"I think it helped me being young and naïve and not really being aware so much of the moment" – When Steffi Graf talked about winning the Golden Slam
Steffi Graf completed the calendar year Golden Slam in 1988 by winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and the Olympic gold in Seoul that year.
Graf, who was relatively new to the tennis scene, achieved the historic feat just one year after winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the 1987 French Open. The German player represented West Germany and was just a teenager at the time.
The then 19-year-old was humble in her victory though. In an old interview, the 22-time Major winner confessed that being young, she was not completely aware of the magnitude of the moment but looking back she realized that it was very special.
“Extremely special. I think I didn’t realize at that point how specially really it was. I was 19 years old and, you know, winning my first Grand Slam the year before, and the suddenly winning four in the same year and topping it off with going to Seoul and winning the gold medal. I mean it just was overwhelming really at that point, you know. I think it helped me a lot being young and kind of naïve and not really being aware so much of the moment,” she remarked.
“I didn’t expect it at all anymore, I was 30 at that point” – Steffi Graf chose 1999 French Open win as the highlight of her career
In the same interview, Steffi Graf was asked whether she had a particular match that was, for her, the highlight of her career. Graf chose her 1999 French Open finals victory against Martina Hingis in response.
The German, who was 30 years old at the time, was trying to make a comeback after knee surgery. Her previous Grand Slam title was at the 1996 US Open and she wasn’t favored to win Roland Garros.
“I came back from a knee surgery about a year and a half before that. (I) had a very difficult time coming back to the sport. (I) didn’t actually expect to be coming back after the surgery that I had. I had a reconstructive knee surgery. (I) get to the French Open, I wasn’t expected to do very well. I struggled through tournaments before on the clay courts,” Steffi Graf recalled.
The 22-time Major winner also remembered trailing in the fixture. But she eventually turned things around and the spectators started cheering for her as she won her sixth French Open title.
“(I) find myself against Martina Hingis in the finals and being a set down, being a break down early in the second set; (Then) so many things started changing and changing. I started to loosen up and the crowd suddenly was behind me and I find myself winning the tournament at, yeah, I was 30 at that point (laughs). So, you know, finding myself winning a Grand Slam at a time when I didn’t expect it at all anymore and felt extreme closure to my career,” she said.
Steffi Graf lifted her 22nd and final Grand Slam trophy at the 1999 French Open. She made the final at Wimbledon just weeks later, but came up short against Lindsay Davenport.