Typical Graf pouting when she loses and showing no respect to the chair or Gaby...Always thought a true champion acts the same no matter what...just like Serena all smiles and giggles when they won or are winning, totally different when they lose...
Benefited is an understatement, you mean Graf was an opportunist who just accumulated slams when Seles was out of the picture and after all Seles got stabbed because of a GRAF fan and Graf definitely should have shown more class towards Seles during that time
Steffi also showed her true colors when Seles was stabbed by one of Steffi's fans, Graf would continue to play and win everything in Seles's absence and Steffi never called Seles to see how she was doing or anything.
The stabbing helped Graf immensely as she won 11 slams after Seles was out of the picture and Seles would never be the same player again when she came back winning only 1 slam in 1996 and battling weight issues and she would never regain her top physical and mental form
I am a huge Steffi fan, but a couple facts to clear up. Firstly I CAN think of an occasion when Evert refused to shake an umpires hand; Wimbledon 1988 semi final against Navratilova. Secondly I have read Alan Mills book and I am not sure if this was the match he was referring to as he states that Steffis coach Heinz Gunthardt handed him the note. Heinz wasn't Steffis coach at this point, Pavel Slozel was. Unless he just got names mixed up.
Anyone who plays an intense 1:1 combat sport like tennis would understandably be livid in the heat of battle to be robbed at 5-all in the final set TB the way Graf was. Her BH pass was clearly in and what this clip doesn't show was the drama that ensued. This would have given her match point and Graf did win the 12th point to make it 6-all so in all probability that would have been the match. Nothing against Gaby, just the manner of how the match was decided.
@FirstServePR another excuse. Other players have suffered losses, close battles, being matchpoint ahead, then losing, being cheated, treated unfairly and all. Still, I have never seen Champions like Evert, Navratilova, King or Seles run off the court like that. Fact!
Maybe Steffi was in a hurry to get off court to go help her father devise a new tax shelter to hide money from the German authorities? Just a thought.
Oh how salacious! How scandalous! How horrifying! Please... your attempt to discredit Graf's level of class is hilariously misguided. Every player has had bad days, some more than others. She was clearly very upset at the officiating, not at Gaby.
@atomcrush So why did she show disrespect towards Gaby??? If you don't like the officiating, don't shake the umpire's hand (even though that is something that I have never seen from Evert, King, Navratilova or Seles).
@volker1705 She was angry. She had a bad day. It does not define her character over her entire career. So many other players have behaved far worse and get a pass (McEnroe, Serena, Roddick, etc.) She did shake Gaby's hand, she just refused to shake hands with the ump. Her and Gaby weren't the best of friends, but they were doubles partners and shared a mutual respect to this very day. Why would Sabatini ask Graf to introduce her into the hall of fame if they despised each other?
@atomcrush Can you stop making excuses please? Graf did not behave the way a Champion should, and this was not the only time. And her 'handshake' to 'congratulate' Sabatini was appalling. FACT!
Hoffenheim, as you mentioned already, she was a pour loser after the US Open semis 86, and as it was mentioned already before, Filderstadt 94, Wimbledon 84, Berlin 90, Florida 91 and 92 vs. Sabatini. And we surely haven't seen champions like King, Evert, Navratilova and Seles behave like that, ever!
Typical of a sore loser. Gaby was a nice, fair person. She at least deserved a handshake, which she practically had to force upon Steffi. I think Gaby wanted to make sure things ended on a good note, because she has class. Steffi was just being bitter and childish. Maybe she was in a hurry to get home so she could help her father bury money in the backyard to avoid paying taxes? LOL.
@flytrapp and I wonder if Graf had run off like that if she had won??? Would the whole performance of the officials all of a sudden been acceptable if she had won that match???
Oh wow, can't believe that, that REALLY is low class, how can a player behave like that? I mean, hands down, losing is part of the game, and if you have a problem with losing and yet be fair towards your opponent, don't go on the court!
@tibetboy01 Excuse me? Sabatini had to walk behind her, Graf ran off right after the point was done, come on. If we had every player who is not satisfied with the performance of the officials behaving like that, OMG! If you're not happy with the umpire, don't shake the umpire's hand, but still it is a matter of class to congratulate your opponent on a great match. And Graf failed to do so several times.
@tenniscewek The FO 89? do you mean the "hug"? Give me a break, this only happened because Sanchez literally fell into Graff's arms so there was nothing else she could do.
This was the match that Alan Mills said in his book that the officiating was not at that time up to the quality for a pro match. Steffi sent a note to him via her coach that if he didn't do something she was going to walk off.(yeah,folks,quit the match) He was the tourney ref. He sent her back a note saying the chair was the best available he had to chose from and so if he replaced him there was no telling what kind of officiating she would have to deal with. So she stayed and finished the match
Thanks for letting us know about the whole story. TheVlies is another example of people jumping to conclusions without knowing the whole picture! btw.. it'd be more apt if he/she removed the 'V' in his user name!
@Lynz261 That is the back story on that. And it is Graf, not Graff. Graf was upset by the poor officiating and Alan Mills confirms that in his book. So, care to rethink your "poor loser" accusation? The Vlies
@Lynz261 2 things: 1) it was not the only time Graf reacted like that after a loss and 2) if all players behaved like that after poor officiating a whole lot of other players would run off that court, but others, who can lose with dignity DID NOT!
Thats just poor form. Graf never could handle losing, especially to Sabatini, she really hated losing to Gaby, which she did quite regularly from 90-92
il y a de l'orgueil dans sa réaction et une championne comme elle qui a tout gagné, qui a dominé sa discipline durant tant d'années.. il est normal que lorsqu'elle ne domine plus ses adversaires elle ait des réactions extrêmes :-) mais les poignées de mains qui se sont bien déroulées, sont plus nombreuses que les autres quand même :-) il ne faut pas se focaliser sur les mauvais moments :-)
@corresebastien non, mais il ne faut pas ignorer les mauvais moments. Des moments ce quelles Evert, Navratilova, King n'avaient pas. Graf avait beaucoup de bonheur avec l'attentat 93, ça peut-être sauvait sa carrière, évidement, comme vous avez écrit, elle avait songe a arrêter le Tennis deja en 1991.
Dans une interview elle a dit qu'après cette défaite contre Sabatini elle avait songé à arrêter le tennis. Elle était en plein doute tennistique et il arrive dans ces moments là de ne pas être à la hauteur humainement parlant.. mais souvenez vous de l'accolade avec Sanchez à Roland Garros 1989, de sa tristesse pour Novotna à Wimbledon 1993.. Sa carrière et son fairplay ne peuvent pas être remis en doute simplement parce qu'elle n'a pas tendu la main à Sabatini à Tôkyô 1991...
@corresebastien il y avait beaucoup des matches comme ça: contre Durie Wimbledon 84, contre Lindquist Filderstadt 84, contre Seles Berlin 90, contre Sabatini Florida 92 par example. Et toujours quand Graf avait perdu, il y avait une blessure comme excuse. Autres joueusses avaient des problèmes aussi et quand meme elles avaient la qualité de perdre avec gravite - toujours!
She's human, nobody's perfect. Remember this match was played on February 1991 when Steffi is having a difficult time to remain her status as the "Number One" player. She lost to Jana Novotna at Australian Open (to whom she always won easily) just before this. And she is defending champion at this tournament, and very tough QF it is. It was a close match it could turn away around. Credit to Gaby.. perhaps she's the only player to cost Steffi's crisis of confidence in 1991.
@Hoffenheim08 lol ! actually, i'm not related to that account or any other, i don't even have videos out there... but the fact that you come to the idea that I might waste my time having multiple identities and trolling on every tennis video is a lot like you... you're so funny... and sorry, I never spelt Graf with a double F.
Gosh, I had seen bad handshakes from her, but this has to be the worst. While Graf's movement on the court can be considered graceful, her behavior lacked in that department.
I think Steffi said in a year or two ago that losing this match was her most painful moment on a tennis court.
zephyruk 1 month ago
Steffi had a hard loss moment. But Gaby is an Awesome player and Beautiful :) Alway's had good sportmanship.
akimtennis 2 months ago
Typical Graf pouting when she loses and showing no respect to the chair or Gaby...Always thought a true champion acts the same no matter what...just like Serena all smiles and giggles when they won or are winning, totally different when they lose...
bryguy0111 2 months ago 2
Genial Gabriela!!!!!!!, cada vez se te extraña más!!!!!
gggiglio 2 months ago
Without the stabbing : Graf 15 GS titles, Seles 19 GS titles.
matchpointable 3 months ago 2
What a BITCH this woman, benefitted from the Seles stabbing
danieln1 3 months ago 2
@danieln1
Benefited is an understatement, you mean Graf was an opportunist who just accumulated slams when Seles was out of the picture and after all Seles got stabbed because of a GRAF fan and Graf definitely should have shown more class towards Seles during that time
italo36 3 months ago
Steffi also showed her true colors when Seles was stabbed by one of Steffi's fans, Graf would continue to play and win everything in Seles's absence and Steffi never called Seles to see how she was doing or anything.
The stabbing helped Graf immensely as she won 11 slams after Seles was out of the picture and Seles would never be the same player again when she came back winning only 1 slam in 1996 and battling weight issues and she would never regain her top physical and mental form
italo36 3 months ago
I am a huge Steffi fan, but a couple facts to clear up. Firstly I CAN think of an occasion when Evert refused to shake an umpires hand; Wimbledon 1988 semi final against Navratilova. Secondly I have read Alan Mills book and I am not sure if this was the match he was referring to as he states that Steffis coach Heinz Gunthardt handed him the note. Heinz wasn't Steffis coach at this point, Pavel Slozel was. Unless he just got names mixed up.
jazzplease 3 months ago
Anyone who plays an intense 1:1 combat sport like tennis would understandably be livid in the heat of battle to be robbed at 5-all in the final set TB the way Graf was. Her BH pass was clearly in and what this clip doesn't show was the drama that ensued. This would have given her match point and Graf did win the 12th point to make it 6-all so in all probability that would have been the match. Nothing against Gaby, just the manner of how the match was decided.
FirstServePR 3 months ago
@FirstServePR another excuse. Other players have suffered losses, close battles, being matchpoint ahead, then losing, being cheated, treated unfairly and all. Still, I have never seen Champions like Evert, Navratilova, King or Seles run off the court like that. Fact!
matchpointable 3 months ago
Maybe Steffi was in a hurry to get off court to go help her father devise a new tax shelter to hide money from the German authorities? Just a thought.
Paglia444 3 months ago
Oh how salacious! How scandalous! How horrifying! Please... your attempt to discredit Graf's level of class is hilariously misguided. Every player has had bad days, some more than others. She was clearly very upset at the officiating, not at Gaby.
atomcrush 3 months ago
@atomcrush So why did she show disrespect towards Gaby??? If you don't like the officiating, don't shake the umpire's hand (even though that is something that I have never seen from Evert, King, Navratilova or Seles).
volker1705 3 months ago
@volker1705 She was angry. She had a bad day. It does not define her character over her entire career. So many other players have behaved far worse and get a pass (McEnroe, Serena, Roddick, etc.) She did shake Gaby's hand, she just refused to shake hands with the ump. Her and Gaby weren't the best of friends, but they were doubles partners and shared a mutual respect to this very day. Why would Sabatini ask Graf to introduce her into the hall of fame if they despised each other?
atomcrush 3 months ago
@atomcrush Can you stop making excuses please? Graf did not behave the way a Champion should, and this was not the only time. And her 'handshake' to 'congratulate' Sabatini was appalling. FACT!
volker1705 3 months ago
Graf a lucky one player helped by some motherf#er german fan.
championxeneixe 3 months ago 2
Hoffenheim, as you mentioned already, she was a pour loser after the US Open semis 86, and as it was mentioned already before, Filderstadt 94, Wimbledon 84, Berlin 90, Florida 91 and 92 vs. Sabatini. And we surely haven't seen champions like King, Evert, Navratilova and Seles behave like that, ever!
volker1705 3 months ago
Typical of a sore loser. Gaby was a nice, fair person. She at least deserved a handshake, which she practically had to force upon Steffi. I think Gaby wanted to make sure things ended on a good note, because she has class. Steffi was just being bitter and childish. Maybe she was in a hurry to get home so she could help her father bury money in the backyard to avoid paying taxes? LOL.
flytrapp 3 months ago 2
@flytrapp and I wonder if Graf had run off like that if she had won??? Would the whole performance of the officials all of a sudden been acceptable if she had won that match???
matchpointable 3 months ago
Oh wow, can't believe that, that REALLY is low class, how can a player behave like that? I mean, hands down, losing is part of the game, and if you have a problem with losing and yet be fair towards your opponent, don't go on the court!
matchpointable 3 months ago
good point, TheVlies. I just saw it again, like Sanchez falling into Graf's arms, so that she could do nothing but 'hug', LOL.
volker1705 3 months ago
@tibetboy01 Excuse me? Sabatini had to walk behind her, Graf ran off right after the point was done, come on. If we had every player who is not satisfied with the performance of the officials behaving like that, OMG! If you're not happy with the umpire, don't shake the umpire's hand, but still it is a matter of class to congratulate your opponent on a great match. And Graf failed to do so several times.
volker1705 4 months ago
@volker1705 :-)
tibetboy01 4 months ago
I think she just showed her dissatisfaction to the chair umpire, not to Gaby. They were good friends and former double partners.
JacquesHsu 4 months ago
Oh cry me a river.. Steffi Graf is the classiest player of all times.
bilraz 4 months ago
@tenniscewek The FO 89? do you mean the "hug"? Give me a break, this only happened because Sanchez literally fell into Graff's arms so there was nothing else she could do.
TheVlies 4 months ago
@TheVlies Sanchez fell into Grafs arms and there was nothing she could do? lol, how desperate are you to make out Graf was a poor loser, so funny
Hilly30 4 months ago
@TheVlies
Graff didn't play in the FO 89 final, you dimwit ...
Hoffenheim08 3 months ago
Great passing shot by Gaby on match point :)
volker1705 4 months ago
This was the match that Alan Mills said in his book that the officiating was not at that time up to the quality for a pro match. Steffi sent a note to him via her coach that if he didn't do something she was going to walk off.(yeah,folks,quit the match) He was the tourney ref. He sent her back a note saying the chair was the best available he had to chose from and so if he replaced him there was no telling what kind of officiating she would have to deal with. So she stayed and finished the match
Lynz261 4 months ago
@Lynz261 whoaa i didnt know anything about this story. Thanks 4 letting us know!!
tenniscewek 4 months ago
@Lynz261
Thanks for letting us know about the whole story. TheVlies is another example of people jumping to conclusions without knowing the whole picture! btw.. it'd be more apt if he/she removed the 'V' in his user name!
bilraz 4 months ago
Actually according to Alan Mills of Wimbly fame Graf's response had to do with the "poor quality" of officiating. His words from his book.
But the fact that really blows your premise away is that Gaby chose Steffi to introduce her at Gaby's Hall of Fame Induction.
Lynz261 4 months ago
@Lynz261 That is the back story on that. And it is Graf, not Graff. Graf was upset by the poor officiating and Alan Mills confirms that in his book. So, care to rethink your "poor loser" accusation? The Vlies
Lynz261 4 months ago
@Lynz261 2 things: 1) it was not the only time Graf reacted like that after a loss and 2) if all players behaved like that after poor officiating a whole lot of other players would run off that court, but others, who can lose with dignity DID NOT!
volker1705 4 months ago
@volker1705
There was a extremely short handshake with Navratilova after the 1986 USO semis. But else?
Do you know any player in the history of women's professional tennis who was and is more often connected with the word "class" than Graf?
No one?
Thanks, thought so ...
Hoffenheim08 4 months ago
Thats just poor form. Graf never could handle losing, especially to Sabatini, she really hated losing to Gaby, which she did quite regularly from 90-92
kingcobra76 4 months ago
il y a de l'orgueil dans sa réaction et une championne comme elle qui a tout gagné, qui a dominé sa discipline durant tant d'années.. il est normal que lorsqu'elle ne domine plus ses adversaires elle ait des réactions extrêmes :-) mais les poignées de mains qui se sont bien déroulées, sont plus nombreuses que les autres quand même :-) il ne faut pas se focaliser sur les mauvais moments :-)
corresebastien 4 months ago
@corresebastien non, mais il ne faut pas ignorer les mauvais moments. Des moments ce quelles Evert, Navratilova, King n'avaient pas. Graf avait beaucoup de bonheur avec l'attentat 93, ça peut-être sauvait sa carrière, évidement, comme vous avez écrit, elle avait songe a arrêter le Tennis deja en 1991.
volker1705 4 months ago
Dans une interview elle a dit qu'après cette défaite contre Sabatini elle avait songé à arrêter le tennis. Elle était en plein doute tennistique et il arrive dans ces moments là de ne pas être à la hauteur humainement parlant.. mais souvenez vous de l'accolade avec Sanchez à Roland Garros 1989, de sa tristesse pour Novotna à Wimbledon 1993.. Sa carrière et son fairplay ne peuvent pas être remis en doute simplement parce qu'elle n'a pas tendu la main à Sabatini à Tôkyô 1991...
corresebastien 4 months ago
@corresebastien il y avait beaucoup des matches comme ça: contre Durie Wimbledon 84, contre Lindquist Filderstadt 84, contre Seles Berlin 90, contre Sabatini Florida 92 par example. Et toujours quand Graf avait perdu, il y avait une blessure comme excuse. Autres joueusses avaient des problèmes aussi et quand meme elles avaient la qualité de perdre avec gravite - toujours!
volker1705 4 months ago
She's human, nobody's perfect. Remember this match was played on February 1991 when Steffi is having a difficult time to remain her status as the "Number One" player. She lost to Jana Novotna at Australian Open (to whom she always won easily) just before this. And she is defending champion at this tournament, and very tough QF it is. It was a close match it could turn away around. Credit to Gaby.. perhaps she's the only player to cost Steffi's crisis of confidence in 1991.
tenniscewek 4 months ago
Comment removed
volker1705 4 months ago
LOL, Juju - what a tool you are!
Creating a new YT account just to upload another anti-"Graff" video!
And within a few hours - what a coincidence! - three of you other "accounts" have miraculously "found" this clip in order to diss "Graff".
Hoffenheim08 4 months ago
@Hoffenheim08 lol ! actually, i'm not related to that account or any other, i don't even have videos out there... but the fact that you come to the idea that I might waste my time having multiple identities and trolling on every tennis video is a lot like you... you're so funny... and sorry, I never spelt Graf with a double F.
juju1305 3 months ago
The only disgraceful thing about this video was that crazy overrule!
Calicokit101 4 months ago
@Calicokit101 why overrule, you can see the linesman signalling that the ball was out immediately.
volker1705 4 months ago
Gosh, I had seen bad handshakes from her, but this has to be the worst. While Graf's movement on the court can be considered graceful, her behavior lacked in that department.
juju1305 4 months ago
Graf lacked the class that the earlier generations had.
I also felt like she never gave back to the sport which had made her so wealthy. It was all "me me me" with Stefanie.
Paglia444 4 months ago
This happened many times in Graff's career, she couldn't handle losses. I guess not every player is made to be a real champion...
volker1705 4 months ago