"I didn't know what to do, I couldn't do anything"- When Steffi Graf commented on missing out on US Open semifinals for the first time in eight years
Steffi Graf suffered a quarterfinal defeat to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario at the 1992 US Open.
The German entered the tournament as the second seed and booked her place in the quarterfinals following straight-set wins over Halle Cioffi, Pam Shriver, Nanne Dahlmann and Florencia Labat.
Here, she was beaten 7-6 (5), 6-3 by sixth seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. This was the first time since her tournament debut in 1984 that Steffi Graf was unable to reach the US Open semifinals.
Speaking after the match, the German said that she was unhappy with the way she played throughout the tournament and that she did not know what to do.
I'm just disappointed in the way I played this tournament," Graf said. "Everything was on and off. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't do anything."
Speaking about their encounter, Sanchez Vicario said that she deserved to win the match because of the way she played.
"I'm really happy because I played a great match. I was very aggressive. I deserved to win, and I won," the Spaniard said.
Sanchez Vicario went on to reach the final and lost 6-3, 6-3 to top seed Monica Seles.
Steffi Graf won five US Open singles titles
Steffi Graf is among the greatest competitors in the history of the US Open, winning 73 out of 82 matches, with nine titles to her name. The German's first appearance at the New York Major came in 1984 when she suffered a 6-4, 6-2 defeat to compatriot Sylvia Hanika in the first round.
Graf's maiden US Open title came in 1988 when she beat Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the final, thus completing the Calendar Grand Slam. She successfully defended her title in 1989 by defeating Martina Navratilova 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 in the final.
After missing out on the tournament in the next three years, Graf won in 1993 by beating Helena Sukova 6-3, 6-3 in the title clash. After losing to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the 1994 final, the German triumphed at the 1995 US Open after defeating her rival Monica Seles 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-3 in a thrilling final.
Steffi Graf's last triumph at the New York Major came in 1996 when she did not drop a single set en route to the title. Once again, she beat Monica Seles in the final. Her final appearance at the US Open came in 1998 when she reached the fourth round before losing to Patty Schnyder.