[alfajeffster]

What's the best Steffi Graf match you ever saw live?

Mine was the semi-finals of the 1998 Avanta Championships in Philadelphia, PA:

Graf def. Hingis 6-2,4-6,6-0

 

[Libertango]

Well I only ever saw one, but it was still great: Steffi v Kimiko Wimby SF 6-2 2-6 then it was suspended

 

[DA FOREHAND]

That was a great match, sorry I missed it. I rather enjoyed the final though! Graf defeats Davenport.

 

[hingis-seles]

Graf beat Hingis in the quarters in Philly.

 

[alfajeffster]

It was a terrific match- and I was laughing and cheering the whole time. Hingis was being her typical bratty self- making all kinds of faces and mocking Steffi's forehand and backhand all match long. After Hingis won the second set- Steffi took a 3 minute injury time-out and left the court to have her quad re-taped, and Hingis was shaking her head and pouting and complaining- then Graf came back out and dusted her clock in the third set without dropping a game!

 

[DA FOREHAND]

Classic Steffi, I'd pay good money to have that one on tape.

 

[alfajeffster]

Graf beat Hingis in the quarters in Philly.

Hey, you're right- thanks for the correction- I was there for the semis and Elena Likhovsteva gave Graf a terrific battle. Thanks again.

 

[irma]

steffi played tauziat in the semis

 

[irma]

I wish I could see that quarterfinal too :lol:

I never saw steffi live only on tv

 

[CondiLicious]

live on TV? AO 1993 I was 11 and I enjoyed watching it lots.

Live in person? 1995 Wimbledon final... That was great. Shame Monica had to steal her thunder and annouce her comeback that exact same day.

 

[alfajeffster]

steffi played tauziat in the semis

this is a tough tournament for me to get the rounds correct, because I was there all week, and saw alot of matches.

 

[irma]

steffi play mary joe, Likhovsteva, martina, tauziat and lindsay and that with a jet lag

 

[DA FOREHAND]

I'm going to the Philly tournament this year, glad it's back on the calendar.

 

[alfajeffster]

The best thing about that tournament was the fact that the players came out of the lounge quite often and sat right next to where we had tickets. I got Graf's autograph during that tournament, and got to talk for a few minutes with Janella Rochelle, who was Graf's exclusive photographer for a while back then.

 

[irma]

didn't see also made pics for the sgisc?

 

[irma]

martina said later that she lost because was tired while she just had a break for 4 weeks and steffi came from germany and a tough match the day before

all this makes a certain other match so much more sweeter

 

[alfajeffster]

That 1999 match couldn't have been sweeter. I remember following the score on the French Open web site (it wasn't live, as NBC claimed it was), and I remember almost throwing my computer out the window when there was this long pause when Steffi was serving for the match at 5-2, and nothing changed for what seemed like hours. I couldn't tell from watching the score what was wrong (it turned out to be the famous controversy over the under-handed serve that was a few feet out and Hingis complaining she couldn't hear)

 

[hingis-seles]

Martina played horrible tennis that tournament. She was unmotivated and didn't seem to care. It was 1998.

The best Steffi matches I have seen on tv, quality-wise, would have to be 1993 AO and 1992 Wimbledon finals. She played impeccable tennis in both of them.

Unfortuantely, I never got to see Steffi in person.

 

[alfajeffster]

Another match where she played out of her tree was the Acura Classic a few years back- again, dusting Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in straight sets. It was comical, because Sanchez Vicario made the remark during the award ceremony afterward "I think maybe Steffi don't like me!" and brought the house down (including Steffi)

 

[irma]

and asv put a spell on steffi and steffi had to play with a brace for the rest of the year?