FULL (skinny) VERSION 1993 - Seles vs Graf - Australian Open
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- Опубликовано: 6 окт 2024
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© 1993 Tennis Australia Limited (TA)
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© 1993 Seven Network Limited (Australia)
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© 2016 PertSnergleman™ Channel
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PertSnergleman's Review:
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Often stated as one of the greatest women’s tennis matches ever seen; the Seles vs Graf rivalry was at fever pitch in the 1993 Australian Open final. Steffi Graf was dominating the sport at the time, however Monica Seles ends up turning the tide and going on to become champion after a three set thriller.
Silent no longer and stronger than ever, top-ranked Monica Seles unleashed seven aces today to sweep past Steffi Graf and earn her third consecutive Australian Open title.
Seles, who restrained her grunts when she lost to Graf at Wimbledon last year, did not worry about making noise during a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Seles' fastest serve, clocked at 102 m.p.h., came on her final ace and wiped out a break point that would have put the third set back on serve in the seventh game. Seles then held serve when No. 2-seeded Graf made errors on the next two points.
"I still felt I was in it," Graf said about the break point. "I didn't have my doubts at that moment. I knew this would be more or less it."
Graf paused as she thought back to that lost opportunity.
"I'm a mess," she said, covering her face with her hands.
Said Seles: "It was 30-all, and I was so mad she had a chance to break back. I worked so hard to get the break. I just let it go (the ace) and it just went in."
The victory, worth nearly $280,000, gave Seles her eighth Grand Slam title in the last 10 finals in which she has played.
"She really deserved to win today," said Graf, who had won the three consecutive Australian Open titles before Seles' streak.
Seles' serve, which she has been developing, let her down in the first set when she started out with a double fault. Seles double-faulted again in the last game of the set, when she was broken for the second time.
"I told myself to concentrate," Seles said. "Don't look at the score, just play point by point."
Then, grunting as loud as ever, Seles took a 2-1 lead in the second set when she broke Graf's serve with the help of a double-fault at 15-40.
From that moment, Seles never relented. She aced Graf to open the next game and hit two service winners, including one at 101 m.p.h., to make it 3-1.
Graf, who had only one ace, was pinned back by Seles' deep groundstrokes and could not cash in on a break point in eighth game of the second set. Seles got back to deuce with a desperate lob long by Graf, then took the advantage with one of the most pivotal points of the match.
Seles hit half a dozen forehands cross-court to Graf's relatively weak backhand, pinning her in the corner as Graf floated back slices. Suddenly, Seles drilled a forehand down the line on the other side of the court, and Graf could do nothing but chase it futilely.
That point, which gave Seles an advantage after what could have been break, bolstered her confidence and seemed to deflate Graf, who netted a forehand return to lose the game.
Seles then broke Graf for the set, winning the first point on one of only four volleys she had in the match and closing out the set when Graf hit a forehand long.
"She plays every point as hard as she can," Graf said. "She never gives any easy points or easy games."
In the third set, Seles served three aces in her first two service games, then broke Graf to go up 4-2 after three deuces and three break points. The winning point came on a forehand by Graf that floated wide.
"I made a lot of double faults," Seles said. "Against Steffi, it's tough to serve aces. I must have served well. I think the serve was going better in the late second set and third set when I was just rapping it in."
Seles, who won three of the four Grand Slam events last year, dismissed her rivalry with Graf for No. 1.
"I don't look at it as a rivalry," Seles said. "It's a game. I just play it. I never thought I would do so well in Grand Slams."
Monica Seles my all time favorite tennis player...
You can see the progression in Monica's game here. Her serve was becoming a weapon, she was taking balls out of the air and smashing them away for winners and especially her return of serve was her biggest weapon.
Mind you, this was way before the age of the Williams sisters, Monica put so much pressure on the server and Steffi felt the heat.
You can sense the unease in Graf, even after she won the first set, she never felt comfortable bc Monica was constantly applying the pressure, attacking any short or soft balls. Her disguise of the ball's direction is remarkable, fooling Graf time and again.
This was a high quality match with both players raising their games, but Monica raising her game that much more than Steffi when it counted.
The Graf supporters here know deep inside Seles was the superior player and they have Gunter Parche to thank.
Great analysis - she finally started making use of the T serve on the ad side which kept Steffi from cheating, thus making her wide serve that much more effective. Great tactician. Sad for our sport what happened.
Agree, even her groundstrokes had improved so clearly from the previous year. She hit flatter and deeper without committing so many errors. It's only natural she was improving since she was still so young.
I did the stats for Channel 7 for all of Monica's titles in Melbourne. IMO, she's the greatest I've ever seen. She
basically invented the modern women's game of relentless aggression off both sides. At this stage of her career, she was absolutely dominant.
terrific analysis Tony. As the first woman to stand on the baseline, take every ball on the rise and hit relentlessly for the lines - even more so when down in a match - it's easy to forget she was only 16 when she won the French in '90 and was victorious in her first 6 Grand Slam finals she reached... a record that still stands today.
Seles was a true phenom.
Thanks again for your comment and Enjoy!
@@PertSnergleman Thanks a lot for your generous and insightful comments, Pert.
Thanks a lot for uploading this classic.
She never won Wimbledon
@@WONGLER That's true. She still managed to win 8 slams before her 20th birthday. She should be forgiven for not finding the same form after she was stabbed.
@Max E Tony is telling the truth.
So disgusting to this day that Seles was stabbed in 1993 and was never the same player again. This would be her last slam as the dominant player at only 19 years old and already had 8 slams..such a tragedy for the history books...Monica Seles will always be the best to me...
+italo36 Word!
italo36.. Me too.
italo36 lets not forget she was barely 19 less than a month,but by this time she was unstoppable,and still add more to her game.amazing
Serena is the best ever by far. All you retarded Seles fanatics, Graf fanatics, Martina fantasics, or anyone else fanatics need to get a clue and accept reality. Martina is not the best ever just for being a lesbian and having the best record at only 1 event (Wimbledon) but nowhere else, Seles isnt the best ever just because she was stabbed, Graf isnt the best ever for having her biggest rival stabbed and still having less slams than Serena who never gained from something like that and still passed Graf's inflated criminally aided total. Serena is hands down the best ever, and always would have been, live with it.
@@harveywolfe8787 No, Monica is the GOAT!
If Monica had never been stabbed, she would have won at least 30 Grand Slams.
Graf and Serena would win only about 10.
Monica was on her way to becoming the # BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD IN WOMEN TENNIS. EVEN TODAY . SHE WAS UNSTOPPABLE. Until that lunatic stabbed her. Sad story in sports history.
Agreed, I still don't understand how a viewer gets that close ,with a weapon to a player
Wow I didn't realise that this result meant Steffi had 11 slams and Monica 8 despite Monica's youth. Monica's serve was getting better all the time too. No way would Steffi have 22 slams without the stabbing.
Agreed!
Totally agree, I assume both would have been at around 15-18 a la Evert and Navratilova. With Monica having the edge.
But stefi affected by his father's case and injured too that affected stefi mental
Yeah I reckon 16 17 each without the stabbing.
Seles would have taken the 94 Wimbledon and she would have grown in confidence on grass after that .
Exactly.
It was nice to hear Steffi call Monica "The best player in the world" during the post match interview after her semifinal victory.
Monica really was incredible.
I think Steffi was OK, albeit very determined- especially considering her dad was so crazy. As for her fans...
Steffi fans are tennis fans, unlike Seles' fans.
I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace in all the Earth and may anyone find the True and Living God before the Great Tribulation, that is soon to come.
@@MsJubjubbird Graf fans seem like saints compared to the nutcase lot that are otherwise known as Seles fans (or as the tennis world calls them Seles nutters or Selestials). Spoken as an outsider who isnt a big fan of either Graf or Seles.
@@MsJubjubbird Haha Seles fans are the ones who have gotten threads locked on tennis forums, comments closed on numerous videos that dont even have Seles on it. Seles fans are the nuttiest group of lunatics on the planet, they are like a million Gunther Parches.
@@ralphbourgeois5875I'm referring to the weirdo who stabbed her competition. There are crazy online fans for every sports personality and celebrity fans be it Graf, Seles, Nadal, Serena, Federer ect.But just because a Federer fan behaves badly doesn't mean a Nadal fan can too ect.
Completely heartbreaking to hear Wendy Turnbull and the other commentator talk about Monica's potential to be the greatest of all time. 😥
@Max E Even Martina Navratilova said Monica was better than her at her peak. Recently, Chris Evert told Monica she would have won the most slams had she not been stabbed. I'll take the opinions of Wendy Turnbull, Chris Evert, and Martina Navratilova over an idiot like you.
Steffi had the potential to win far more than 40 slams.
With these two infamous family scandals, her ridiculous list of injuries in the 90s and her premature career end just after having turned 30 she would have been virtually unbeatable until about 2002.
No “ifs” here...Seles bests Graf, takes Graf’s number 1 ranking, and consolidates it, repeatedly. Facts. Facts and more facts......no amount of added fake screen identities will change those realities.....
Good for her.
Anton Boludo
Yes, it was. 😀
Jude0013 👍
Breaks my heart hearing Monica say she hopes to be back next year, knowing she won't be. :(
@Max E Obviously, Mary Carillo of 1993 knew nothing about the psychological impact of being the victim of a violent crime. The trauma affects the well-being and stability of the individual’s personal, familial and professional lives. When the criminal justice system fails to provide justice to the victims in subsequent proceedings, victims often feel revictimized by the process. Youth and young adults between the ages of 18-24 are particularly vulnerable following victimization due to the still not completely developed prefrontal cortex of the brain. They can suffer from the long-term impacts of unaddressed trauma, such as difficulty with school, work, relationships and poor physical health. Monica Seles’ PTSD and subsequent eating disorder were the emotional results of the stabbing and had a years’ long effect on her tennis game.
As an adult I would have difficulty processing why a stranger came to my place of work and stabbed me in the back because I was too good at my job and wanted another individual promoted to my place. Imagine what a teenaged Monica Seles went through with the attendant media circus, the revictimization she felt at the hands of Germany’s legal system, the loss of income and endorsements for which she was not compensated, the loss of the playing form of an elite athlete at the top of her game, and the daunting prospect of the physical and mental grind it would take to get back to that form at a time when she was vulnerable and incapable of expending such emotional effort. When she resumed her playing career, she had to return to the scene of the crime amid another media circus.
I hope in later years, Mary Carillo retracted her Ill-informed and frankly ridiculous statement.
@Max E She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder you freak
Monica was, is, will be always the best
Riccardo Bollani I love her
Monica ❤🥀
The best at what? Certainly not tennis.
@@PravoslavniVitez Yes in tennis loser.
@@michaelkieling8820 With 0 Wimbledon titles? Okay sweetie. Go take your medication now.
Steffi Graf is the greatest of all time.
Monica at this point was bearly 19 what a girl
MONICA was the nightmare of Graf. And for many Graf-fans.
A german Graf-fan stabbed Monica in Hamburg when she was only 19years (and 4months) old and had already won 8 slams...IMAGINE Graf with and without Monica...The difference !
The usual BS form Selestial nutters.
Steffi always had a winning head to head against Seles. Even against a #1 Seles pre-stabbing.
And in Seles's two best years 1991 and 1992 Steffi was even 3-1 win/loss against the Serbian Screamer.
But 2-6 win/loss against Gaby Sabatini.
Without the stabbing Steffi would have won Wimbledon 94 as well for sure. Even Selestial fanatics admit that.
But they never can explain which slams Steffi would NOT have won.
1) USO 93? When Seles never beat Steffi on fast hard courts? 😂😂
2) Wimbledon 93 & 95? When Seles played 4 sets there against Steffi with 06 16 26 16 being the results? 🤣🤣🤣
3) AO 94? When Steffi destroyed Sanchez with 60 62 against whom she had struggled at the AO 93? When Steffi beat Navratilova one week later in Tokyo with 62 64 - against whom she had even LOST in Tokyo 93? 😆😄
4) FO 93 & 95? Maybe ONE - but only if Steffi had made 66 unforced errors again like in the FO 92 final (when Steffi threw the win away).....
So on aggregate Steffi most certainly would have had 22 slam titles even with Seles not having been stabbed.
Monica might have won a few of the slams Pierce and Sanchez won.
Monica is the most overrated top tennis player of the open era.
She won a lot in the early 90s because virtually no competition (Evert gone, Navi too old, Steffi slumping, Sanchez not yet peaking, Hingis still a toddler).
It’s amazing that she had 8 grand slams and she had just turned 19
We all know why Seles won so much in those years, don't we?
Because she was the best player in the world.
Even tho Monica missed out the next two years due to stabbing, let's not forget she did win the Australian next time she played, beating Chanda Rubin on the way in that classic match in 96, perhaps her greatest performance in Melbourne.
Plus, when Monica played Steffi again in 99 Australian, she beat her !
The Australian has been very good to Monica, tho sadly, it was to be her last grand slam title win.
That horrible stabbing prevented Monica to reach her peak....very sad.
Seles overpowers Graf, hitting more winners in every single department, repeatedly consolidating her number 1.....and not even playing her best, lol. Facts facts fact.
No one should underestimate the psychological effect and impact the stabbing had on Monica Seles. There's no doubt she could have bypassed Margaret Court's record of 24 singles Slams. Steffi would have continued to win Slams but there's no way she would have ended her career with 22 single Slams. As the commentators said Monica had 8 Grand Slams and she had just turned 19. Steffi Graf had won 6 Slams before she turned 20, Chris Evert had 2 and Martina had 0. And Monica has a record that NO ONE will ever break - the youngest female winner of the French Open.
I couldn’t agree more. It sickens me to find all the comments here on youtube regarding the stabbing as a “papercut”. Not to mention also how they keep on calling her “fat”, when the truth is she suffered BED during all her post-stabbing career.
@@valentinodelpiero4861 I would highly recommend reading Monica's autobiography "Getting a grip" - it is really insightful and she doesn't shy away from the aftermath of the stabbing - the overeating, the depression, the bulimia etc
Pablo Frank I really look forward to the moment I have her book in my hands, it’s been my desire to read it for a long time.
LOL she would not have reached 24 slams. Serena the GOAT hasnt gotten to or past 24 yet even playing until nearly 40. Court's 24 isnt even a real figure anyway since she won it when the Australian Open wasnt a real slam and she won 11 of hers there. That is why it is an impossible mark, that even the GOAT hasnt beat yet.
@@robertsonmirvish6732 Serena won 1 singles Grand Slam as a teenager. She had gaps in her career due to illness, health issues, family issues (after her sister was murdered) and more recently, her pregnancy. And bear in mind she has accomplished a huge level of success after the age of 30 since she teamed up with Patrick Moratoglou. Regarding Monica Seles, there is no doubt she could have reached 24 Slams. She would have been a force to be reckoned with til the late 1990s with the emergence of Hingis, Davenport and the Williams sisters.
Seeing the interview after was so nice to get to know her but so sad at the sametime , knowing what would happen in the future in Hamburg Germany.
What a great Champion Tennis player, great athlete and all around beautiful person !
She's the best ever !❤
So true, it really was the last time that girl was ever the same. Thank you for your comment! :)
Monica Seles would've been possibly the best ever. Strange how she's in Germany when she gets stabbed, no comment! Steffi really flourished while Seles took 2 and a half years to finally come back. Seles possibly would've at least won three or four more Grand slams during this period. Always loved Monica over Steffi anytime, but this is just my opinion.
And the stabber didn't get punished either, he was simply dismissed as having a mental illness. Wonder who was the mastermind behind this incident hmmmm....
Same here. I'd pick Seles over Graf any day.
Seles is the forever goat.
Don't know why you're saying it was strange that Seles got stabbed in Germany...hinting at something. Pretty sure it's well know the stabber was a Steffi Graf fan. It's not speculation or a conspiracy...it's facts.
@@jamiedrury9656 my message is exactly how I wanted to write it. I know all the details of the stabbing and yes it was a crazed Graf fan. However, I still have some unanswered questions about how he only got a slap on the hand punishment and still feel their was other masterminding behind this. Didn't accuse anyone and this is my opinion and I stand with it. In America I believe we still have freedom of speech and the entitlement to our own opinions. You stated yours and I stated mine. It's no big deal, I enjoyed their short lived rivalry and wished it would of lasted as long as Evert's and Navratilova's. Hope you have a nice day!
If Seles was not stabbed Graf and Seles would have become one of the best women rivalry in the history of tennis.
I agree 100 %!. The 90's would have been their decade. The two of them would have shared GS titles. With Graf's slices and Monica's angles, nobody else would not have a chance.
@Max E SO. From 1993 to 1996 could have been three (3) great years for SELES V GRAF, if SELES HAD NOT BEEN STABBED. THE STABBED CHANGED TENNIS HISTORY BETWEEN THESE TWO and for the game. BESIDES, say SELES WAS THE BOSS and dominating GRAF in the slam final (s), PERHAPS GRAF would have stuck around longer.
Graf was 30 and yes had injuries, but perhaps the motivation to come back and beat Seles would push to continue dealing with injuries and play. As Graf said once "I want to play against the BEST". Seles was Graf's exact rival and close in age. Graf staying to contend with player (s) in late tennis and early 20s when Graf was just about 30 did not seem to motivate Graf the way Seles motivated GRAF. SELES GOT GRAF number in key match they EVER played 1992 FRENCH OPEN that was the BEST OF BEST match between GRAF and SELES, WON BY SELES.
The best was gone for Graf once Seles was stabbed. NO one knows for sure what would have happened though if THE STABBING HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE. An expert in tennis Evert said regarding Evert Navratilova rivalry "maybe would have gotten bored if didn't have each other"...
FINALLY, Graf suffered by losing Seles. The question will always loom WHAT IF. So the wins Graf won in singles slams from 1993-1995, in particular, will always have a question mark by them due to SELES being out of the game. Graf's slams of 22 to me are not more accomplished than EVERT and NAVRATILOVA having 18 slams. 24 singles slams by Court are based on 11 or 12 singles slam in Aussie Open during many years when just Aussies played it. One has to go deeper than just "stats" to SEE OK what is really going on here and what is really behind these "stats". WHO did Court beat to win those 11 or 12 singles slams in Aussie. Whereas Graf, Martina, Evert, Williams singles slams are much more spread out among all the slams by beating the best of the best.
YES SELES would have won Wimbledon if NOT FOR THE STABBING. Martinez won it by beating Navratilova and SELES certainly could have done so too.
So what is your next argument?
People often make comments about Seles. I do think she was incredible and who knows what she would have achieved. However, people rarely touch on this point. How much better would Graf had been if Seles had stayed in the game? Yes, perhaps Steffi would not have the GS tally that she has, but I do believe Seles would have encouraged Graf to become an even greater player. Somewhat forced to improve really. I believe Graf enjoyed the competitive nature of her matches with Seles. She was probably angry and upset when she lost but I would say she found the matches very stimulating. Graf was so intense and such a perfectionist why would she not enjoy her rivalry with Seles? It was all at boiling point at this stage and I can only imagine how intense their next few matches might have been.
@@stacked7476 Seles was in Graf's head for a few years and it would have continued. Seles was starting to be unbeatable in Aussie 1993 Open as Seles was improving. Graf's game was staying the same. Now WHY do I think the other players from 1991-1996 were not on the level with Graf and Seles, WELL why did Seles win all those slams from 1991-1993 and why did Graf win all those slams from 1993-1996. Because Graf and Seles are superior to the other players from 1991 to 1996. For five years Seles and Graf dominated the game.
The reason SELES gets my vote over Graf resides on the basis SELES had Graf to contend with and beat from 1990-1993 (up to Aussie) for Seles slams. Whereas Graf from 1993 (after Aussie) to 1996 only had Seles to face from US Open 1995- to US Open 1996 (this was after stabbing Seles not nearly the same as prior to stabbing). So From 1993 French to the 1995 US Open Graf did not have Seles.
SELES always knew Graf was there from 1990 to 1993 and Graf was. Graf lost confidence as Seles came into the picture and DOMINATED the slams from 1991 AUSSIE to 1993 AUSSIE with the exception of Wimbledon.
That does raise the point well Seles never won Wimbledon. Seles would have won Wimbledon, the year Martinez (a claycourt expert and baseliner won it). The ball bounces higher that year. Yes, Graf is a superior player than Seles on grass. I would say Martina, Graf are the greatest grasscourt players I've seen. The Venus, King, Court. Evert is up there too and won tons of grass tourneys and 3 Wimbledons.
I do not know enough about Lenglen, Connolly (sp?) and some of the other greats but surely they are to be included too.
@@kkauffman7152 I think we also need to point out that they played twice in 1991 and Graf one both of them. Seles was playing near or at her peak and Graf in my opinion was not anywhere near her peak. 1991 Graf was not peak Graf at all. The San Antonio final was quite embarrassing for Seles I thought. Graf just totally dominated with power, speed, agility and a variety of shots. I don’t think it’s correct to only mention the slams. Graf beat Seles on her favourite surface, clay in Hamburg 91. These two wins in 91, the Wimbledon final in 92 and also the fact that their matches were almost always very close, does mean to me that Seles was no where near dominating Graf. Their were some matches between the two that were not close. Dominating performances with the match won easily. Wimbledon 89, San Antonio 91, Wimbledon 92. All these three were won by Graf. The closest Seles got to a dominating win was Berlin 90. But the score in this match was not as dominating.
And Monica was only 19. WOW!
I mean, Monica had essentially "solved" the Graf problem. Graf could adjust her game and change some things to deal with Monica, but as a physical specimen she had reached a plateau. Monica, on the other hand, was extremely young. She would only grow more physically imposing and her "tennis intelligence" would increase exponentially.
This is why a big "*" on Graf's major haul.
Illya Kuryakin but Seles won 3 Grand Slam Final:
- Australian Open (slow hardcourt)
- Roland Garros (Clay)
And Graf won Wimbledon (grass)
It's a pity Navratilova won the '91 US Open Semifinal, I would have love watching Seles defeating Graf in '91 Us Open Final (fast hardcourt)
Illya Kuryakin in fast hardcourts Monica baggeled her, so i don't understand you.
Monica Seles would have broken all records in women's tennis if not for that disgusting crime that went unpunished.
Yeah. If Seles were not stabbed " She might have so many Trophies that won't have enough space to fix even in our own Galaxy.
Seles might serve 200 Million Kilometers per Second.
If Seles were not stabbed " She will be more Superior than Lord Jesus Christ or any others religious Gods.
Seles might run 1 Kilometers in just 2 Second.
Seles Networth will be more at 3 Trillion Universe Total price estimate.
If Seles were not stabbed" she will create World Record in Long-jump by crossing whole Pacific Ocean.
If Seles was not stabbed " She could jump up so high and touch the Clouds of Our Earth.
I don't know why Yugoslavia does not drop atomb bomb to Germany for this stabbing incidents ?
@@stephenmeitai7622 She was not Yugoslavian, she was Hungarian. She spoke Hungarian. Strange that people don't know. Her name is Hungarian. (Szeles)
Ja,die Bestenliste der Damen würde ganz anders aussehen!
A completely outrageous, incompetent, absurd sentencing decision by the German judge. Can you imagine stabbing somebody and then getting to walk away a free man--no prison time!--because the judge believed you only wanted to disable the victim for a time and not kill her? The judge was a complete disgrace.
Grafs parents never applaud a Monica winner, stark contrast to Monicas family
👍
👍🏼
The best tennis parents by far are the Williams parents, especialy Oracene. She applauds all good shots either from her girls or the opponents, and even laughs during matches.
Monica's parents were sweethearts. I love the footage from the US open when Monica became No1 of having a good gab with Jennifer Capriati in the tunnel before their SF match. U never saw that with any of the others, she was a giggly chatterbox.
Seles never congrats in thropy ceremony when Steffi beat her in the final of the tournament
Monica was a lean 56 kg at the time of her Australian Open win in 1993, her eight Grand Slam. She was fast on her feet, took the ball earlier then most players and hits the ball harder from both sides then any woman of that era.
After the stabbing, she gained 25 kgs and it showed in her performance where she was always a step or two slower. Carrying all those excess weight also put a lot of strain on her foot, knees and joints.
She eventually had to retire as a result of all the nagging injuries which hampered her movement.
Making excuses for ones own actions is stupidity. When other athletes from other sports do the same no one hardly ever complains saying 'what might have been.' Their time is up and it's that simple.
@Markus E: as if you're not the one making excuses as well?? What was that you said?? Graf had a slump because of the blackmail?? and you think that it really affected Graf?? She was affected, that's true, but that's because her confidence got lost when Seles took her Number 1 ranking and beat her in Slams early 90s.. It's not anyone's fault if during that time the H2H count in Slams was 3-1 in favor of Seles.. They could've met many times more if Graf not being beaten by other players and hindered her from reaching the finals where Seles was waiting..
it was very clear at this point, 11 GS for graf, then 8 for Seles and Seles was only 19 years old, then that lunatic fan of hers stabbed Seles to stop her from crushing Graf. So that record of Graf of 22 will always be courtesy of that crazy fan of Graf.
So what happened in 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 92, 94, 97, 98, 99? No competition in 88, stabbing in 93, that doesn't live much room for your 'real' Graf.
One of my kids asked me if I could go back in time and change a sports-related event, what would that be? Without hesitation, I chose Monica's stabbing. Things happen (and don't happen - pandemic???) and we do our best moving forward. But it's nice to ponder (not get stuck on) how things could or would have been. Man, I am old LOL - this was almost 30 years ago.
What made it even worse is everything else about womens tennis declined around the same time. Seles stabbed obviously, but Sabatini continuing her decline, Fernandez constantly injured after the 93 French and never back to top form, Navratilova retiring, Capriati burning out and leaving the tour after the 93 U.S Open, then Graf constantly injured and playing a limited schedule and affected by her injuries, particularly in 94. Pierce emerged and could have been a bright star for the womens game, but was too erratic. Novotna was a headcase forever after her 93 Wimbledon debacle. Basically until Hingis emerged womens tennis was very dire after the Seles stabbing.
@@grantdesjardins764 sorry was that Gigi Fernandez you refer to, or Mary Jo Fernandez being constantly injured?
I really like the commentators...especially Wendy Turnbull who was a top 10 player in the 1970's.
Chris Evert also.
Turnbull was top 10 in the 80s too. She was top 5 in the 82-84 year end rankings.
Yes I agree. Turnbull offers good analysis on tennis matches..
Monica seles The No. 1 tennis player in me forever
Then came Serena. Sorry but she was better than both of them with natural physical ability.
@Max E forever max, forever.
I fancy peak Seles against anybody.
@@jondishmonmusicandstuff2753 Serena did not have the competition that graf and seles had. All serena had was henin and her sister and maybe clijsters. Seles is better than those 3. Seles before the stabbing.
Unforgettable Monica Seles
No one is going to tell me different. The Graf's had something to do with the stabbing
I definitely think Peter Graf had something to do with it. Maybe he bought Gunter the ticket to the tournament.
👍👍👍👍
🗡💰
We were all robbed of Monica's greatness. She would have dominated for most of the 90's.
I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace in all the Earth and may anyone find the True and Living God before the Great Tribulation, that is soon to come.
Markus E oh pls get a life,you really need to get out more lol
@@markuse3472 nonsense
OMG what a return on Match point.
Almost eerie to hear Monica say in her speech that "I do hope I'll come back here next year" when of course she didn't because of the April '93 stabbing.
Seles.
Why I’m still sad for her?
Probably because you have a heart, like most people.
same here
Because - like another said - you have a heart. Anyone with empathy can feel how unfair her fate has been.
Because you are a loser?
And just a few months later, Monica’s career changed forever.
We don't know that.
its frightening really how good both these ladies were at the highest level.
Btw, your description of this match & the Graf vs Seles rivalry is incorrect. It was Monica Seles who was dominating the sport of tennis at that time. Not Steffi Graf.
Seles was just superior, in every department. No matter how many different screen names or excuses or lies Graf fans can conceive, the facts are indisputable.
More forehand winners, aces, fastest mph on serve, backhand winners, higher winning percentage on first and second serve.....domination.
End of story.
Not one of their best matches at all. Monica started off very slowly and perhaps nervously. Steffi was slightly flat, as she had been throughout the tournament. I'm not sure how much the surface affected the quality of the match - by all accounts, the rebound ace surface they used then was very unpopular with the players.
T H
Sure yeah whatever....lol.
One winner, one loser....Seles over Graf, end of story.
8 grand slams was only 19
She was flying!!
Actually nine ; she was her 9th slam when she was barely 19 years old (she turned 19 literally a month before).
@@zackfair8407 Monica won her 9th at the 96 Aussie Open...quite impressive after leaving the tour for nearly 2 1/2 years.
Also, Graf had 11 Majors at this time..Monica with her 8 was quickly catching up.
@Max E Austin had injuries and Monica was stabbed...are you seriously comparing the two?
Monica was so great that she returned to the tour after 2 1/2 years...overweight and slower...and she still pushed Graf to 3 sets at the 95 US Open and Monica won the 96 Aussie Open...Amazing.
Quite impressive..Monica would have won nearly all the Slams from 93 to 98..maybe even into 2000.
Steffi would have had temper tantrums during that time.
@@joeyconvery2055 That is possible because the Seles before the stabbing never saw her prime years physically 1995-2000.
Martina N saying Monica at her best would beat her at her best says it all.
Navratilova never said that
@@stephenmeitai7622 auch wenn sie es nicht gesagt haben sollte,ist es für mich eine Tatsache,Monika hat ja auch Steffi in Bestform geschlagen und war die einzige,die deren Powertennis Paroli bieten konnte!
@@stephenmeitai7622So….Wendy Turnbull lied? Go away, troll. Both Martina and Chris Evert have said that Monica would have won the most GS titles.
@@Raimund6602 Monica Seles na louriba Grandslam singdo Corruption touba ngankanine
@@ChicanoPhD Martina Navratilova never said that you asshole
No matter what people can say. Monica had a brillant futur. look how she move, she hit the ball, she jump into it, that was definitely a danger for all this little female players including graf. the stabbing was a pussycat move, weak, lame and shady... but all tennis admirers know that Monica is the best ever. Tennis will never have a player like her.
dogido sun Well said.👍
"but all tennis admirers know that Monica is the best ever." So I guess the 0.001 of the population who believe Seles is the best ever are the only tennis admirers, LOL!
@jeff afe Serena is the GOAT, and Graf is a close 2nd. Nobody even talks about Helen Wills and most have Court 5th in the Open Era behind Navratilova and Evert, so you are living in a fantasy land. And the only thing Seles would be GOAT of if she werent stabbed is cheeseburgers and Wimbledon failure, oh yeah she managed that anyway already though.
LOL no serious tennis experts or fans think Seles is the best ever. Only some of her most delirious fans who probably stopped watching tennis when Seles retired think that.
@@dogidosun2796 And have even a single one of those players called Seles the best player ever. Nope.
Talk about favouritism in terms of the commentators. For the most part aside from Wendy Turnbull the commentators were so byast toward Graf. It was pretty much cringe worthy. Seles played a great match and played with great integrity and great sport. The sign of a champ.
Someone who actually embraced the pressure and didn't shrink away from it...miss Monica.
@Max E oh max dude you're so wrong.
@Omar Gonzalez
Correctamundo!
Seles shrunk away from the pressure after her minor stab wound in April 1993.
Both played well and a superior Seles won on hardcourt.
Yep, that's why she won.
Monica's return of serve is incredible.
Steffi had a powerful serve but Monica would return it for a winner.
Monica, simply the best ever
In Big Mac munching or what?
C'mon SELES! .... I'll always see her as the best of that generation ... Graf was magnificent, but Seles was the next generation taking it to the next level.
@Max E the next level max, you know that's the truth.
however graf fans argue... seles was clearly getting better of graf during this period.. graf still very very good .. bt clear no.2 to seles at this time..graf a great fighter, she wouldve loved to fight her way to no1 again and not the way it actually happened... sad for seles... why god chose her fr this.. no one ever won 8 slams at 19 age! ..i mean look at todays girls at who r playing at 19... anyone near seles?forget 8 slams... god ihas been eally unfair toher n to tennis fans and even to graf who won so much yet always hamburg would haunt her as well.even in win her wins qstnd..it msnt b happy fr both.. seles was aphenomenon.. so sad...
Illya Kuryakin hahah lol. Steffi magically got better when Monica was stabbed. Lol. This was a good oportunity for Graf for being #1 again. But she lost !!!
And in 1993, the only top players where Monica > Graf > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ASV and the others.
" I hope I ll be known as Monica the person, this is just something that I do well but hopefully I can do some other things in my life as well too ." For a 19 year old who has won 8 GS to say this just speaks volumes about her upbringing :) . Inspirational stuff.
Seles is the best
monica seles at this point was already being considered as the greatest woman tennis player of all time. only 19 years old and an 8 GS winner already. no tennis player has ever achieved that male or female. on this match monica has more aces and more forehand winners than steffi , and seles was just beginning to develop and improve her tennis. i'm glad serena's 23 GS broke steffi's false 22 GS.
I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace.
Your Seles is by far and away being honestly among the best. If the Williams' had not introduced the screaming and howling, I guarantee they would Not have won a handful of their earlier titles. Not to mention their peds/roids. Get a brain.
@Markus E: i think you have no idea how the 'minute' stabbing affected monica mentally.. you have no clue about psychology.. you keep on saying that 6-4 h2h pre-stabbing.. but you're not saying that pre-stabbing, the grand slam count was 11-8 in favor of Graf... just a mere 3 Slams! if monica wasn't stabbed, based on the rate monica is going and her game kept on improving, it's 99% she can overtake Graf's lead in Slams.. doesn't want to take away anything from Graf, she's a great player.. but she definitely would've won less Slams if not for the stabbing.. that you cannot accept.. and did I mention that Monica didn't lose in the first round of any tournament early 90s? U know Lori McNeil, right ? she ousted Graf Wimbledon 1994 in the first round...
"monica seles at this point was already being considered as the greatest woman tennis player of all time." By whom, the Seles fan club? No expert on the game or past great said that, that is for sure.
@@joeyconvery2055 Evert has NEVER called Seles the best ever. She called Graf the best ever in 99, called Navratilova the best ever as well before and around then, and now calls Serena the best ever.
Navratilova is a jealous cow who hates that Graf and Serena are considered the 2 best ever and better than her, and Court also has many more slams than her so she dumps on those by praising people who aren't a threat to her status like Seles, Henin, and Sharapova, everyone with a brain knows that. Plus Seles is like her best friend.
Try harder. You are right on only one thing, Graf is not the GOAT anymore either. Serena is the GOAT, only racists who can't stand a black player from Comptom being the GOAT deny it and try and make it to be Graf or Navratilova instead.
@@ralphbourgeois5875 Hey Ralph, I am worse than you when I get into a debate about Seles vs Graf.
Have a nice weekend!
SELES coming into her peak and she would have overtaken Graf in head to heads--Graf was looking nervous in the interview after this loss (Seles was getting in her mind, which was all it took at this elite level), insecure about future-facing Seles. Seles four years younger and already showing who was going to be BOSS in this rivalry. Graf knows this truth, regardless.
The stabbing CHANGED things, superseding FACTOR in their rivalry. I would put Seles, Serena, Graf, Evert, Martina as the greatest--just match after match. MY TWO CENTS. And another thing, Keep in mind Seles in this match was just a few months before the stabbing, which CHANGED so many things. It is called a fact, a stabbing on the tennis court--not an injury typical from being on the court but a vicious, awful attack. It's easy for others to say "go get back on the court" after such a thing--no one but Seles has been attacked on the tennis court (at least on the pro-level).
Let me add, Graf of all people was sorely hurt to lose her rival (by someone that was her fan, this affected Graf), she knows Seles was her greatest rival and the history of tennis lost this great opportunity to see another great rivalry like Nadal and Fed, Evert and Martina. Graf wanted the challenge of a Seles.
I bet you Seles fans love that Seles got stabbed. You can crow about how she is the supposed real GOAT who would have won 35 slams and 10 Wimbledons if she just didn't get stabbed rather than dealing with the reality she probably wins 15 max and is nowhere near the GOAT if she weren't stabbed. Oh yeah you would just say she didn't grunt all the times she lost, isn't that the other excuse, LOL!
I do agree she would have taken some slams from Graf, and nobody would dispute QueenRena is the GOAT, although it is mostly only racists who can't accept a black women as GOAT who even try and argue for Graf, Navratilova, Evert, Court, etc....or for a real laugher Seles, anyway.
@Max E 1990 French Open Final, 1992 French Open Final, 1993 Australian Open Final all won by Seles against Graf. Seles cannot be blamed for Graf not getting to the other finals in those years when Seles was in EVERY slam final pretty much from 1991-up until stabbing in 1993. Seles dominated all slams from Aussie Open 1991-1993 Aussie Open winning 7 seven singles slams during 9 slams. SO OUT OF 9 slams in a row in singles SELES won 7. Plus SELES only played in 8 of those slams too, that is GREATNESS. This was in Graf's head. Graf knew that Seles four years younger and her main rival was just improving. This contributed to Graf losing before even getting to play Seles in those slams.
SELES was banned from Olympics during the time SELES would have won GOLD. As were a few other players for POLITICAL REASONS. When Seles played Olympics AFTER coming back SELES won bronze in singles not bad, in top 3 of all players in singles.
Seles won the French Open from 1990-1992 and was youngest winner ever. Seles won Aussie Open from 1991-1993. The surfaces of both favored Seles against Graf, the ball bounced higher and explains why Seles beat Graf in 1990 French, 1992 French and 1993 Aussie.
The 1992 Wimbledon final had the grunt controversy which got in Seles head and Graf played a very good match. Seles won US Open from 1991-1992.
So YES the stabbing most definitely affected the dynamics of this rivalry and a large rationale for Seles ending up with only 1 slam after the stabbing and Graf picking up quite a few. I enjoy Graf's game and find her to be a tremendous champion. Graf was able to have a resurgent since her main rival was gone and this let Graf build up confidence which carried over into being more consistent and rack up the slams. Knowing you have a rival that is your equal can play with the mind. I do not consider the other players at this time equal with Graf the way Seles was from 1990-1993. From French Open 1993 up until end of 1996 Graf did not have an equal, Seles was gone until US Open 1995.
Coming back after the stabbing,
The 1995 US Open came down to a bad line call in tie breaker against Seles otherwise Seles had that match even though she just came back on tour and fitness was as she even indicated suspect. So the 3rd set went to Graf. Graf was a tremendous athlete and very fit. Yet Seles was not the same player in mind, emotions or condition after the stabbing.. Seles seemed happy to just be playing and not that focused determined to win point after point pre-stabbing.
Seles has come out and said, "yeah my fitness after the stabbing was not up to par". Emotional eating and binge eating were not under control at that point as Seles had not even identified them yet. Seles had a lot on her plate, being stabbed on the very place where she had to compete and be fearless, the tennis court. Her father became ill and died in late 1990s.
Seles focus point after point, tremendous groundies on both sides and actually her movement and reach were underrated.
Graf could have some really off days when forehand was flying and she lost early in slams. Although the slice was consistent and a bread and butter shot for Graf against baseliners, Graf had trouble passing the net rushers off the backhand side. But the net rushers on WTA slowly went away. Seles prestabbing did not have those off days, Seles was day after day so solid on both sides. Seles lefty serve was effective against Graf.
An expert in tennis Evert recently said on that new #1 interviews with #1 WTA players in history, that had not been for stabbing Seles was on way to be the greatest ever. Seles by age of 19 had far more singles slams than Evert, Martina, Graf, Serena, Court, King had won by 19. ruclips.net/video/UlWhMNK7BcA/видео.html
@Max E Seles had 8 slams by age of 19, Hingis had 5 slams total. Hingis did not win the big match against Graf even when Hingis was at her peak and Graf was few months from retirement. 1999 French Open. Hingis had a great year in 1997 winning 3 slams. Then won 2 more slams at 1998-1999 Aussie.
@@grantgoffin4774 NO TRUE fan of anyone would EVER want a player to be brutally stabbed. HECK I would NEVER EVER want any tennis player stabbed on or off the court or anywhere. So
I am not sure you understand it was not just the physical aspect of a knife being so close to the spinal cord and paralyzing Seles for life. Yet the EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL impact of being stabbed on the tennis court. The tennis court where champions must be fearless.
Players complain about coming back from a few months or so off from injuries and being rusty and needing time. Injuries are part of professional sports. SELES missed 2 years and 4 plus months during her peak years. BEING STABBED on a professional venue IS NOT PART OF ANY SPORT.
I can name 2 other incidents but are not to the extreme nature of Seles attack. Kerrigan ice skating after a practice. Not during the live match which is what Seles was doing when stabbed. The person who did the attack did it so Seles rival could be #1 again. Recently a tennis player was stabbed at home during a robbery but it was not on the tennis court where they compete and need to be fearless. SO YEAH SELES is going to GET TONS OF CREDIT for even coming back on tour.
@Max E YOU ARE INCORRECT. SERENA WILLIAMS is a tremendous champion and all the other tennis champions say so.
I remember this match very well. In 1992/93, Monica had become more powerful than the previous three years in which Steffi had managed to beat her (except in 1990). Steffi had not yet found nor developed the right strategy to beat Monica (except on grass where her game was superior). Monica's game was much more efficient than Steffi on rebound ace surface. Then, between 95 and 99, Steffi played Monica in a different way using her short crossed sliced backhand very successfully.
If Steffi could have served even harder and used her top spin backhand down the line more often - like Roger Federer does-, very few players would have beaten her.
Yes, between 95 and 99, Steffi found and developed the right strategy to beat Monica, all right. We all know the story.
@@minimalizam2 Do we?? The main thing is however that after the stabbing, Monica was a shadow of her former self. It's not because suddenly Steffi would have found the magical recept.
@@jansnauwaert1785 I was being ironical.
@@minimalizam2 that' because seles became fatter than before and moved slowly.Even 1995 us open seles could give graf a 6-0
@@jansnauwaert1785 yes seles was not the same player after the stabbing. So not a correct statement by minimalizam2
In hindsight it was really weird listening to the analysts at the end talking about how if Steffi doesn't add things to her game, Monica will start to dominate women's tennis; of course a few short months later all that came to a screeching halt - what happened to Monica was so stupid and pointless, it deprived her of a chance to dominate (nearly deprived her of her life) and deprived us of seeing whether or not Graf would have been able to up her game and come back.
one could argue that Monica, when she returned to the tour in August of 1995, did not add things to her game (such as a bigger serve) or improved her fitness following her US Open defeat.
I just think by 1995, women's tennis had improved markedly.
Paul Thomas agree, and another loss for the women game.
tenniscollector illogical because the assumption for Seles was she WAS STABBED while for Graf it was a newcomer beating her.
Love it! GO SELES!!!
Monica had at least 3 or 4 more Aus Open titles in her.
Monica's game on both sides always shone through on the slower service at Australian Open (they've down gone back to a more traditional hardcourt). It gave her more time to get to her double hander. Steffi always struggled a bit more at AO since her backhand slice bounced up higher and it was harder to make forehand winners. The fact that Monica won here in 1996 after a three year absence really shows me it was her best surface. I miss her and Steffi a lot. I wish Women's tennis had this kind of rivalry now. I was glad that Steffi though upset at losing acknowledged that Monica deserved to win. Up until this tournament, one always felt that Steffi was the better player and should win, and when she lost it was mental errors on her part. That was not true in this match where Monica clearly was in control. Of course in those earlier matches, one reason Steffi lost was the incredible fight that Monica put up. It made Steffi get better as she did especially in 1995 and 1996. When Steffi beat Hingis in the FO in 1999, she reversed the roles and it was her mental toughness and getting to every shot that beat #1 Hingis. Thanks for posting this match. Hadn't seen it in years.
Monica. The best. Always !
Amazing how Seles overpowered Graf’s forehand SO MANY TIMES. The Graf forehand did not hold up against the Seles backhand. Time and time again Graf was late on the forehand and popped up lame attempts at a defensive lob.....
And Seles hit MORE forehand winners in this match....and aces (7-1)!
It’s no wonder Graf was totally traumatized after the match....watch the creepy press conference....
ruclips.net/video/NuhOfZrkBuA/видео.html
Watch Graf's SF against ASV, same tournament. Though Graf won in straight sets, ASV too had her in all sorts of trouble running to protect her forehand corner. The problem for Graf was that when she so positioned herself in the backhand corner all the time, she left a lot of court open to attack in the FH corner. And when she did run across to cover it, she HAD to make a really good shot else she offered an easy winner into the BH corner for the opponent. ASV too was able to exploit this weakness at times in the match, though not successfully in the end. But Seles went so hard and flat on both wings it put a lot more pressure on Graf. And all that running right to left and back ultimately wore her down, broke down her shots, etc. By the end, she was simply missing easy shots wildly all over the place.
Another thing Seles exposed is Graf's lack of tactical nous (for a player of her achievements). She got caught many times in this match in particular positioning herself poorly or not thinking through the play before attacking. Again, happened against ASV too, just not anywhere near as often as against Seles. The AO surface too didn't suit Graf or rather was perfect to expose these problems because it was slow enough to slow down her IO forehand and not high bouncing enough that her forehand would get big on the opponent. The consistent bounce also blunted her slice somewhat. She could of course have used the time at her disposal to hit more TS backhands but we know she hated to do that.
Yes. Agreed. Grafs backhand was a real weakness against seles. She simply could not hit winners of her backhand side in baseline rallies or second serve return points. Graf hot over 100 backhands in this match....how many down the line topspin winners...ZERO. how many service return backhand winners....ZERO....
Seles could hit winners from any position, any direction....
It’s what set them apart.
Agreed. She was a wonderful athlete with an incredible forehand, but she wasn’t the smartest player tactically and her backhand was a set up shot. Under pressure, it fell apart....
timothy chung
Agreed with everything you wrote....100%
@@Jude-wy4gf depends entirely on which surface they were playing - on grass, and to a lesser extent on clay, Graf could really make the ball stick low and exploit Monica's weakness to the low ball on her forehand. In later years, and on hardcourts and indoors, Steffi would use it for its attritional effects. All that digging the ball out tired an out of shape Monica out.
Monica Seles was going to be the best tennis player in history if it were not for that brutal attack against her.
Illya Kuryakin i didnt know you could see what could happen. I can too. Seles in 1994 would've surpassed Graf in GS.
Steffi's problem with Monica was that Monica wasn't afraid of Steffi's forehand. So many players over-played Steffi's backhand.
+Joe Momma Yes. But Graf played that old and very flexible Dunlop racquet.
vanlendl1
If I recall, that thing felt like brick! She held on to it for a very long time, and obviously did quite well.
Yes, that's so true. I would watch players play Steffi the same way over & over, hitting to Steffi's backhand. No. That's not the play. Cause all Steffi's going to do is run around her backhand with her smooth footwork & pound her forehand for winners or her opponents errors. Players needed to hit to her forehand more. Attack her forehand. Her backhand is actually Graf's more consistent shot.
+Joe Momma Yes, it did feel like a brick. I think her Dunlop was specially made for her. Much like Pete Sampras' Wilson Pro Staff. Both of those racquets felt like bricks.
+valendl1 I often wondered why Steffi hung onto that Dunlop racquet for so long. It was in the 1992 French Open semifinals that the commentators brought that issue up and apparently it was because Steffi hadn't found one that she liked because many of the newer models were far too light for her liking. When she finally switched to a Wilson racquet in 1994, her tennis improved dramatically. And even more so in 1995 when she finally fixed the extension issue on her backhand (in early 1990, she started hitting it much closer to her body than before and hitting it crosscourt almost all the time which was far too predictable). It would've been glorious to have watched Graf and Seles (if the stabbing hadn't happened) play one another over the years as I think they could've lifted tennis to amazing heights.
Monica is simply the best ever. The GOAT
Steffi with only one hand is much better.
@@ahmedabdullah8909 When Seles won the first GS, Graf had 9 GS. After Seles won the Australian Open 1993, she had 8 titles and Graf was 11. With 19 years and 2 months, Seles was 8 GS. Seles had kicked Graf in 3 finals. Seles is the greatest tennis player in history.
So interesting, all these “new” posters with excuses about graf’s loss....”her racquet was too heavy”, “she had to grind it out against capriati and ASV” , “she was flat”....blah blah blah....The truth is, Grafs game was incomplete. She simply COULD NOT Hit winners of her backhand side. She could not hit service return winners of second serves on her backhand side. And she certainly could not hit a backhand down the line winner to save her life. Seles could hit winners with pace from every side, every position, every direction. And that’s why seles was better....
No excuses. Just reality. Sorry.
"She could not hit service return winners of second serves on her backhand side. And she certainly could not hit a backhand down the line winner to save her life. " - Would not is nearer the mark. Graf hit a whole bunch of return winners with the TS backhand in the Olympics '88. She would also go DTL TS occasionally (one notable instance is against Davenport in the 94 AO match) and hit winners on that side too. Now why was she so stubborn and insistent on avoiding the TS backhand at all costs then, is something we will never know and I do believe it would have hurt her had she had to contend with Seles through 93 and 94. My best guess is Graf was so obsessed with control she tried to limit herself to a few options with the result that in spite of having such a fine slice, her game lacked the variety it could have had and was instead very rhythm oriented. To the other poster's point, well, the Wilson racquet did help Graf some, but it didn't spare her the blushes against Pierce in RG 94. ;) Nor even against Seles herself at the 99 AO.
I don’t know what you’re talking about....
Graf never, ever consistently hit winners of service returns or baseline rallies or her backhand side, not in 88, 90, 93, 95, 96or 98...I don’t care if she “could” have, and chose not to, and I certainly don’t care that she hit “one or two” vs Davenport, (slowest player in the world in 94) or because she was stubborn, or arrogant, or this or that....those are just excuses....
The truth is, graf had a great slice backhand, but her topspin fell short, bounced waist high, with slow to medium pace. Every time she hit, seles clobbered it. It was lunch meat to seles.... graf had to rely on her slice to neutralize Monica’s pace, and that worked most of the time, but not enough.
Grafs game was incomplete. And no amount of excuses or different screen names is going to change that....
@@Jude-wy4gf You said she could not, at all, initially. Here, lest you edit it to make it appear you somehow 'won' the argument:
"She simply COULD NOT Hit winners of her backhand side. She could not hit service return winners of second serves on her backhand side. And she certainly could not hit a backhand down the line winner to save her life. "
Now you are moving the goalposts. I never did say she could hit them consistently. But she could hit return winners as well as DTL rally winners occasionally. She also hit two passing shot topspin backhand winners in this very match, in case you watched it at all. Seles didn't clobber nothing on both occasions. Quit while you're ahead, don't overstate your case.
Madan Mohan
Wow....Graf hit “two backhand passing shots” in this match. Holy shit really?
What a miracle....except for one issue...Graf hit over 100 backhands in this match. OVER 100. But you’re making a big deal out of 2 backhand passing shots, both hit on sitters.....I guess you can’t see (or “won’t” see, to use your vernacular) what a silly statement that is.
Doth protest to much....
Let’s agree to disagree.
Madan Mohan
Just one question....how many backhand down the line topspin winners did Graf hit in this match? She hit over 100 backhands in this match.
Please answer the question.
Love u Monica and respect wht u did in ur short career.🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
Monica didn't have a short career, she played Evert, Navratilova, Sabatini, Graf, Hingis, Williams sisters, Justin, Clisters, Davenport, Maria and the other Russian, etc... I believe she played until her 30's? No?
@@MrBjorn6 what I meant before her stabbing.
The most successful player before 20years old
@Max E max dudey, seles the best.
@Max E connolly 9 grand slams, seles 8 grand slams, graf 6 grand slams before turning 20. had seles career wasn't derailed by graf's lunatic fan, gunther parche, who was graf's fan, and his only reason to attack seles was so graf could regain #1. then she might have gone on beating connolly's record as the most grand slam wins by a teenager. when seles won this match she was 19 years and 1 month old, and she still has 3 more grand slams to play before turning 20. so connolly 1st, seles 2nd, graf 3rd are in that ranking order as the most successful tennis teenager, and who knows seles might have gone on to become the greatest female tennis of all time, but we'll never know because of graf's deranged fan, gunther parche, he sets up his mission, and he accomplished it.
@@minavamp2811 Connolly didnt face Steffi Graf, a still competitive Navratilova, and top tier players like Novotna, Sanchez Vicario, Capriati...
@@minavamp2811 Who is Connolly?? Connolly is pre-historic; an era so long ago that one can't compare at all with Seles' era or today's tennis. Leave her out of the equation.
Ever heard of Maureen Connolly, you clown?
Even a non tennis fan could see who's the better player here..someone who gets on the defensive all the time with her slices, and someone who is the aggressor, using deadly ground strokes on both wings, and can defend better. Graf slices are very predictable, no wonder Seles exploited that side of graf, and even attacked graf's forehand, leaving steffi and her fans shaking their heads. But Graf is the better mover, i'll give her that. And the best schemer too, right Gunther?
Steffi is 5-2 win/loss even against a #1-ranked Seles, you clown.
Steffi had 5 seasons with less than 5 losses (1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996). Seles not even one.....
😂
It's so stupid not to recognize that Monica was getting better and better especially at the service and the margins were huge. The Graf excellent athlete on the game plan was formed had no room for improvement.
Illya Kuryakin ignorant
Illya Kuryakin I know two (2) ways '93 Monica was better than '92 Monica - 1. Her serve 2. Her net game...
"The Graf excellent athlete on the game plan was formed had no room for improvement" What the fuck language is that supposed to be? Certainly not English, maybe shit for brains language.
Seles Forever
Thank God the Serbian Screamer is widely forgotten.
@@carrerau7138soltanto chi non capisce un cazzo di tennis l'ha dimenticata
@@davideferrari5702 very questionable
Only Monica could make Steffi curse and run like a scared rabbit.
Sabatini beat Steffi 1 times, Navratilova 9 times, Sanchez 8 times.
Steffi was even 5-2 win/loss against #1-ranked Seles. The worst record ever of a #1 player against any opponent.
graf is also very lucky, because capriati destroyed herself, she was very talented and won against graf at olympics. So two biggest talents of their generation was out of her way
Steffi is 10-5 against Seles and 10-1 against Hingis.
Steffi was more talented than both and especially mentally far stronger. Which is a central part of greatness as well.
Wow Monica just ups it at about the 48 minute mark- clean winners off first serves, amazing
Three months after this, Monica Seles was stabbed in the back. For Channel 7 Sport Australia, the commentators of this 1993 Australian Open match are: Bruce McAvaney, Peter Landy, Garry Wilkinson & John Alexander.
I loved them both and still feel terrible for Seles. Her career was taken away from her
I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace in all the Earth and may anyone find the True and Living God before the Great Tribulation, that is soon to come.
No it wasnt. She played full time from late 95-2003. She simply wasnt good enough.
59:25 the essence of Monica's game!!
Hi GaFe, ...OMG you are so right! This point is stunning and absolute "Classic Monica" - fully attacking the Graf forehand and then the put-away smash from the baseline that paints the sideline at 100mph! ;)
She was incredible at this tournament...
Thanks for your awesome comment, enjoy!
@@PertSnergleman Yes! God level!! I love this woman!
Note also in this impressive sequence how well young Monica Seles moves around, always on her toes and bouncing around in a little frenzied dance. That is something that disappeared after her return in 1995, and undoubtedly the result of the disastrous 28-month withdrawal from play. Even Serena Williams didn't take such a long break to get her child. Imagine Agassi taking a 28-month hiatus when he was down and beginning to play with drugs. Has any tennis player ever taken such a long holiday from practice, and retained his/her full form? Unthinkable.
Seles turned up the heat at 0-1 in the second set . It was fascinating.
Always rooting for Seles but i also have a great fond of Graf. I wish that Graf would have put up a fight on game 6 3rd set. But she was just making error after error. And Seles benefited from it. I remember what Billie Jean King said on one interview that we (Tennis world and Tennis fans) were robbed when Seles was attacked because the 90's could have been the decade of Graf-Seles rivalry which just gotten started, but it never happened.
Rebound ace was Graf's worst surface. Part of it was her slice sat up more than other surfaces, and part of the reason is she was not patient enough on a slower court so there were many periods she was making errors against strong opponents. Remember she won only 4 slams there, which is less than she won at each of the other 3. And even if you want to say she benefitted from the Seles stabbing at the French or U.S Opens, the same would apply to the Australian Open, so no difference in comparision, but she still has the least there.
Seles forever goat !
Nope.
@@martingonzalez2850 mrs. enns?
If Nadal (a male version of Seles) could defeat the greatest wimbledon champion, i believe Monica could've defeat at least one time Steffi in Wimbledon. And I believe Monica would start playing as him in 1993 because the game was getting tougher and tougher.
So, Seles was the only one who could improve? Get a brain, please.
I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace in all the Earth and may anyone find the True and Living God before the Great Tribulation, that is soon to come.
Nadal is a way greater grass player than Seles.
The surface at Wimbledon during the time of Seles, Graf, Sampras, Agassi was completely different than it is today. Today's surface is much kinder to the baseliner and those with western grips. While I take nothing away from Nadal, it's not accurate to compare his success rate on that surface with those of the late 80's 90's players when the grass played much faster and the ball bounce was much less higher and predictable.
This is all true but Nadal is still a far better athlete than Seles, which is a huge component of grass tennis in any era, or style of grass.
The original point that Jose was making (7 months ago) is that Seles would've improved enough that she would've eventually taken a Wimbledon title and, like Nadal, once having done so would've played with much more confidence at the venue. Such a theory is not far fetched considering that in the Semifinals she defeated that best female Grass Court player, possibly of all time, in the person of Martina Navratilova. in the final Monica hobbled herself (helped along by the British media and dim-witted officials) by stifling her grunt and thus not truly concentrating on the task of defeating Graf. Again, this is not to say that Graf wouldn't have always been the favorite on grass, only that Monica would probably have added Wimbledon to her resume. PS - To say Nadal is a far better athlete than Seles is kinda like saying water is really wet ;) but considering her two handed style of play and her consistent ranking within the top ten even post-stabbing, I think Seles' athleticism has always been underrated.
Monica was is will be the best
Very rare footage of graf praising seles, she really did kno monica was better on every other surface than grass! Love these highlights
Illya Kuryakin no, Seles was better than Graf in Clay and in slow hardcourts. And everybody has to remember Seles baggeled Graf in a fast hardcourt. Seles loved winning consecutives WTA Masters (indoor) so I don't know who was the better there.
Steffi looks so dissapointed at the end , im sure she was thinking that she couldnt win never a grand slam if Mónica was too
Illya Kuryakin Seles killed Graf mentally, you dumb!!!
Illya Kuryakin yes, it was close. But Seles could defeat the most athletic champion that women tennis had in history. I cant imagine a post stabbing Seles winning this match.
I agree, Graf realized that a better player has passed her.
Just like grass was the perfect surface for Steffi to play Monica, Rebound Ace was probably the best surface for Monica to play Steffi. The pace of the court was slow-ish and the ball sat up because the court surface was rubberised, making steffi's slice ineffective. It was the perfect surface for Bolletieri style baseline sluggers, and other players from that stable such as Agassi, Courier and Pierce had some of their best results on it. Unfortunately, many really disliked it - it retained heat, making the on court temperatures higher, and became dangerous when hot because it started to melt (e.g. Gabriela Sabatini sprained her ankle because of it in the hot weather of 1990). The pace and bounce could also be inconsistent from court to court.
The golden age of tennis
How many tittles in grand slam Monica Seles could win if she hadn't been attacked by this bullshit man ?
Monica's words about her and Steffi are wise beyond her age!
It’s pure visual feast to watch both of them..
Monica is the best!
HO...AH...HO...AH...HO...AH...
Steffi looks would win this tournament when she led 6-4, 1-0. She lost the momentum once she gave a change to Seles to rebound. Appreciate for Seles. Both of you are legend 👍👍
Beautiful tennis
poor seles😭
I always felt Monica was going to win this match. Monica had been in much better form throughout the tournament whereas Steffi had to grind it out against the likes of Capriati and Sanchez. She just seemed very slightly flat.
Did Graf Curse? I think I heard Scheisse, but I feel like Graf usually keeps her composure, even when things aren't going her way. I'm just starting to watch early 90's Seles/Graf matches.
Queen of unforced errors....Steffi Graf..
What cost her this match eventually ending in stabbing incident....
This was the last Grand Slam for Monica before her golden era ended because of that stupid lunatic who stabbed her :(
She could have won all 4 grand slams in 1993.
Think she still would've struggled at W against Graf
S Haddad If not all 4 Slams....2 or 3.. I know she would have won Wimbledon in 1993 to complete her career Grand Slam.
Her serve was getting more powerful too, as you can see here in this final...serving several aces.
1. The golden era was the whole 1990's, which included Agassi and Sempras, among many others.
2. I am saying this because of noticing the hate and stupidity from Seles fans--not tennis fans.
The "stab" was minute, a simple cut, something that did NO physical damage to Seeles. The game and tournaments were always equally available for ANY one, not just Steffi and Seles, to take and win. Steffi was 6-4 over Seles before the incident, 10-5 overall throughout. Every title is important, just look at all the touring titles played and even a 4 year old would see how serious every play is, regardless if its a slam or not. Steffi was the better. More so, Steffi suffered through some injuries, one a serious operation, and Steffi also dealt with mental stress by way of her fathers political mess. Steffi was not all there during those times and other players took advantage of that. Seles dealt with her eating disorder, too, and that is also something that can take one away from totally being there and mentally present. So, the record does Not change: Steffi 10 to Monica's 5. Its that simple. After Seles' small cut in the back, she didn't do as good, not because of the cut, but because the other players had recognized her weakness, which was a major one: her double-handing everything. They targeted Seles on that and many times succeeded (namely seeing Seles only win more slam). It had Nothing to do with the cut. It had to do with her weakness, and that her competition saw it and worked at it. Its no ones fault. Its the sport. Many athletes achieve top recognition, but also we see that many achieve that success for one year, some three years, others more, others much more, others only 6 months. It happens to MANY, not just your favorite--Seles. Seles, no matter what anything brought to her life, her time was up, just as many other athletes' time is up after whatever period. It happens. Its life. Evidence. Science. But Steffi won 22 Gran Slams, and many other touring titles. She also was the Golden slam which no one else has yet accomplished. This is life. Its evidence. Science. For the records. Peace in all the Earth and may anyone find the True and Living God before the Great Tribulation, that is soon to come.
@@joeyconvery2055 "I know she would have won Wimbledon in 1993 to complete her career Grand Slam." Yes like all Seles fanatical losers you are amazingly a gypsy amongst other things *snickers* Tell me prophet, do people pay for your fortune? My guess fuck no, and I highly doubt you even make money betting successfully on tennis like I do. Yet you miracelously know your beloved hero would have won Wimbledon 93 at the venue she has only made it past the quarters once, somehow out of a mere 9 appearances managed to lose to all of Studenikova, Lucic, Zvereva, Testud (amongst others) and lost the final the previous year 6-2, 6-1.
@@joeyconvery2055 Intellectual, smart, reasonable people.
Seles hit more winners in every single department.....Seles hit more aces (7-1), more FOREHAND WINNERS, more backhand winners, hit her serve harder, won more 1 serve points, won more second serve points, broke Grafs serve FIVE times and lost her serve once, and hit nearly TWICE as many winners in the tournament.
Simply better in EVERY SINGLE DEP,ARTMENT.....
👍
STEFFI: 10-4 OVER SELES OVERALL. Okay, then.
Monica was 4 years younger and a skinny 15 year old kid when Steffi defeated her.
Monica dominated the Grand Slams and that is why Monica was Number 1 in the world.
Steffi was not even close to Monica in the world rankings at that time.
Markus E
Not that day. She lost, comprehensively. Seles beat her, took her number one ranking, ok then?
Joey Convery yup.
Please just read the Monica's results , she was just 19.........so STOP She was the best
Monica seles is the best ever
If only I had a time-machine...!
@@PertSnergleman and then if you stopped the stabbing and Monica still went on to win only 13-15 slams and 0-1 Wimbledons, you would go back in the time-machine again and make the stabbing happen again just so you and other Seles fans can crow about how she was guaranteed to win 30+ slams and 10 Wimbledons and be the GOAT of everything if she were not stabbed right. Just a hypothetical question, I am genuinely curious.
Richard Ross Hi Richard Ross. You curiosity is very perculiar. Me thinks your knowledge of the Seles / Graf rivalry in the early 90’s is limited at best. Not sure if any sane person that is not a troll would suggest Seles could better Navratilova’s record at Wimby... also, interesting to sense your hostility to Seles supporters considering Graf finished her career as a head and shoulders leader, literally doubling every result Seles achieved, and adding a Golden Grand Slam to boot. Nice try, but mega-epic fail dude.
I’d like to think at least 50% of serious tennis analysts would agree, without Hamburg, Seles would have won WB between ‘93 and ‘99...
@@PertSnergleman Seles probably wins Wimbledon once at most without the stabbing, which would have to be in a super weak year like 94 or maybe 93 or 97, 94 the most likely. Even that is not certain, just a maybe case. Regardless how great she would have been which will never be known, one safe bet is grass would have always been her worst surface by a country mile. Even post stabbing she was much poorer on grass than hard courts, clay, or carpet, just as she had been pre stabbing.
@@tylerbam7183 do the math man, slams were played only once a year, so you're saying monica gonna win three slams in 90-96, do the math again dummy
The Graf/Seles matches were epic....Just so unfair the Seles got stabbed....she was the only one who could consistently beat Graf. That douche who stabbed her robbed tennis of a lot of amazing matches.
no google plus And German Fascist Gunter Pasche 38 yeard old Graf's fan who stabbed Seles in Germany wasn't even charged. This is how Nazi Country deals with the such awful moments.
Illya Kuryakin Seles beat Graf in the most important matches. (Prestabbing) Sadly, Graf wasnt too good for reaching more finals.
Thank you for upload
To me, after 1989, Steffi's level of tennis went down, as well as her mental toughness. After being dominant for so long, it is natural to be like that. Thts why, after 1990, sometimes she played as well as before 1990, but most of the time, she played relatively poor and her mental toughness was not as strong...because of this, other players start beating her.
Totally agree. From 1990 onwards, she was not the player she used to be. And I think there was some drama behind the facade of constant and obsessive dedication. In both this match and the 1991 loss to Novotna, she seemed to run out of steam in the final set. Here, with the hot conditions on the day, she was certainly tiring faster than Seles in the third set and it showed. There's a moment in that long game at 2-2 where Seles eventually broke through where Graf loses the point and then looks up at the sun in a pained way. So her fitness too was probably not what it had once been. It is natural...because she achieved too much too early in her career so keeping the motivation going must have been a challenge thereafter. And her mental toughness drew from rhythm, not grit. When her level dropped from '90, she therefore became more prone to choking away matches.
Umar Harith I thought Steffi played brilliantly in this match. She did everything she could...even coming into net and hitting some volley winners but it wasn't good enough...Monica was just too good.
Monica was relentless in the long rallies hitting to Steffi's backhand over and over again...and then surprising Steffi by hitting a blistering winner to her forehand or forcing an error.
Monica's serve was also a weapon in this match, serving aces on the big points.
@@joeyconvery2055 I think the match was won/lost on mental toughness which is roughly what Umar Harith is saying (and, consequently, about Graf playing poorly in the clutch and not necessarily throughout the match). After winning the first set, Graf had an inexplicably bad service game early in the second to concede the break to Seles. Having done so, she did not fight at 5-3 down to force Seles to serve. Had she done so, she would have served ahead in the third and not faced the pressure of being behind as the business end of the set approached. Speaking of which, at 3-2 even the commentators were saying Seles was going to try hard to break her because it was harder to serve from that end. Now of course Seles played brilliantly in that game but Graf also conceded key points to errors entirely of her doing (including the last point of the game where she hit a mid court ball way wide and long). After which, the game at 5-2 down was again shockingly bad.
This was to me the fundamental difference between the two players and also a pattern with Graf's matches in that period (early nineties). Where once she used to fight even if her opponent was about to serve out the match, she seemed to give up too easily in this phase. In 95-96, she rediscovered some of her old fight and no wonder then she won some very tough matches that could have easily gone the other way (ASV, Novotna, Seles). Clutchest was RG 99 Graf ; really wish she could have come back for at least a couple more RGs.
@@joeyconvery2055 I think Steffi hesitated n not agressive enough many times in this match, contrary to Monica. If she is as agressive as Monica, I think Steffi would win. Also, Steffi slice too much..only if she played topspin backhand down the line or cross court many more...Steffi may be unbeatable.
Seles was beating her because at that point, Seles was the superior player. It still pisses me off that she got stabbed. There is no way that Graf would have won most of the Grand Slams she did had Seles not be put out of action. Worse Seles match ever? The Wimbledon final she played against Graf. Notice I didn't say lost against Graf, because she didn't lose it. That person in the final was not Seles. No grunting, etc., but what is really interesting is how sensitive she was at that stage of her career and with Martina complaining about her grunting, etc., she was as quiet as a mouse, or like Samson with his hair cut off. Shame that we will never really know, thanks to that German fool who put Monica out of commission. Had that not happened, Monica, and not Steffi, would have 20+ GS titles.
Such a sweet girl monica