Sabatini always spoke very highly of Steffi, and vice-versa. Also, when Sabatini was elected to the HOF, she chose Steffi, not Monica, to present her for induction. That kind of says it all for me. Finally, it's well known Steffi and Sabatini have become good friends in recent years, unlike most former players who drift away from eachother.
I am a huge graf fan, but never saw this video before. What poor sportsmanship. I have seen hundreds of women's matches over the decades and never seen a poorer display of losing than this, not even Hingis in 99 FO. Never saw Evert, Martinia, Gaby or Monica do anything like this. a wave? Come on!! Hope she got boooooed by crowd.
I agree with the comments about Graf's graceless manner when losing. She hated to lose but that is no excuse at all..no one enjoys losing. I think she shows a lack of maturity and roundedness in this undeveloped side of her personality.
And I also agree that Sabatini had everything to be the very best of her day, except a dominating serve. Even so, a spellbindingly talented tennis player, of great personal and professional charm, generosity and warmth
Everybody handle the loss differently, i have to admit this one is the worst i've seen,but we have to remember Steffi had just lost that match after holding "Match Points" againts Gaby. It was this match was turn Steffi off in 1991. Because of Gaby (not Monica) lots of player like Jana Novotna,Arantxa Sanchez believe that they can beat her. Steffi problem wasnt Monica,but Gaby... Gaby know excatly how to throw Steffi off, remember no one can beat Steffi 7 times of the last 8 meeting except Gaby.
Many people say Steffi was a gracious champion. But I really don't see that from the matches I watched her lose. She was always robotic and sour and glum in a loss. When she won, she was ecstatic and all smile. Don't see the grace that so many others do.
@Hoffenheim08 Between all smile and a glum, robotic handshake, there's a huge gap, pal. Somewhere in between is something we called graceful acknowledgement. No idea? Watch Chris Evert.
@Hoffenheim08 Most commentators? Been watching Steffi Graf all thru her career. Most commentators didn't say she was a sour loser. That's about it. Most of them said she was athletic, fiercely competitive, painfully shy, very private, straight forward, honest. Never really recalled having heard *grace* or *class*.
@Hoffenheim08 More importantly, have you ever heard Steffi praise Sabatini, who has been widely considered by her peers (Seles and Navratilova) to be the nicest and classiest player on the tour.
Steffi always treated gaby very coldly when she lost to her, sometimes barely acknowledging her. It was like she felt that Gaby was a player that she shoudn't lose to. I wonder if she looks back now and is ashamed of the way she acted after the losses to Sabatini. She should feel ashamed, especially of her poor sportsmanship after this defeat.
What a sore loser Steffi was! She didnt even want to shake hands with Gaby. Sabatini had to go all the way to Graf's chair and then Steffi tried to get away with only a wave. A really sore lose Graf was!
The same during Monica's domination of Graf. Graf had a hard time during all those painful GS finals where Monica beat her.
not always...don't generalise please....sometimes you have a hard time in your life and you are frustrated losing a match.....look here: youtube.com/watch?v=JhzZ8gKWdeo - Steffi loses a very close match the same year against martina...Look how she reacts then....
I see your point though this one here is bad but wasn't it in this match where some calls were very bad???
Steffi graf was the worst loser on the tour..... She never gave her opponents credit when she lost, and always seemed to hjave an "injury"... Yet when she won, she almost expected her opponents to hug her etc
Sabatini had talent but her serve was garbage. Sabatini SHOULD of been smart enough to realize a better serve would of helped her career. Sabatini didn't have enough acceleration and she didn't bend her knees enough to get the wrist snap necessary on her serve.
@JordanjamesX What?? Gaby worked so much on her serve with her coaches that it the end she didn't know what to do with it. The only coach who got it under control for a while was Juan Nuñez.
That Sabatini-Graf match actually wasn't the semifinal but the quarterfinal: that year (1991) all the top 5 players were due to compete in Tokyo, and the ranking was 1) Graf, 2) Seles, 3) Navratilova, 4)Fernandez, 5)Sabatini. Gaby was drawn in the first quarter against Steffi. Seles withdrew from the event too late for the seeds to be replaced.
Graf= sore loser. Always was. Often Navratilova & Evert were too, although after they cooled they often made effort to credit loser. Seles handled losses quite well & Sabatini always gracious. But why oh why didn't Sabatini fix up that serve? Should have taken a year off to redesign it, she could have been one of the greatest players ever if she had- serving& volleying when she chose. She had all the shots & the power, just not the serve!! It would have made all the difference.
what are you people talking about? steffi graf was pretty much a gracious champion- both in wins and in losses. there is a lot of trash talking among players, and we arent privy as to why, on occasion, someone was a little less than perfect in a handshake. ive seen graf, after heartbreaking losses and thrilling wins, be wonderfully human with her opponents. stop being so judgmental. champions are champions.
you should read seles's book she talks about how steffi slamed her racked in the wall in the locker room and made a hole in it after losing to seles in the 90 berlin final.
Steffi Graf is just a horrible person she has the worst personality she hated to lose and acted childish when she lost. Steffi was known for the most insincere handshakes after losing a tennis match.
I always thought Navratilova always had a bad temper and was always very emotional on the court but I don't think she was ever a bad loser. She always took the time to give her opponent a good handshake with eye contact in defeat and even Hingis managed to do some of that BUT Steffi was and remains to be probably the worst at acknowledging a loss ever! She always rushed to give the most insincere and quick handshade with almost no eye contact. What a shame for such a great champion!
I agree. I remember after she lost to Davenport in the '98 Slims semis, she mentioned that she as injured. But Lindsay also had blisters before the match (a trainer was actually shown during a pre-match medical session popping the blisters) but never mentioned it.
Yeah, no question Steffi blew Sabatini off with the handshake. As I remember, this match began Sabatini's win streak over Steffi in 1991. I believe the same thing happened with the "handshake", later that year at one of the Florida tournaments. Steffi got off to a quick start, but Sabatini stormed back for the win. As they approached the net, Steffi barely shook hands with Sabatini, and rushed off the court. As much as I love Steffi, she came off looking pretty small treating Sabatini like this.
That's ridiculous. She shook hands acknowledged her-in the exact same way Evert, Navratilova used to do when they lost close matches. I mean my god did you ever see Evert shake hands with Tracy Austin? Great champions hate losing. I also saw Monica's handshake with Steffi at the 93 Australian Open-not exactly a gracious winner!
steffi's all about steffi...i think tonya harding called graf for advice on that whole kerrigan thing. you know...a ger-man graf-fan plunged a dagger into seles' back eliminating steffi's nemesis for all intents and purposes. very efficient/ruthless german fanatic...the plan doesn't translate well when in the hands of an amateur white-trasher tony harding and co.
Sabatini always spoke very highly of Steffi, and vice-versa. Also, when Sabatini was elected to the HOF, she chose Steffi, not Monica, to present her for induction. That kind of says it all for me. Finally, it's well known Steffi and Sabatini have become good friends in recent years, unlike most former players who drift away from eachother.
xxbullitt1968xx 2 months ago
I am a huge graf fan, but never saw this video before. What poor sportsmanship. I have seen hundreds of women's matches over the decades and never seen a poorer display of losing than this, not even Hingis in 99 FO. Never saw Evert, Martinia, Gaby or Monica do anything like this. a wave? Come on!! Hope she got boooooed by crowd.
cwinifredg 8 months ago
@cwinifredg
Yeah, sure - a "huge Graf fan" ...
LOL!
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
I agree with the comments about Graf's graceless manner when losing. She hated to lose but that is no excuse at all..no one enjoys losing. I think she shows a lack of maturity and roundedness in this undeveloped side of her personality.
And I also agree that Sabatini had everything to be the very best of her day, except a dominating serve. Even so, a spellbindingly talented tennis player, of great personal and professional charm, generosity and warmth
CandyHaleLinton 1 year ago
@CandyHaleLinton
Then why was and is Graf always praised for her class - win or lose, dummy?
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
Everybody handle the loss differently, i have to admit this one is the worst i've seen,but we have to remember Steffi had just lost that match after holding "Match Points" againts Gaby. It was this match was turn Steffi off in 1991. Because of Gaby (not Monica) lots of player like Jana Novotna,Arantxa Sanchez believe that they can beat her. Steffi problem wasnt Monica,but Gaby... Gaby know excatly how to throw Steffi off, remember no one can beat Steffi 7 times of the last 8 meeting except Gaby.
tenniscewek 2 years ago
@tenniscewek Also Gaby in Wimbledon final had 91 but reacted differently macth point!!! But it's past history, now the two are friends!
azimut767 3 months ago
Many people say Steffi was a gracious champion. But I really don't see that from the matches I watched her lose. She was always robotic and sour and glum in a loss. When she won, she was ecstatic and all smile. Don't see the grace that so many others do.
trent8002003 2 years ago 2
@trent8002003
Only losers are ecstatic and all smile when they lose.
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
@Hoffenheim08 Between all smile and a glum, robotic handshake, there's a huge gap, pal. Somewhere in between is something we called graceful acknowledgement. No idea? Watch Chris Evert.
trent8002003 2 months ago
@trent8002003
I'd like to agree with you.
But I can't get over the fact that most commentators lauded Graf's grace and class on court - win or lose.
Did they all ie?
Or are you just one of those dumb American Graf haters?
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
@Hoffenheim08 Most commentators? Been watching Steffi Graf all thru her career. Most commentators didn't say she was a sour loser. That's about it. Most of them said she was athletic, fiercely competitive, painfully shy, very private, straight forward, honest. Never really recalled having heard *grace* or *class*.
trent8002003 2 months ago
@trent8002003
The google "Steffi Graf" and "grace" or "class". You will be surprised.
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
@Hoffenheim08 No I don't need to. This video is says plenty whether Steffi has anything to do with G or C.
trent8002003 2 months ago
@trent8002003
Well, Sabatini has repeatedly praised Steffi for her grace and class.
I could believe her - or a hateful, envious jerk like you.
Tough decision ....
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
@Hoffenheim08 More importantly, have you ever heard Steffi praise Sabatini, who has been widely considered by her peers (Seles and Navratilova) to be the nicest and classiest player on the tour.
trent8002003 2 months ago
@trent8002003
Sabatini chose Steffi to introduce her into the Hall of Fame.
Wonder why, dickhead ...
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
@trent8002003
LOL!
Why do you think Navi and Seles didn't name Steffi as the classiest player?
Quite simple - envy ...
Hoffenheim08 2 months ago
Steffi always treated gaby very coldly when she lost to her, sometimes barely acknowledging her. It was like she felt that Gaby was a player that she shoudn't lose to. I wonder if she looks back now and is ashamed of the way she acted after the losses to Sabatini. She should feel ashamed, especially of her poor sportsmanship after this defeat.
kingcobra76 2 years ago
What a sore loser Steffi was! She didnt even want to shake hands with Gaby. Sabatini had to go all the way to Graf's chair and then Steffi tried to get away with only a wave. A really sore lose Graf was!
The same during Monica's domination of Graf. Graf had a hard time during all those painful GS finals where Monica beat her.
mananal32 2 years ago 6
@mananal32
not always...don't generalise please....sometimes you have a hard time in your life and you are frustrated losing a match.....look here: youtube.com/watch?v=JhzZ8gKWdeo - Steffi loses a very close match the same year against martina...Look how she reacts then....
I see your point though this one here is bad but wasn't it in this match where some calls were very bad???
Mackenzie73 1 year ago
Steffi graf was the worst loser on the tour..... She never gave her opponents credit when she lost, and always seemed to hjave an "injury"... Yet when she won, she almost expected her opponents to hug her etc
catisha27 2 years ago 3
Sabatini had talent but her serve was garbage. Sabatini SHOULD of been smart enough to realize a better serve would of helped her career. Sabatini didn't have enough acceleration and she didn't bend her knees enough to get the wrist snap necessary on her serve.
JordanjamesX 3 years ago
@JordanjamesX What?? Gaby worked so much on her serve with her coaches that it the end she didn't know what to do with it. The only coach who got it under control for a while was Juan Nuñez.
She didn't bend her knees enough??
natsolog 1 year ago
@natsolog Damn youtube for not allowing us sharing pics!! LOL on her on bending her knees enough though! :-P
natsolog 1 year ago
Graf...simply the Greatest Tennis Player of All Time!!!
michaeljhasan 3 years ago
That Sabatini-Graf match actually wasn't the semifinal but the quarterfinal: that year (1991) all the top 5 players were due to compete in Tokyo, and the ranking was 1) Graf, 2) Seles, 3) Navratilova, 4)Fernandez, 5)Sabatini. Gaby was drawn in the first quarter against Steffi. Seles withdrew from the event too late for the seeds to be replaced.
giuseppexxxx 3 years ago
Graf= sore loser. Always was. Often Navratilova & Evert were too, although after they cooled they often made effort to credit loser. Seles handled losses quite well & Sabatini always gracious. But why oh why didn't Sabatini fix up that serve? Should have taken a year off to redesign it, she could have been one of the greatest players ever if she had- serving& volleying when she chose. She had all the shots & the power, just not the serve!! It would have made all the difference.
jordanaus75 3 years ago 5
what are you people talking about? steffi graf was pretty much a gracious champion- both in wins and in losses. there is a lot of trash talking among players, and we arent privy as to why, on occasion, someone was a little less than perfect in a handshake. ive seen graf, after heartbreaking losses and thrilling wins, be wonderfully human with her opponents. stop being so judgmental. champions are champions.
audreyessex 4 years ago
you should read seles's book she talks about how steffi slamed her racked in the wall in the locker room and made a hole in it after losing to seles in the 90 berlin final.
koslow88 4 years ago
Steffi Graf is just a horrible person she has the worst personality she hated to lose and acted childish when she lost. Steffi was known for the most insincere handshakes after losing a tennis match.
JordanjamesX 4 years ago
they are great friends , and great athletes... Gaby was the only player that supported monica seles to keep her #1 ranking after being stabbed
charomiami 4 years ago
steffi was a good winner and a bad looser, a bit like navratilova and hingis, seles and sabatini was pure class
TBTBTBTBTB1 4 years ago
I always thought Navratilova always had a bad temper and was always very emotional on the court but I don't think she was ever a bad loser. She always took the time to give her opponent a good handshake with eye contact in defeat and even Hingis managed to do some of that BUT Steffi was and remains to be probably the worst at acknowledging a loss ever! She always rushed to give the most insincere and quick handshade with almost no eye contact. What a shame for such a great champion!
doetim 4 years ago 2
I agree. I remember after she lost to Davenport in the '98 Slims semis, she mentioned that she as injured. But Lindsay also had blisters before the match (a trainer was actually shown during a pre-match medical session popping the blisters) but never mentioned it.
zeeksgay 3 years ago
Wow that handshake just showed the world what a piece of sh-t steffi is.
MikeyMacky 4 years ago
Yeah, no question Steffi blew Sabatini off with the handshake. As I remember, this match began Sabatini's win streak over Steffi in 1991. I believe the same thing happened with the "handshake", later that year at one of the Florida tournaments. Steffi got off to a quick start, but Sabatini stormed back for the win. As they approached the net, Steffi barely shook hands with Sabatini, and rushed off the court. As much as I love Steffi, she came off looking pretty small treating Sabatini like this.
xxbullitt1968xx 4 years ago 3
That's ridiculous. She shook hands acknowledged her-in the exact same way Evert, Navratilova used to do when they lost close matches. I mean my god did you ever see Evert shake hands with Tracy Austin? Great champions hate losing. I also saw Monica's handshake with Steffi at the 93 Australian Open-not exactly a gracious winner!
dreza4 4 years ago
steffi's all about steffi...i think tonya harding called graf for advice on that whole kerrigan thing. you know...a ger-man graf-fan plunged a dagger into seles' back eliminating steffi's nemesis for all intents and purposes. very efficient/ruthless german fanatic...the plan doesn't translate well when in the hands of an amateur white-trasher tony harding and co.
teflonmagnet 4 years ago
I love Steffi's handshake. what a piece of work.
sebbyknight 4 years ago
yeahn she could as well have waited to be in the locker room to shake hands... :p
juju1305 3 years ago