Steffi Graf

Born in Brühl, West Germany, Steffi Graf turned professional in 1982 at the age of 13 and developed into one of the most complete players the sport has seen. Her game combined exceptional footwork, a devastating inside-out forehand, a penetrating serve and a low, controlled backhand slice that allowed her to dictate play on every surface. Graf won her first Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros in 1987 and reached World No.1 later that year. What followed in 1988 remains one of the most extraordinary seasons in tennis history: she won the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, then added the Olympic singles gold medal in Seoul to complete the Calendar Golden Slam. Her dominance continued across the next decade. Graf ultimately won four Australian Opens, six Roland Garros titles, seven Wimbledon championships and five US Opens. She spent 377 cumulative weeks at World No.1 and finished eight seasons as the year-end No.1, while her rivalries with Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Gabriela Sabatini and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario helped define multiple generations of women's tennis. Graf's final major triumph came at Roland Garros in 1999, where she defeated Martina Hingis in a memorable final. She retired later that year with 107 singles titles and a legacy built on sustained excellence, adaptability and one of the most influential forehands in the history of the sport.