfrau nimmt ein blitzsauber gespültes Glas zur Hand und hält es prüfend ins Tageslicht: "Das Theater um diese Person. Mit der möchte ich nicht tauschen."

Fünf Minuten später irrt Steffi Graf suchend durch die Lobby und kommt schließlich auf die Bar zu. Ich sehe in ein unerwartet fröhliches Gesicht und spüre einen weichen, beinahe ungelenken Händedruck. Auch er überrascht, ich hatte mir das "Fräulein Vorhand" zupackender vorgestellt. "Entschuldigen Sie, daß ich Sie nicht gleich erkannt habe. Ich hätte Sie erkennen müssen." Ich versuche, die mir so freundlich angedichtete Prominenz mit einem Witz aus der Bar zu schaffen: "Soso, Sie haben mich wohl durch einen Privatdetektiv ausforschen lassen." - "Nein, wirklich nicht!" sagt sie ernst. Dann plumpst der Groschen. Ihr sitzt der Schalk förmlich in den Augen.

Ich möchte sie zu einem Glas Wein überreden. Sie lehnt spielerisch stöhnend ab und sitzt plötzlich wie auf heißen Kohlen: "Wein? Wissen Sie, was mir vor zwei Jahren In Amerika passiert ist? Ich bestelle mir so einen nur Fünfprozentigen. Da nimmt mir der Oberkellner das halbausgetrunkene Glas wieder weg. "Sie sind noch keine 21, Lady!" Ein niedlicher Preis ihres Ruhmes. Als ich ihr von den Bemerkungen der Barfrau erzähle, verfinstert sich binnen einer Sekunde Ihre Miene: "Jeder lebt in seinem Stübchen. Ich strenge mich an, gut Tennis zu spielen. Hoffentlich trägt sie Ihren Kaffee gut aus."

Mein lieber Scholli. Nicht nur an jenem ersten Abend, auch zu späteren Zeiten hat mich dieser blitzartige Kostümwechsel ihrer ansteckend guten Laune in Erstaunen gesetzt. Und wenn einer sie reizte, fand sie noch in dessen erlesenster Suppe ein Haar. Aber niemals habe ich erlebt, daß ihr Ärger in Arroganz gemündet wäre. Ich bin vielmehr zweierlei Überzeugung: daß diese junge Frau das Wort Starallüren nicht einmal aus dem Lexikon kennt; und daß selbst ihre manchmal schroff wirkende Einsilbigkeit vor der Kamera aus einem aufrichtigen Herzen kommt. Denn sie ist bis zur Verlegenheit unfähig, sich zu verstellen, und nähme lieber ein ungünstiges Image in Kauf, als die Unwahrheit über sich zu sagen. Nicht nur einmal hat sie mir mitgeteilt, um ihre Millionen kümmere sie sich nicht. An der Auskunft zweifle ich bei dieser geradezu körperlich ehrlichen Person keine Minute. So wird auch ihre Steueraffäre ausgehen wie das Hornberger Schießen.

Vier Tage nach unserem Rendezvous an der Hotelbar und noch während des Berliner Damen-Turniers bricht, aus heiterem Himmel, das Schlagzeilengewitter der Boulevardpresse über Steffi Graf herein: Ihr Vater habe sich mit einem zwielichtigen Model eingelassen und werde von deren "Beschützer" erpreßt. Steffi Grafs damaliger Pressemanager Horst Schmitt, dem allein ich den Kontakt zu ihr verdanke, ruft mich wie immer besonnen an: "Sie werden das aufgeräumte Mädchen aus Berlin nicht wiedererkennen." Tatsächlich verliert sie im Finale erstmals gegen Monica Seles und führt diese Niederlage fairerweise nicht nur, aber auch auf die sie nun "überall anstarrenden Augenpaare" zurück.

Der stern, für den ich Steffi Graf vors Tonband bitte, will mir zu deren Aufmunterung eine erkleckliche Summe in den Tornister schnüren. Denn wir sind über die Tennis-Topszene im Bilde: John McEnroe hat kurz zuvor für ein 90-Minuten-Interview von einer anderen Zeitung 150 000 Mark verlangt - und bekommen. Nicht etwa, um meinem Blatt das Honorar, sondern mir das Gefühl zu ersparen, ihre Gesprächsbereitschaft "gekauft" zu haben, schlage ich meiner skeptischen Chefetage vor, ihr sogar für wochenlange Gespräche nichts anzubieten. Nach der Berliner Talfahrt vorübergehend wieder auf dem Berg und nun erst recht zu Originaltönen bereit, erklärt sie mir in Brühl, sie sei "absolut einverstanden".

Zum Start unseres Interview-Marathons kommen wir während des Grand-Slam-Turniers in Paris im Hotel "Le Warwick" zusammen. Obwohl sie fiebrig vergrippt ist, macht sie im Stadion Roland Garros mit der lila-modischen Amerikanerin Santrock kurzen Prozeß: "Kein Wunder, diese Sandplatzmaus war so mit Make-up zugeschminkt, daß sie mich wahrscheinlich gar nicht richtig gesehen hat.

Vor einem Billig-Fotografen, der im Hoteleingang rund um die Uhr auf sein "schnelles Bild" wartet, flüchtet sie in eine Pizzeria in der Rue de Berri. "Dieser unverschämte Kerl!" Da ist es wieder, dieses allzu verständliche Blitzen in ihren Augen, das schon die Barfrau in Berlin traf. Doch kaum haben wir die Spaghetti auf dem Teller, drängt sich eine komplette deutsche Abiturientinnen-Klasse an unseren Tisch: "Wir möchten mit Steffi Graf gerne ins Kino gehen." Als wäre diese artige Inbesitznahme das Natürlichste auf der Welt, entschuldigt sie sich höflich mit ihrer Krankheit.

Um Mitternacht lehnt sich meine Wenigkeit mit Horst Schmitt und Peter Graf in dessen Hotelsuite bei rotem Krimsekt zurück. Zwischen den drei verschiedenen Herren geht es kontrovers zu. Da geht die Tür auf, und sie erscheint schläfrig im Rahmen: "Könnt Ihr wohl ein bißchen mehr Rücksicht nehmen. Nicht ihr, ich stehe morgen früh wieder auf dem Platz."

In ihrem gemieteten Haus in Wimbledon sind wir während der Interviews eine Woche lang gewinnbringend ungestört. Meist ungestört. Denn am ersten Tag ruft aus Brühl alle 15 Minuten ihr Vater an, um sich nach dem Stand der Dinge zu erkundigen. Nun hatte sich auch bei mir das allgemeine Vorurteil eingemeißelt, sie könne den Schatten ihres Vaters nicht verlassen. Pustekuchen: Beim fünften Anruf bittet sie ihn ebenso zugeneigt wie energisch, uns in Ruhe arbeiten zu lassen. Ihr Vater akzeptiert. Nach einer Tonbandpause vom "Chinesen" kommend, spricht sie auf der Straße ein junger, fabelhaft aussehender Brite eines Autogramms wegen an. Nicht der Fan, der Star errötet.

In Hamburg hole ich sie ein Jahr später mit meinem Auto vom Hotel "Ramada" ab. Sie gelüstet, den abgetakelten BMW selbst zu steuern und überfährt beim Wenden eine verbotene Linie. Auf dem Jungfernstieg stoppt uns ein Motorradpolizist: "Guten Abend, Frau Graf, Sie halten sich beim nächsten Mal doch sicher an die Verkehrsregeln." - "Guten Abend, Frau Graf", sagt sie beim Weiterfahren und schüttelt den Kopf. "Das ist mir schon in Tokio so passiert." Das Erlebnis der Welt als Dorf.

Im Ristorante "Osteria" stecken die Kellner danach endlich einmal meinetwegen die Köpfe zusammen: der neue Lover? Schade, nur ein Journalist. Nachdem ich sie wieder vor dem Hotel abgesetzt habe, verabschiedet sie sich beim Aussteigen: "Ich bin heute so futschi." - "Wie bitte?" - "Das verrate ich dir nicht." Das muß sie auch nicht. Denn in der "Osteria" hat mir die Gunst ihrer Begleitung zu einem höchst willkommenen Honoratiorentum verholfen: Mir wird dort auch in den Wochen nach diesem Abend partout keine Rechnung mehr präsentiert.

In Boca Raton, ihrem zweiten Wohnsitz in Florida, gewinnt sie das Turnier. An ihren spielfreien Tagen lernt sie die Berufsauffassung eines amerikanischen "Journalisten" kennen - der den Garten ihres Hauses mit einem Helikopter überfliegt und sie unbekleidet fotografiert. Sie sagt mir verletzt: "Das ist wie eine Vergewaltigung." Und obwohl sie beim Erdbeerpflücken und Billardspielen mit einer Freundin auf andere Gedanken kommt, schüttelt sie das Erlebnis nicht so schnell aus den Kleidern.

So umweht auch die Siegesfeier in einem Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale bei Miami eher der Charme einer Trauerzeremonie. Die Siegerin verläßt das Fest mit ihrer Freundin vorzeitig und entschwindet in eine Disco. "So ist die Steffi". meint ihre Mutter, "oft nicht einmal mit einem gewonnenen Finale zufrieden." Wie muß dann erst, trotz ihres New Yorker "Masters"-Triumphes, ein ganz anderes Finale in ihr wirken: das irgendwie verlorene des Jahres 1995.

Dein Harald Wieser
 
#5,955 ·
Only one woman on the list. :eek: Of course, I think was about 10 years ago that there were no women on the list, so it's a hit or miss thing, especially given the list's high turnover rate in general.

Richest of the rich
USA TODAY
Monday, December 4, 1995

The 40 athletes who earned the most in 1995, as estimated by Forbes in its Dec. 18 issue. The salary/winnings figure includes salary, prize money and earned incentive bonuses. The endorsements category includes licensing money and appearance and exhibition fees. Income from side businesses and equity partnerships is not counted. The magazine does not say how it treats deferred compensation. Figures are in millions.

Name Sport Salary Endorse Total

1. Michael Jordan Basketball 3.9 40 43.9

2. Mike Tyson Boxing 40 0 40

3. Deion Sanders Football/baseball 16.5 6 22.5

4. Riddick Bowe Boxing 22 0.2 22.2

5. Shaquille O'Neal Basketball 4.9 17 21.9

6. George Foreman Boxing 10 8 18

7. Andre Agassi Tennis 3 13 16

8. Jack Nicklaus Golf 0.6 14.5 15.1

9. Michael Schumacher Auto racing 10 5 15

10. Wayne Gretzky Ice hockey 8.5 6 14.5

11. Arnold Palmer Golf 0.1 14 14.1

12. Drew Bledsoe Football 13.2 0.7 13.9

13. Gerhard Berger Auto racing 12 1.5 13.5

14. Evander Holyfield Boxing 11 2 13

15. Pete Sampras Tennis 4.7 6.5 11.2

16. Cal Ripken, Jr. Baseball 6.3 4 10.3

17. Greg Norman Golf 1.7 8 9.7

18. David Robinson Basketball 7.9 1.7 9.6

19. Patrick Ewing Basketball 7.5 2 9.5

20. Dale Earnhardt Auto racing 2.4 6 8.4

21. Ki-Jana Carter Football 7.9 0.5 8.4

22. Jean Alesi Auto racing 7 1 8

23. Ken Griffey, Jr. Baseball 6.2 1.7 7.9

24. Grant Hill Basketball 2.8 5 7.8

25. Frank Thomas Baseball 6.3 1.5 7.8

26. Boris Becker Tennis 3.3 4.5 7.8

27. Hakeem Olajuwon Basketball 5.8 2 7.8

28. Michael Chang Tennis 2.6 5 7.6

29. Barry Bonds Baseball 6.8 0.7 7.5

30. Steffi Graf Tennis 2.5 5 7.5

31. Greg Maddux Baseball 6.8 0.4 7.2

32. Charles Barkley Basketball 4.1 3 7.1

33. Pernell Whitaker Boxing 7 0 7

34. Mark Messier Ice hockey 6 1 7

35. Steve Young Football 4 3 7

36. Joe Carter Baseball 6.5 0.5 7

37. Jerry Rice Football 6 1 7

38. Michael Irvin Football 6.2 0.7 6.9

39. Cecil Fielder Baseball 6.4 0.3 6.7

40. Dan Marino Football 4.5 1.7 6.2
 
#5,956 ·
"I can explain, but I don't want to answer any questions. Just let me tell my own narrative without interruption..." It was probably still impossible to explain to Peter that he wasn't helping his own cause by refusing to answer direct questions.

Tennis: Peter Graf's personal appeal
The Independent
London, England
Thursday, December 7, 1995

Peter Graf, the father of the world No 1 Steffi Graf, has asked to appear personally before a judge to make his appeal for release from custody in a tax evasion case.

Several written requests for release from jail have been rejected since Peter Graf was arrested on 3 August after a judge's decision that there was a risk of his feeling to avoid prosecution. Peter Graf has not been charged, but is being investigated on suspicion of arranging to pay too little tax on his daughter's earnings when he acted as her manager.

Peter Wechsung, the chief prosecutor, said that Peter Graf filed a request yesterday saying he wanted to give an extensive explanation of his position.

Steffi Graf also remains under investigation in the case, as does the family tax adviser, Joachim Eckardt, who was arrested in September, and is also being treated as being at risk of fleeing.

Steffi Graf has already deposited DM20m (pounds 9m) to cover taxes investigators believe may have been evaded.
 
#5,958 ·
Having today's internet back in Steffi's era would have been fun, but then again maybe there would have been a real shooting war.
The words Hamburg 1993 Graf and Seles strung together have started flame wars here in the Blast-and that was ten years after the fact!

I can only imagine what an internet tennis board in 1998 would be like-LOL.


Changing gears, who were Steffi's coaches (I remember Slozil and Guhnhardt), and who was the best coach in everyone's opinion?

In hindsight did it even matter who her coach was? She seemed so driven.
 
#5,960 ·
The words Hamburg 1993 Graf and Seles strung together have started flame wars here in the Blast-and that was ten years after the fact!
If there had been omnipresent internet like today's starting in, like, 1986, there probably would have been fatalities. But then again (again), with a much bigger and higher definition picture and more facts and a better and safer outlet for the fans' passions readily available from the beginning, it could also have prevented some problems and misunderstandings.

I can only imagine what an internet tennis board in 1998 would be like-LOL.
The CNN/SI tennis message boards really rock-and-rolled; I forget how many posts were firing during Philly 1998, but it was crazy. And that was before internet was a utility like electricity. But that also means it was more civil -- but not by a huge amount. Some of the flame wars on usenet from that vintage and earlier were of epic proportions.

Changing gears, who were Steffi's coaches (I remember Slozil and Guhnhardt), and who was the best coach in everyone's opinion?
Well, there's only two or three officially to choose from. Heinz, Pavel, in 1986 a Chilean named Antonio Fernandez was a hitting partner/coach, and Papa Graf before that. Klaus Hofsäss was the German Fed Cup coach at the time and was often with her at the majors in conjunction with the other coaches. She was extremely stable in the support staff department.

I pretty much agree with Steffi's own assessment that she met the right people at the right time. So Pavel while taught/encouraged "You Have Unlimited Ammo" tactics, Heinz taught/encouraged "You Have Limited Ammo" tactics. Pavel had her topspin/flat backhand at a lethal level, because net-rushers still walked the earth then; Heinz had her slice backhand at a lethal level, because net-rushers had been just about hunted to extinction and all of the hardest-hitting baseliners hated slice. And so on.

In hindsight did it even matter who her coach was? She seemed so driven
It did matter who was coach. I can't imagine her sticking with or even hiring someone who couldn't teach her whatever she felt her game needed and/or who didn't understand her game -- and demonstrably not every coach understood her game, and certainly not every coach could have taught some of the advanced and/or non-standard things she needed. E.g., Slozil was fired because 1) she felt he wasn't pushing her hard enough anymore; 2) Slozil's (and probably also Papa's) insistence that she add more topspin to her forehand was a disaster; and 3) Slozil had probably maxed out on what he could teach her about serving.

When Bollettieri says things like, "I would have loved to coach Steffi Graf because she was such a hard worker. I would have made her play just like everybody else and then she would have been even better!" I have to laugh at him and that unfortunate mass-production instruction philosophy and his belief that you could "make" Steffi Graf do anything. Even Papa Graf noted early on that she was difficult to coach because she knew so much on her own already. Steffi would have been a bad match-up with a coach who had an assembly line approach to the game or a dogma about tactics and stroke production or a rigid coach-gives-the-orders attitude. Heinz told a great anecdote about trying to get her to work on her lob, and so he crowded the net in practice but she refused to hit even one lob -- but then in her next match she hit a lob winner on an important point and looked at him in the stands and gave him a big smile. :lol: Not everybody is going to understand or put up with that kind of humor and willfulness.
 
#5,962 ·
Some people are looking for ambience and history, others for the thrum of human activity, still others to be pampered and treated like family, and a few want an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is. :lol:

Favorites of a Fast Crowd
The New York Times
December 10, 1995

MICHAEL KORDA Editor in chief, Simon & Schuster

"London's Connaught Hotel is the only hotel in the world I can imagine living in, on a permanent basis, the perfect embodiment of England as we would like it to be, as opposed to the way it really is, a way of stepping back into the opulence of the late 19th century without leaving the 20th. Where else can you get Cooper's Vintage Oxford Marmalade for breakfast, who else makes your breakfast with farm-fresh eggs (cooked on your own floor instead of being sent up from the kitchen and growing cold on the way), what other hotel actually forbids clients to talk business in the public rooms, like a good London club, and has a barman who knows how to make an honest-to-God dry martini, and valets who don't raise an eyebrow when faced with a pair of muddy riding boots? I've never stayed in Buckingham or Windsor Palace, so I don't know what that would be like, but the Connaught is what they ought to be like, and probably were when Edward VII was King." Connaught Hotel, 16 Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1Y 6AL; telephone: (44-171) 499 7070.

AMY TAN Author of "The Hundred Secret Senses" (Putnam)

Amy Tan likes Four Seasons hotels because they coddle Mr. Bubba Zo, her three-pound Yorkie. He has a water and food dish with his name on it from the Los Angeles Four Seasons, while the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago offers him a doggie room-service menu featuring chopped sirloin and fillet of chicken breast. In Washington, the staff of the Four Seasons is more than happy to walk Mr. Bubba Zo, and a bowl is provided (silver, of course) for his favorite biscuits. Ms. Tan says that all these hotels have wonderful rooms with splendid views and "Papa bear, Mama bear and baby bear pillows on the beds." But for her, "it is strictly love me, love my dog." Four Seasons Hotel, 57 East 57th Street, New York; (212) 758-5700.

RED GROOMS Artist

Red Grooms has been visiting the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, Colo., for the past 10 years. It's an old hotel built for tourists at the turn of the century -- traveling salesmen once laid out their wares on the fifth floor. Remodeled in the 1980's, it now has a Victorian Western atmosphere, very comfortable. Teddy Roosevelt once stayed here (and there is a Teddy Roosevelt Restaurant). In the lobby is a fantastic stained-glass skylight and a grand staircase; there seem to be hundreds of banisters of all kinds, everywhere. The Boulderado is popular with local people, so the balcony where the bar is set is often crowded with wedding parties, and the guests have to creep round the edges, but Red Grooms and his wife feel that they are part of the place's history, so they don't mind. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th Street, Boulder, Colo.; (303) 442-4344.

MIKE WALLACE "60 Minutes" correspondent, CBS News

"The American Colony Hotel is a fascinating hotel in East Jerusalem. It's small, but you run into people from all over the world there and you meet lots of old friends, other reporters. The hotel's comfortable, with good food. "Across the courtyard from the entrance is a wonderful curio shop where, a few years ago, I found a Frederic Remington sculpture of three horses. At home, I showed it to a friend, an antiques dealer, who said, 'You've been had.' Still, it was a great moment. The light in Jerusalem in November and May is extraordinary, and in that light the hotel, with its original decor, looks ancient. But whenever I go there, I feel I'm coming home." American Colony Hotel, Nablus Road, Jerusalem; (972-2) 279-777.

STEFFI GRAF Tennis player

Steffi Graf likes Jumby Bay, a private resort island off Antigua in the Caribbean, the best. "It's a beautiful resort," she says, "with super food and great privacy." Jumby Bay Island, St. John's, Antigua, West Indies; currently being renovated after hurricane damage; scheduled to reopen Jan. 15. (809) 462-6000.

MARTIN CRUZ SMITH Author of "Red Square" (Ballantine)

"The Gritti Palace in Venice. You arrive from the airport in a cigar-shaped vaporetto on the Grand Canal, approaching a very small dock that is surrounded by gondolier poles and churches and palaces. Fantasy and reality are confused. You step into the lobby in a real palace and find you are living a continuing, consistent fantasy that is only intensified by the contrast between your dark mysterious room and the shimmering light on the water of the canal outside your window."

CAROLINA HERRERA Fashion designer

Carolina Herrera made the same choice: "When you arrive in Venice it is as if you have reached heaven. For me, Venice is the most splendid and mystical city in the world, and the Gritti is so romantic and beautiful. I love everything about the Gritti, especially the service." Gritti Palace Hotel, 2467 Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, Venice; (39-41) 794-611.

SEIJI OZAWA Music director, Boston Symphony Orchestra

Seiji Ozawa claims three favorite hotels, all in Europe: in Paris, the Hotel Meurice, near the Louvre, the Stafford Hotel in London and, near Salzburg, Austria, the Hotel Schloss Fuschl, a medieval castle that was used as a hunting lodge, on the shore of Lake Fuschl. He likes these three for the same reasons: "Excellent service, intimacy and being treated like a family member and not a guest." Hotel Meurice, 228 Rue de Rivoli, Paris; (33-1) 44.58.10.10. Stafford Hotel, 16 St. James's Place, London; (44-171) 493 0111. Hotel Schloss Fuschl, Hof bei Salzburg; (43-6229) 22530.

WYNTON MARSALIS Jazz musician

Wynton Marsalis has performed many times over the last 15 years at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, which is home to his favorite hotel, La Rosetta. Mr. Marsalis's priorities: "They have great food, you get your clothes pressed on time, they have a good courtyard, and the people who work in the hotel are extremely nice." La Rosetta, 19 Piazza Italia, Perugia, Italy; (39-75) 572-0841.

HUGH JOHNSON Traveler and author of "The World Atlas of Wine" (Simon & Schuster)

"The Mandarin Oriental (everyone just says 'the Mandarin') is simply the hub of Hong Kong. It is not the biggest or swankiest hotel -- though its top-floor suites are like mansions. But its lobby is the meeting place of Hong Kong, its grill the best designed, softest lit, most pampering place to eat I know. And the Captain's Bar is incomparably lively at lunch. Outside the front door the ageless Star ferries bustle off to Kowloon every five minutes. Skyscrapers leap up all around. But a room at the Mandarin is a haven of quiet Anglo-Chinese luxury." Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong; (852) 2522-0111.

ROBERT STONE Author of "Outerbridge Reach" (Harper Perennial)

"One thing about the new world order is that it provides indifferent, overpriced hotels for every budget. Everywhere the air-conditioning's noisy, and bug spray kills the cute lizards on the wall. It doesn't have to be that way. At the south end of St. Vincent, in the Grenadines, lies a private island on which a man named Haze Richardson has built the world's best hotel, called the Petit St. Vincent Resort. Want a hilltop cottage and patio, invisible to your fellow guests? Want to be left alone until the very moment you need something, like a rum drink with metaphysical properties? An open bar complete with fireplace to watch the tropic sun decline? Want to see the green flash? To avoid that hollow, decadent feeling, do something worthy to earn it." Petit St. Vincent Resort, Petit St. Vincent, St. Vincent, The Grenadines, West Indies; (809) 458-8801.

GEOFFREY BEENE Fashion designer

Geoffrey Beene's favorite is the Halekulani Hotel, on the beach at Waikiki, in Honolulu. "Any lush hotel situated on a lush tropical island in the middle of the Pacific would have an advantage from the beginning. Its architecture is in total harmony with its environment. An enormous tile swimming pool with a gigantic lavender cattleya in its center typifies exotic In the evening with the sun setting, the view of the Pacific is exquisite -- almost surreal with the shadows of bathers passing by." Halekulani Hotel, 2199 Kalia Road, Honolulu; (808) 923-2311.

GARY TINTEROW Engelhard Curator of European paintings, the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Gary Tinterow's choice is the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, in Bellagio, Italy. He especially likes its location: on the very tip of a peninsula jutting into Lake Como. The hotel was set up in the 19th century, with large rooms, commodious bathrooms and many windows opening onto the beautiful lake and spectacular mountains beyond. It is filled with antiques, some rather grand and others quite charming, placed on what seems like acres of terrazzo and marble flooring. To Mr. Tinterow, the place "exudes faded grandeur, with emphasis on the faded. It is romantic, evoking an era of leisurely travel that no longer exists." Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, 1 Via Roma, Bellagio; (39-31) 950-216.

SUE GRAFTON Author of " 'L' Is for Lawless" (Henry Holt) Sue Grafton likes the Mark Hotel in New York because of its Upper East Side location -- far from midtown yet within walking distance of practically everything. She feels at home there, surrounded by quiet elegance and exquisite service from a staff that "if they don't exactly remember you, at least have the good grace to pretend they do." Then, of course, there is Mark's Restaurant, with its fine French cuisine. Mark Hotel, 25 East 77th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021; (212) 744-4300.

SUMNER REDSTONE Chairman of Viacom Inc.

Sumner Redstone travels extensively, given the growing presence of MTV and Nickelodeon overseas. For him the Oriental hotel in Bangkok is "a thing unto itself. It was luxurious, and . . . I don't know the right word," he said, searching for a way to describe its appeal. "It made an enormous impression on me. I had never seen such appointments, such beauty in a hotel." It was not just the service, though Mr. Redstone characterized it as magnificent. "There was a butler, who practically lived outside the suite. You couldn't move where there wasn't service," he said. Mr. Redstone is a tennis junkie; the Oriental arranged things. "You have to go across the river to play. I got up at 6:30 in the morning and tried to play tennis every day and then went to work. If I go back to Thailand, that's where I'll stay." The Oriental, 48 Oriental Avenue, Bangkok; (66-2) 236-0400.
 
#5,963 ·
I downloaded the last German Tennis Magazin, a special one as it marks its 40 anniversary.
Well nothing crazy, it is not really worth reading, a lot of numbers, no insights, nor anecdotes, not even for some (old school) pics. Just a brief recap of the 80's and 90's. Schade.
Oh and basically after all the numbers and things I already knew, the ONLY thing I got to learn about Steffi, is that German tennis mag and her are not friends. lol.
They don't criticize her, but they don't forget to tell us their relation are near zero...
 
#5,964 ·
Not surprising. Back In The Day, Steffi was a skew line to many in tennis punditry -- and she,has been retired now for almost half of the magazine's life, so many of the people working there probably never have talked with her.

There was one interview in 1992 that is just a mess of criticisms and controversies and lack of understanding.
 
#5,965 ·
Wants a black panther, ends up with a white cat, says "close enough." The German tennis magazine could have come up with a few good anecdotes if they had really wanted.

The Dream of the Black Panther
Tennis Magazin
December 1985

She made tennis history as the youngest player of all time at 13 years of age. Now Steffi Graf, carefully steered by her father, stands in sixth place in the world rankings. And it is already said that she will have a really great career in the next two years.

By Marita Weber

"What is the name of the capital city of Bosnia again?" Steffi Graf asks her mother in the players lounge at the $175,000 WTA tournament at Filderstadt. The world ranked number seven (recently risen to number six) sits there with a geography book and makes use of the waiting period before the beginning of the match. Apparently, not much has changed in the life of the 16-year-old from Heidelberg since the end of her school days two years ago. Except for the fact that Steffi Graf is now a professional tennis player and a millionaire.

Apart from playing tennis daily, Steffi now tries to finish the tenth grade. Geography, biology, and languages are her favorite subjects -- just as before. "She was the best student in her class. She learned in one hour what others needed five to learn. If it doesn't work out with tennis, I have no doubts for Steffi: She can still make up her Abitur, too."

Peter Graf says that as though he must defend himself. And yet everything up to now is going as planned with Steffi. His daughter is a professional now for two years, and already Martina Navratilova is saying that she could take her place one day. One can't give a sixteen-year-old a bigger compliment.

Steffi Graf is an exceptional talent. Like Boris Becker, whose story book career is proceeding nearly synchronous with hers. What more does an ambitious father want? When asked if she would someday like to be just as famous as Boris, Steffi quickly has an apparently rehearsed answer ready: "I wouldn't like to have anything that bad. He can't take a step without somebody just popping up." At the moment, it doesn't bother Steffi that Boris and men's tennis are making the headlines in Germany right now. "That way I can work my way up the rankings in peace." Her father expresses the latter answer with the same words.

Steffi is an intelligent girl, in conversation her quick understanding is amazing. When it concerns tennis, she can already converse like a grown-up. Only with further acquisition of knowledge -- a little is lacking there. It already sometimes happens that Steffi says: "I would really like to go to school once more so that I'll get smarter."

Naturally, the Graf tennis business doesn't permit daily schooling: "If Steffi's life is playing professional sports, then that is no lost youth, but rather a different world that my child has chosen for herself. Anyway, in tennis, one should not bring intellect so much into the game. What is Steffi missing out on? Should she hang around discos with her friends instead, like her former classmates? When a person develops this way, I'm glad that my child took a different path. She will still have enough time later to make up for the things she missed out on."

Peter Graf still dominates in the relationship between father and daughter. For two months, Steffi shall prepare for the first big exam in high school with a private tutor hired by her father. Next year, she already wants to externally make up for this exam before the Baden-Würrtemberg Ministry of Education and Culture. "So that she can better hold a conversation with journalists," says Peter Graf -- and means it seriously.

For seven years, the father has completely devoted himself to the career of his daughter. He rented out his tennis facilities in Brühl in Baden and roamed with unshakable optimism from tournament to tournament with the nine-year-old Steffi.

The former insurance salesman and tennis instructor of the Mannheim tennis club still makes all the decisions for Steffi even today, plans her tournament schedule, the practice routines. Peter Graf also performs the function of manager for his daughter; alternately, the company representatives and player agencies who want to take Steffi under contract come to him. But Peter Graf shows restraint. He wants to settle on further contracts later, when Steffi is at the very top.

He is also relatively dismissive concerning the functionaries and coaches of the DTB. "With the exception of Klaus Hofsäss, they didn't do much for Steffi. Steffi was at the performance center in Hannover two or three times for a lesson. Only her trips to official junior tournaments were paid for. One can't say more about that," says Peter Graf and then also quickly adds: "Anyway, they think of nothing but Boris Becker. Understandably, Boris is definitely super, too." Does it bother Peter Graf that he is an amateur in the tennis business in comparison with Becker's manager Tiriac?

"Not at all," he defends himself. "When it must be that way, I can be very aggressive and a very tough negotiator. I don't want to say anything negative about Tiriac. He is a good manager, especially for Boris. But a girl is different, and must be managed differently. At the moment, my daughter certainly wouldn't like to have a man who markets her everywhere. For difficult cases, I have my lawyers."

And Peter Graf needs them, almost daily. Although he still doesn't want any marketing strategy for his daughter, but he must use clever tactics when the inquiries from companies arrive -- Steffi's world ranking could still go downhill. "If it has to be a contract with one of those firms," says Peter Graf, "then it must be somewhat clever."

He categorically rejects offers from bra companies, like recently in Filderstadt. "It must be a positive advertisement. Lufthansa, for example, is interested in Steffi. Something like that is good. But we have no financial problems. We are already covered now. At the moment, Steffi can't cope with more contracts than the ones with Adidas, Dunlop, or Dextro-Energen. Steffi needs me. She is still a child, the security of the family is still the most important thing for Steffi." Peter Graf speaks softly, as though no one should hear what he says.

Steffi is now looking forward to two months of family life without tournament stress in the white row house on Normannenstraße in Brühl. "She still needs a warm nest," says Heidi Graf as well. The mother works as the calming influence in the family unit.

When Steffi is at home, she enjoys cozy evenings the most. Then she cooks her favorite dish of Züricher Geschnetzeltes with spätzle for the family. After dinner, the family watches a videotape together. Steffi's favorite film is "Der Profi." But at nine o'clock she goes to bed without prompting: "I know that I still need a lot of sleep."

What Steffi doesn't say: The strain of being a professional player at her age is immense. Whoever doesn't lead a disciplined life here, doesn't make the leap to the top. Already, players like Gabriela Sabatini, Katerina Maleeva, Mary-Joe Fernandez, Melissa Gurney, and Stephanie Rehe are waiting in the starting blocks, in order to overtake their opponents. At Steffi's age, one needs a lot of sleep, in order to be emotionally and physically prepared for the competition.

Under the roof of the house is Steffi's domain, twelve square meters small. There, she can also sometimes find some distance from her family. One occasionally wishes that for the world's number seven, so that every now and then she is less fixated on by her hectic-acting father. But soon the family is moving to a bigger house in the neighborhood. There, Steffi will have more freedom. At the moment, Steffi still accommodates the trophies on a long shelf on the wall. Records, books, and the stereo system only just fit in her room. Her favorite singers currently are Bruce Springsteen and Billy Ocean. Steffi likes to read adventure stories by Jack London. The bed with the green cover is now almost too small for the 1.72 meter long and 57 kilogram Steffi. Next to the table, the fan mail piles up in a laundry basket.

Of course, Steffi won't only be working on her school stuff for the next two months. While the rest of the world's elite players are collecting points in Australia, she wants to perfect her technique. During her 16 tournament schedule this year, there wasn't enough time for that.

At Filderstadt, Steffi last felt that: against a serve and volley specialist with the serve of Pam Shriver, she just can't yet consistently win. Now Steffi wants to cross the street everyday in the morning just after breakfast to practice with Michael Wemberg under the supervision of her father in Vier-Feld Hall. Peter Graf hired out the 21-year-old Swede, who resides in Belgium, from the Blue-White club in Mannheim on a per-session basis for half a year, because Peter can no longer handle practicing with Steffi himself on account of thrombosis. A sports instructor, Erco Prull, is now responsible for Steffi's physical conditioning.

During this construction period, Steffi wants to work just as ambitiously on herself, like she has always preferred. "We must constantly put the brakes on her," says Peter Graf. "Steffi practices to the point of obsession. That has always been so."

Consequently, father and daughter go about their lives with the same unshakable belief that Steffi will become number one in the world in tennis in just one to one and a half years. Peter Graf no longer likes to hear the question, if he was acting responsibly when he took his daughter of 14 years out of the eighth grade in Realschule. "The German press always wants to predict and analyze the negative things. They should take a leaf out of the Americans' book. There, successful people are taken as they are. Steffi is an exceptional talent. That justifies our decision."

The father isn't so wrong in his assessment of the press: When Steffi was 15 years old and competed at Wimbledon for the first time as a professional, the English press only asked in amazement, "Where did this youngster get this maturity in her game from?" In comparison, in the forest of German publications, discussion arose about what risks the life of a professional athlete would bring for Steffi. And yet injuries were the only apparent danger of her career to be seen.

To this day, Peter Graf doubts that his daughter will have an early exit from her career through excessive playing in her youth. But her father is of the opinion that Steffi should still quit by at 26 or 27 years old. "Not like [Evert] Lloyd. At 30 years, she has an old face. Why should the girls hang around the scene at that age if they've earned enough money?"

Admittedly, only the future can decide if Peter Graf and his daughter still support this view ten years from now. This is certain: The Graf family business more likely portrays the typical, ambitious tennis parents of this scene: Father and mother are, strictly speaking, the last stop who give their talented child the (still) necessary protection. When the first large sums of money and fame are scented, it is difficult to practice moderation.

But there is still no reason to worry for Steffi. Her physical condition is constantly monitored by a sports doctor, she doesn't yet feel pain in her hard-working joints, either. Steffi passed the tests and trials on clay and slow hard courts with the highest marks. For the end of 1985, the Graf family business had their sights set on "only" a spot among the 20 best tennis players in the world. Already up to now, she has been to the final of a WTA tournament four times. Most recently at Fort Lauderdale, when she had to compete against Martina Navratilova for the second time.

Of course, Steffi cannot yet defeat the world's number one. Chris Evert Lloyd and Hana Mandlikova are also still too much for Steffi to handle. Steffi says: "It's easier for me to play against Chris than it is against Navratilova. Martina comes forward at unexpected times, Chris mostly stays back." And adds: "In November, I want to practice my attacking game with Klaus Hofsäss at Marbella."

Former national coach Hofsäss confirms that: "We want to improve Steffi's serve over the winter. That's still a question of power for her. In addition, we must work on her attacking game, get a better grasp of the transition for coming forward to the net, so that she can't be passed so easily anymore. Steffi will practice with me at Marbella for about three or four weeks. Of course, it is difficult for a trained baseliner like Steffi to get mentally used to the attacking game with success. But Steffi is still young enough to find the courage to take risks. She has an unusually strong psyche. With luck, if she can get herself used to it now, she has the chance in the next year to three to even get to number one."

That Peter Graf would have gladly taken on this difficult task himself, is understandable. That he instead entrusted it to Klaus Hofsäss, is a clever move on the part of the father who is physically not up to it. However -- for her fans, Steffi as a baseliner is already the best. During her limited time off at home, she answers the many fan letters herself. When she talks about doing that, she laughs, something that is well known to rarely happen during a match. Most often, she looks grim -- on the court, an expression of concentration; in private, maybe a sign of insecurity.

"It is especially fun to read all the love letters. For example, a German boy wrote that he bet a ticket to the Filderstadt tournament that I wouldn't write him ten sentences. Just before Filderstadt, I wrote him the ten lines. I would have gladly sent him the ticket. But I didn't want to lose the bet."

Steffi is good-natured, ambitious, and conscientious. She leaves behind her aggressiveness on the court after the match. In private, she is adaptable, warm-hearted, without pretensions. A home-loving girl. In the next few weeks, she wants to tend to the training of her German shepherd. She received him as a present on her 16th birthday: "I would most like to accommodate an entire zoo here at home. Besides my boxer, I want to have a black panther," says Steffi. "I've dreamed of that since I can remember."

Heidi Graf can't fulfill this wish, of course. The mother sees to it that her daughter keeps her feet on ground. "My husband would fulfill her every wish, I must watch out for that. But Steffi is usually modest," says her mother. "She only buys T-shirts and sweaters for herself, but she brings home something for her brother from every trip." Steffi is upset that the 14-year-old Michael is so extravagant. "When he buys a pair of jeans for 90 Marks, I spend only half for mine," says Steffi.

She has no other desires that youngsters occasionally feel. Steffi hasn't been to a disco yet. "I can't dance," she says, although her nimble footwork on the court gives cause for admiration.

The fast-rising Steffi discovered a liking for skittles, along side a love for basketball, ice hockey, and volleyball. She is moreover a passionate fan of Bayern Munich. "While watching football, Steffi even forgets tennis sometimes," says Peter Graf and complains: "The only thing that makes me worried. Steffi is very quiet and not communicative."

Maybe Steffi will now communicate with her private tutor, who surely won't just teach her that the capital of Bosnia is Sarajevo.

Der Traum vom schwarzen Panther
Tennis Magazin
Dezember 1985

Sie machte als jüngste Spielerin aller Zeiten mit 13 Jahren Tennis-Geschichte. Jetzt steht Steffi Graf, vom Vater vorsichtig gesteuert, an Platz sechs in der Weltrangliste. Und schon sagt man ihr in den nächsten zwei Jahren die ganz große Karriere nach

Von MARITA WEBER

"Wie heißt nochmal die Hauptstadt von Bosnien?" fragt Steffi Graf ihre Mutter in der Spieler-Lounge von Filderstadt beim 175 000-Dollar-Grand-Prix. Mit einem Erdkunde-Buch sitzt die Weltranglisten-Siebte (neuerdings an Platz sechs) dort und nutzt die Wartezeit vor Match-Beginn. Im Leben der 16jährigen Heidelbergerin hat sich scheinbar seit dem Ende ihrer Schulzeit vor zwei Jahren nicht viel geändert. Bis auf die Tatsache, daß Steffi Graf jetzt Tennisprofi und Millionärin ist.

Neben dem täglichen Tennisspielen versucht Steffi jetzt, zum Schul-Abschluß der zehnten Klasse zu kommen. Erdkunde, Biologie und Sprachen sind ihre Lieblingsfächer - wie früher. "Sie war die beste Schülerin in ihrer Klasse. In einer Stunde lernt sie das, was andere in fünf Stunden schaffen. Wenn es mit dem Tennis schiefgehen sollte, habe ich keine Bedenken für Steffi: Sie kann dann auch noch ihr Abitur nachholen!"

Peter Graf sagt das so, als müsse er sich verteidigen. Dabei läuft bislang bei Steffi alles wie geplant. Zwei Jahre ist seine Tochter jetzt Profi, und schon sagt ihr Martina Navratilova nach, sie könne eines Tages an ihre Stelle treten. Ein größeres Kompliment kann man einer Sechzehnjährigen nicht machen.

Steffi Graf ist ein Ausnahmetalent. Wie Boris Becker, dessen Bilderbuch-Karriere mit ihrer nahezu synchron verläuft. Was will ein ehrgeiziger Vater mehr? Auf die Frage, ob sie mal ebenso berühmt wie Boris sein möchte, hat Steffi schnell eine offenbar einstudierte Antwort parat: "So schlimm möchte ich das nicht haben. Er kann ja keinen Schritt gehen, ohne daß gleich jemand dabei ist." Es ärgert Steffi im Moment noch nicht, daß Boris und das Herren-Tennis in Deutschland jetzt die Schlagzeilen machen. "Da kann ich mich in Ruhe in der Weltrangliste nach oben vorarbeiten." Letzteres drückt der Vater mit den gleichen Worten aus.

Steffi ist ein intelligentes Mädchen, im Gespräch verblüfft ihre schnelle Auffassungsgabe. Wenn es um Tennis geht, kann sie sich schon heute wie eine Große unterhalten. Nur mit der Wissensvermehrung - da hapert es ein wenig. Da kommt es schon mal vor, daß Steffi sagt: "Ich möchte gern noch einmal in die Schule gehen, damit ich klüger werde."

Täglich Schule, das läßt der Tennis-Betrieb Graf natürlich nicht zu: "Wenn Steffis Leben der Profi-Sport ist, dann ist das keine verlorene Jugend, sondern eine andere Welt, die sich mein Kind selbst ausgesucht hat. Man darf beim Tennis den Intellekt ohnehin nicht so ins Spiel bringen. Was versäumt Steffi? Sollte sie sich statt dessen, wie ihre ehemaligen Klassenkameradinnen, in Diskotheken und mit Freunden herumdrücken? Wenn sich ein Mensch in dieser Richtung entwickelt, bin ich froh, daß mein Kind einen anderen Weg eingeschlagen hat. Sie hat später noch genug Zeit, Versäumtes nachzuholen."

Noch dominiert Peter Graf in der Beziehung zwischen Vater und Tochter. Zwei Monate lang soll Steffi sich jetzt mit einem vom Vater engagierten Privatlehrer auf die Mittlere Reife vorbereiten. Schon im nächsten Jahr will sie extern vor dem badisch-württembergischen Kultusministerium diese Prüfung nachholen. "Damit sie sich mit Journalisten besser unterhalten kann", sagt Peter Graf - und meint das ernst.

Seit sieben Jahren hat sich der Vater ganz der Karriere seiner Tochter verschrieben. Er verpachtete seine Tennis-Anlage im badischen Brühl und zog mit unerschütterlichem Optimismus mit der neunjährigen Steffi von Turnier zu Turnier.

Der ehemalige Versicherungs-Kaufmann und spätere Tennislehrer des TC Mannheim trifft für Steffi auch heute noch alle Entscheidungen, plant die Turnier-Einsätze, die Trainings-Abläufe. Peter Graf übt auch die Manager-Funktionen für seine Tochter aus; da kommen abwechselnd die Firmenvertreter und Spieler-Agenturen zu ihm, die Steffi unter Vertrag nehmen wollen. Doch Peter Graf ist zurückhaltend. Er will sich erst später für weitere Verträge entschließen, wenn Steffi ganz oben ist.

Relativ ablehnend gibt er sich auch gegen die Funktionäre und Trainer des DTB. "Die haben mit Ausnahme von Klaus Hofsäss für Steffi nicht viel getan. Steffi war zwei- oder dreimal im Leistungszentrum Hannover bei einem Lehrgang. Nur die Reisen zu offiziellen Jugend-Turnieren wurden ihr bezahlt. Mehr kann man dazu nicht sagen", meint Peter Graf und sagt dann doch noch schnell: "Die haben ohnehin nur Boris Becker im Kopf. Verständlich, der Boris ist ja auch super." Ob es Peter Graf doch stört, daß er vergleichsweise zu Becker-Manager Tiriac im Tennis-Geschäft ein Amateur ist?

"Keineswegs-," rechtfertigt er sich. "Wenn es sein muß, kann ich sehr aggressiv sein und knallhart verhandeln. Ich will nichts Negatives gegen Tiriac sagen. Er ist ein guter Manager, besonders für den Boris. Aber ein Mädchen ist anders, muß anders gemanagt werden. Meine Tochter möchte im Augenblick mit Sicherheit nicht so einen Mann haben, der sie überallhin vermarktet. Für schwierige Fälle habe ich meine Rechtsanwälte."

Die braucht Peter Graf, fast täglich. Zwar will er jetzt noch keine Marketing-Strategie für seine Tochter. Doch er muß klug taktieren, wenn die Firmen-Anfragen kommen - es könnte ja doch mit Steffi in der Weltrangliste bergab gehen. "Wenn schon Vertrag", sagt Peter Graf, "dann muß es etwas Gescheites sein."

Anfragen von Büstenhalter-Firmen lehnt er kategorisch ab, wie kürzlich in Filderstadt. "Es muß eine positive Werbung sein. Lufthansa zum Beispiel ist an Stefft interessiert. So etwas ist gut. Aber wir haben keine finanziellen Probleme. Wir sind schon jetzt abgesichert. Mehr Verträge als mit adidas, Dunlop oder Dextro-Energen kann Steffi im Moment nicht verkraften. Steffi braucht mich. Sie ist noch ein Kind, die Geborgenheit der Familie ist für Steffi noch das Wichtigste." Peter Graf spricht leise, so als dürfe niemand hören, was er sagt.

Steffi freut sich jetzt auf die zwei Monate Familien-Leben ohne Turnier-Streß in dem weißen Reihenhaus in der Normannenstraße in Brühl. "Sie braucht noch Nestwärme", sagt auch Heidi Graf. Die Mutter wirkt im Familien-Verband wie der ruhende Pol.

Wenn Steffi zu Hause ist, genießt sie die gemütlichen Abende am meisten. Dann kocht sie für die Familie ihr Lieblingsgericht: Züricher Geschnetzeltes mit Spätzle. Gemeinsam sieht sich die Familie nach dem Essen Video-Filme an. Steffis Lieblingsfilm ist "Der Profi". Aber um neun Uhr geht sie unaufgefordert ins Bett: "Ich weiß, daß ich noch viel Schlaf brauche."

Was Steffi nicht sagt: Die Belastung für eine Profispielerin ihres Alters ist gewaltig. Wer da nicht diszipliniert lebt, schafft den Sprung an die Spitze nicht. Schon warten Spielerinnen wie Gabriela Sabatini, Katerina Maleeva, Mary-Jo Fernandez, Melissa Gurney und Stephanie Rehe in den Start-Löchern, um die Kontrahentin zu überrunden. In Steffis Alter braucht man viel Schlaf, um für den Konkurrenzkampf psychisch und konditionell gerüstet zu sein.

Unter dem Dach des Hauses ist Steffis Reich, zwölf Quadratmeter klein. Dort kann sie auch mal von der Familie Abstand nehmen. Das wünscht man der Weltranglisten-Siebten gelegentlich, damit sie weniger auf den zuweilen hektisch agierenden Vater fixiert ist. Aber bald zieht die Familie in ein größeres Haus in der Nachbarschaft. Da soll auch Steffi mehr Freiraum bekommen. Im Moment hat Steffi die Pokale noch in einem langen Wandregal untergebracht. Platten, Bücher und die Stereo-Anlage passen gerade noch hinein. Ihre Lieblingssänger sind zur Zeit Bruce Springsteen und Billy Ocean. Steffi liest gern Abenteuer-Geschichten von Jack London. Das grünbezogene Bett ist für die 1,72 Meter lange und 57 Kilogramm schwere Steffi inzwischen fast zu klein. Neben dem Tisch stapelt sich in einem Wäschekorb die Fan-Post.

Natürlich soll Steffi in den nächsten zwei Monaten nicht nur für die Schule arbeiten. Während der Rest der Welt-Elite in Australien Punkte sammelt, will sie an ihrer Technik feilen. Dazu hat es während ihrer 16 Turnier Einsätze in diesem Jahr nicht gereicht.

In Filderstadt hat Stefft es zuletzt zu spüren bekommen: gegen eine Serve-und- Volley-Spezialistin vom Schlage der Pam Shriver kann sie eben doch noch nicht konstant gewinnen. Nun will Steffi gleich morgens nach dem Frühstück täglich die Straße überqueren, um für drei bis vier Stunden mit Michael Wemberg unter der Aufsicht ihres Vaters in der Vier-Feld-Halle zu trainieren. Peter Graf hat den 21jährigen Schweden, der in Belgien zu Hause ist, auf Honorar-Basis vor einem halben Jahr von Blau-Weiß-Mannheim wegengagiert, weil er wegen einer Thrombose das Training nicht mehr selbst in die Hand nehmen kann. Für Steffis Kondition ist jetzt ein Sportlehrer, Erco Prull, verantwortlich.

Steffi will in dieser Aufbauphase ebenso ehrgeizig an sich arbeiten, wie sie es schon immer gehalten hat. "Wir müssen sie ständig bremsen", sagt Peter Graf. "Steffi trainiert bis zur Besessenheit. Das war schon immer so."

Vater und Tochter leben konsequent mit dem gleichen unerschütterlichen Glauben, daß Steffi im Tennis schon in einem bis eineinhalb Jahren die Nummer eins wird. Nicht mehr hören mag Peter Graf die Frage, ob es verantwortungsbewußt war, die Tochter mit 14 Jahren aus der achten Klasse der Realschule zu nehmen: "Die deutsche Presse will immer die negativen Dinge voraussehen und analysieren. Sie sollte sich ein Beispiel an den Amerikanern nehmen. Dort nimmt man Erfolgsmenschen, so wie sie sind. Steffi ist ein Ausnahme-Talent. Das rechtfertigt unsere Entscheidung."

So unrecht hat der Vater da nicht: Als Stefft mit 15 Jahren zum erstenmal in Wimbledon als Profi antrat, fragte sich die englische Presse nur verblüfft: "Woher hat das Tennis-Küken diese spielerische Reife?" Im deutschen Blätterwald dagegen entbrannten Diskussionen, welche Risiken das Profi-Leben für Steffi wohl mit sich brächte. Wobei Verletzungen nur als eine offensichtliche Gefahr ihrer Karriere angesehen wurde.

Bis zum heutigen Tag bezweifelt Peter Graf, daß seine Tochter durch exzessives Tennisspielen in jungen Jahren ein frühes "Aus" ihrer Karriere beschert werden kann. Aber der Vater ist der Meinung, Steffi sollte mit 26 oder 27 Jahren doch aufhören. "Nicht so, wie die Lloyd. Mit 30 Jahren hat die doch ein altes Gesicht. Wozu sollen die Mädchen noch in diesem Alter in der Szene herumhängen, wenn sie genug Geld verdient haben?"

Freilich, ob Peter Graf, und damit auch seine Tochter, in zehn Jahren immer noch diese Ansicht vertreten, kann nur die Zukunft entscheiden. Fest steht: Der Familien-Betrieb Graf stellt eher die typischen, ehrgeizigen Tennis-Eltern dieser Szene dar: Vater und Mutter sind streng genommen die letzte Station, die dem talentierten Kind den (noch) nötigen Schutz bieten. Wenn erst einmal am großen Geld und Ruhm geschnuppert wird, ist es schwierig Maß zu halten.

Aber noch ist bei Steffi kein Grund zur Besorgnis angebracht. Sie wird von Sportmedizinern ständig auf ihre Kondition hin überwacht, Schmerzen in den geschundenen Gelenken verspürt sie auch noch nicht. Die Reifeprüfung auf Aschen- und langsamen Hartplätzen hat Steffi inzwischen mit Auszeichnung bestanden. Bis Ende 1985 hatte der Familien-Betrieb Graf "nur" einen Platz unter den besten 20 Spielerinnen der Welt angepeilt. Schon viermal stand sie bis jetzt in einem Finale eines Grand-Prix-Turniers. Zuletzt in Fort Lauderdale, als sie zum
zweiten Mal gegen Martina Navratilova antreten mußte.

Natürlich kann Steffi die Weltranglisten-Erste noch nicht bezwingen. Auch Chris Evert-Lloyd und Hana Mandlikova sind für Steffi noch eine Nummer zu groß. Steffi sagt: "Gegen Chris ist es für mich leichter zu spielen als gegen die Navratilova. Martina kommt unerwartet nach vorne, Chris bleibt meistens hinten." Und fügt hinzu: "Im November will ich mit Klaus Hofsäss in Marbella mein Angriffsspiel trainieren."

Der ehemalige Bundestrainer Hofsäss bestätigt das: "Wir wollen im Winter Steffis Aufschlag verbessern. Das ist bei ihr noch eine Kraftfrage. Außerdem müssen wir an ihrem Angriffs-Spiel arbeiten, den Übergang nach vorne zum Netz besser in den Griff bekommen, so daß sie nicht mehr so leicht passiert werden kann. Steffi wird bei mir etwa drei bis vier Wochen in Marbella trainieren. Natürlich ist es schwer, eine auf Erfolg getrimmte Grundlinien-Spielerin wie Steffi mental auf den Angriff umzustellen. Aber Steffi ist noch jung genug, den Mut zum Risiko zu finden. Sie hat eine außergewöhnlich starke Psyche. Wenn sie sich jetzt umstellen kann, hat sie die Chance, schon im nächsten Jahr an drei, mit Glück sogar an Nummer eins zu kommen."

Daß Peter Graf diese schwierige Aufgabe gern selbst übernommen hätte, ist verständlich. Daß er Klaus Hofsäss damit betraut hat, ein kluger Schachzug des lädierten Vaters. Jedoch - für ihre Fans ist Steffi auch als Grundlinien-Spielerin schon heute die Größte. In ihrer knapp bemessenen Erholungs-Phase beantwortet sie zu Hause die vielen Briefe selbst. Wenn sie davon erzählt, lacht sie, was im Match bekanntlich selten vorkommt. Meist schaut sie grimmig drein - auf dem Court Ausdruck von Konzentration, privat vielleicht eher ein Zeichen von Unsicherheit.

"Es ist besonders lustig, die vielen Liebesbriefe zu lesen. Da hat mir zum Beispiel ein deutscher Junge geschrieben, daß er um eine Eintrittskarte für Filderstadt wettet, daß ich ihm nicht zehn Sätze schreibe. Kurz vor Filderstadt habe ich ihm die zehn Zeilen geschrieben. Ich hätte ihm gern die Eintrittskarte geschickt. Aber ich wollte die Wette nicht verlieren."

Gutmütig ist Steffi, ehrgeizig und pflichtbewußt. Ihre Aggressivität läßt sie im Match auf dem Platz zurück. Privat ist sie anpassungsfähig, warmherzig, ohne Flausen im Kopf. Ein häusliches Mädchen. In den nächsten Wochen will sie sich um die Erziehung ihres Schäferhundes Max kümmern. Sie hat ihn zu ihrem 16. Geburtstag geschenkt bekommen: "Ich würde am liebsten einen ganzen Zoo bei mir zu Hause unterbringen. Neben meinem Boxer wünsche ich mir einen schwarzen Panther", sagt Steffi. "Davon träum' ich, seit ich denken kann."

Heidi Graf kann ihr diesen Wunsch natürlich nicht erfüllen. Die Mutter achtet darauf, daß ihre Tochter nicht den Boden unter den Füßen verliert. "Mein Mann würde ihr jeden Wunsch erfüllen, da muß ich aufpassen. Aber Steffi ist sonst bescheiden", sagt die Mutter. "Sie kauft sich nur T-Shirts und Pullover, aber ihrem Bruder bringt sie von jeder Reise etwas mit." Steffi regt sich auf, daß der 14jährige Michael so verschwenderisch ist. "Wenn er sich für 90 Mark ein Paar Jeans kauft, gebe ich dafür nur die Hälfte aus", sagt Steffi.

Sie hat auch sonst keine Wünsche, die Youngsters gelegentlich verspüren. In einer Disco ist Steffi noch nie gewesen. "Ich kann nicht tanzen", sagt sie, obwohl gerade ihre flinke Beinarbeit auf dem Court zur Bewunderung Anlaß gibt.

Dafür hat die hochgeschossene Steffi jetzt ihre Liebe neben Basketball, Eishockey und Volleyball für Kegeln entdeckt. Sie ist zudem eine leidenschaftliche Anhängerin von Bayern München. "Beim Fußball vergißt Steffi sogar mal Tennis", sagt Peter Graf und klagt: "Das einzige, was mir Sorgen macht. Die Steffi ist sehr still und nicht mitteilsam."

Vielleicht teilt Steffi sich jetzt ja ihrem Privatlehrer mit, der ihr gewiß nicht nur beibringen wird, daß die Hauptstadt von Bosnien Sarajewo heißt.
 
#5,969 ·
Not sure how far that is true.
There is no official statement from her.
The local state Govt. (Kerela, a south-Indian state which is famous for tourism in India) announced that they have chosen her and a popular Bollywood actor as their brand ambassadors at the beginning of this year and that was big news in India but nothing happened since then.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top