Pam Shriver d. Steffi Graf - 1988 Virginia Slims Championships SF @ Madison Square Garden

Realizing that Chrissie may have made Pam look bad in the clip we posted, with no other videos up of her play, we decided to do our friend Pam Shriver a favor & show the match where she beat Steffi Graf in the 1988 Slims Championships. Shriver was a very tough competitor and skilled player, and was part of a very deep field of VARIED styles in women's tennis that brought a lot of color, dynamics, and excitement to the sport. "The PAMther" put Steffi under pressure by coming into net even off Graf's first serve, taking away her time, her ability to run around the backhand, and her ability to dictate the pace of the match. But Steffi's brilliant & powerful groundies kept her deep in the hunt despite the well-orchestrated onslaught, climaxing in a tense 2nd set tie-break showdown!

Commentary: Steve Flink, Bud Collins, Mary Carillo. Footage courtesy of chrisevert.net

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• pam
• shriver
• steffi
• graf
• 1988
• virginia
• slims
• SF
• classic
• women's
• tennis

[assindiastignani]

@Meade3763 So what? She also once said she thought Chrissie was the greatest, and (when she was coaching her) that Martina was the greatest of all time. The record is what counts, and that will be forever tainted by the stabbing, as will every title Steffi won after it. Sorry Meade 3763, or ist Hoffenheim or is Grafgirl (how many handles do you have anyway?!) no amount of wishful thinking can change history.

[twilliger123]

@Hoffenheim08 Love how the uber Graf fans always make excuses for her, no different than other out of control fans (Michelle Kwan, Britney Spears, Clay Aiken, etc)...LMAO

[Meade3763]

@assindiastignani

Steffi played often when ill or injured. In many cases she won anyway. She was so tough, had a never-say-die attitude. Showed good character.

[cristianjavierbarboz]

AGAIN... WHAT A WOMAN.. LOVED ... AWSOM.. SHE WON.. AND WITH ALL HUMILITY.. SHE GIVES TO STEFFI A HAND WITH A "HUMILITY" FACE... WITH OUT GESTURING... AND THEN SHE RECIVE THE HUGS OF THE BALL BOYS...!!! PAM.. I LOVE YOU.

[assindiastignani]

@Meade3763 Yes, indeed, as it happens she lost. But what if she had won? She shouldn't have played the match - it was opportunistic and showed a poor character. The irony of it is, that I am not a Seles fan. I always found her a bit strange, but that has nothing to do with this. Anyhow, once you people start with the name-calling and insults, I say "Good bye."

[cristianjavierbarboz]

@cristianjavierbarboz im argentinian by the way.. forget my english is horroble..

[cristianjavierbarboz]

it s seems to me or pam went to hug the ball boys when the match ends???? i love pam.. but i prefer her on the tv. .and the graf numers dont have a "head to head" .. and i love gaby and pam... i stffi too.. but.. the numers speaks ... and graf is the best... what can we do... ? all argentinians feels the painfull in 29 times (gaby`s won only 11 in head to head)

[Meade3763]

@rehabboy01

Yes, the mixed doubles title at the AO 1961 was a tough act ...

[Meade3763]

Poor Steffi! She was very ill, obviously.

Even then Shriver struggled big-time!

If you want to see what Steffi usually did with Pam in those years watch the Wimbledon semis 1987 and 1988!

[Meade3763]

@rehabboy01

How many mixed doubles slams are the equivalenot of, say, Sabatini's only singles slam title (USO 1990)?

50? Or 100?

[Meade3763]

@assindiastignani

Poor Federer and Borg. Not enough mixed doubles titles. :-)

What BJ King actually thinks is on YouTube. Said live on US television. Listen and weep ...

[Meade3763]

@assindiastignani

BJK said that about Evert and Navratilova far earlier.

At the end of Graf's career she stated the obvious - Graf is the greatest of all time.

Although Evert and Navratilova are her compatriots. Which says it all.