Graf–Sabatini rivalry
Steffi Graf
Gabriela Sabatini

The Graf–Sabatini rivalry was a tennis rivalry between Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini, who played each other on 40 occasions between 1985 and 1995. Graf was the world No. 1, and Sabatini reached a career high of No. 3. Both are Major champions, Graf winning 22 titles, and Sabatini won her only major title at the 1990 US Open over Graf. They also teamed in doubles, reaching three French Open finals and winning the 1988 Wimbledon crown.[1]

In Grand Slams, they met 12 times, three of them in finals. Graf leads 11–1. In 1988, Graf beat Sabatini in the semifinals of the French Open, the US Open final, and the Olympic final to complete the calendar-year Golden Slam.[2] In the 1991 Wimbledon final. Sabatini was two points away from capturing the singles title, but Graf took the match 8–6 in the deciding set.[1][3]

Graf and Sabatini first met in 1985, and by the end of 1987, had met a total of 11 times, Graf winning all of them. Sabatini defeated Graf 11 times in the next 21 matches they played from 1988 to 1992, with the Argentine going on a five-match winning streak and Graf on a four-match winning streak. Sabatini then lost the final eight matches they played from 1992 to 1995. According to Sabatini, they had a good relationship off the court, but were never close friends.[1]

On September 25, 2004, Graf defeated Sabatini 6-1, 7-5 in an exhibition match in Berlin, Germany. They met the following year at an exhibition match in Mannheim, Germany on October 15, 2005, where Graf again beat Sabatini in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.

Graf introduced Sabatini during the 2006 International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction on July 15, 2006.

List of all matches

Legend Graf Sabatini
Grand Slam 11 1
WTA Tour Championships 3 1
WTA Tour Events 13 9
Federation Cup 1 0
Olympic Games 1 0
Total 29 11

Graf–Sabatini (29–11)

No. Date Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Graf Sabatini
1. 1985 WTA New Jersey Hard Semifinals Graf 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 1 0
2. 1986 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet Round of 16 Graf 6–0, 6–7(5–7), 6–2 2 0
3. 1986 US Clay Court Championships Clay Final Graf 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–4 3 0
4. 1987 Charleston Open Clay Semifinals Graf 6–3, 2–6, 7–6(7–5) 4 0
5. 1987 Amelia Island Championships Clay Semifinals Graf 6–2, 6–2 5 0
6. 1987 Italian Open Clay Final Graf 7–5, 4–6, 6–0 6 0
7. 1987 Roland Garros Clay Semifinals Graf 6–4, 4–6, 7–5 7 0
8. 1987 Wimbledon Grass Quarterfinals Graf 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 8 0
9. 1987 Federation Cup Hard Quarterfinals Graf 6–4, 6–4 9 0
10. 1987 LA Women's Tennis Championships Hard Semifinals Graf 7–5, 7–5 10 0
11. 1987 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet Final Graf 4–6, 6–4, 6–0, 6–4 11 0
12. 1988 Virginia Slims of Florida Hard Final Sabatini 2–6, 6–3, 6–1 11 1
13. 1988 Amelia Island Championships Clay Semifinals Sabatini 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 11 2
14. 1988 Roland Garros Clay Semifinals Graf 6–3, 7–6(7–3) 12 2
15. 1988 US Open Hard Final Graf 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 13 2
16. 1988 Summer Olympics Hard Final Graf 6–3, 6–3 14 2
17. 1989 Australian Open Hard Semifinals Graf 6–3, 6–0 15 2
18. 1989 Amelia Island Championships Clay Final Sabatini 3–6, 6–3, 7–5 15 3
19. 1989 German Open Clay Final Graf 6–3, 6–1 16 3
20. 1989 US Open Hard Semifinals Graf 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 17 3
21. 1989 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet Semifinals Graf 6–3, 5–7, 6–1 18 3
22. 1990 US Open Hard Final Sabatini 6–2, 7–6(7–4) 18 4
23. 1990 Zurich Open Carpet Final Graf 6–3, 6–2 19 4
24. 1990 Virginia Slims of New England Carpet Final Graf 7–6(7–5), 6–3 20 4
25. 1990 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet Semifinals Sabatini 6–4, 6–4 20 5
26. 1991 Pan Pacific Open Carpet Quarterfinals Sabatini 4–6, 6–4, 7–6(8–6) 20 6
27. 1991 Virginia Slims of Florida Hard Final Sabatini 6–4, 7–6(8–6) 20 7
28. 1991 Miami Open Hard Semifinals Sabatini 0–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–1 20 8
29. 1991 Amelia Island Championships Clay Final Sabatini 7-5, 7-6(7–3) 20 9
30. 1991 Wimbledon Grass Final Graf 6–4, 3–6, 8–6 21 9
31. 1992 Miami Open Hard Semifinals Sabatini 3–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–1 21 10
32. 1992 Amelia Island Championships Clay Final Sabatini 6–2, 1–6, 6–3 21 11
33. 1992 Wimbledon Grass Semifinals Graf 6–3, 6–3 22 11
34. 1993 Miami Open Hard Semifinals Graf 6–0, 6–2 23 11
35. 1993 Charleston Open Clay Semifinals Graf 6–0, 7–6(7–3) 24 11
36. 1993 German Open Clay Final Graf 7–6(7–3), 2–6, 6–4 25 11
37. 1993 US Open Hard Quarterfinals Graf 6–2, 5–7, 6–1 26 11
38. 1994 Canadian Open Hard Quarterfinals Graf 7–5, 6–0 27 11
39. 1995 Roland Garros Clay Quarterfinals Graf 6–1, 6–0 28 11
40. 1995 US Open Hard Semifinals Graf 6–4, 7–6(7–5) 29 11

Breakdown of the rivalry

  • Hard courts: Graf, 11–5
  • Clay courts: Graf, 10–4
  • Grass courts: Graf, 3–0
  • Carpet courts: Graf, 5–2
  • Grand Slam matches: Graf, 11–1
  • Grand Slam finals: Graf, 2–1
  • Year-End Championships matches: Graf, 3–1
  • Year-End Championships finals: Graf, 1–0
  • Fed Cup matches: Graf, 1–0
  • All finals: Graf, 10–6
  • All matches: Graf, 29–11
  • Florida matches: Sabatini, 8-2

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Philip, Robert. (2003-06-16) Philip on Monday: Sabatini smiles again after tennis misery. Telegraph. Retrieved on 2010-12-14.
  2. ↑ Athlete – Steffi Graf. Olympic.org. Retrieved on 2010-12-14.
  3. ↑ Finn, Robin. (1991-07-07) Tennis – Graf Reclaims Her Grit And Title – NYTimes.com. Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved on 2010-12-14.
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