Top 5 matches that shaped up Monica Seles' career ft. Grand Slam final wins over Steffi Graf
Monica Seles is one of the greatest players of all time and had a stellar career that saw her win nine Grand Slam singles titles. She was also the World No. 1 for a total of 178 weeks.
Seles dominated women's tennis during the early 1990s and won eight Grand Slam titles as a teenager. However, her career hit a major roadblock when she got stabbed on the shoulder by a Steffi Graf fan in Hamburg in 1993. While she returned to action and did win a Grand Slam in 1996, the Yugoslav-born was far from the player she was before her injury.
Following her retirement, Monica Seles was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The former World No. 1 has done more than enough to be considered among the sport's all-time greats.
On that note, let us take a look at five matches that shaped up Monica Seles' career.
#5. 1995 Canadian Open final
The 1995 Canadian Open was Monica Seles' comeback tournament, her first in over two years. Seles' World No. 1 ranking was reinstated and she reached the final following straight-set wins over Kimberly Po, Nathalie Tauziat, Anke Huber and Gabriela Sabatini.
Here, the then-21-year-old faced Amanda Coetzer and thrashed the South African 6-0, 6-1 to win the Canadian Open. Seles dropped just 14 games en route to her triumph and it was the best possible way for the then-youngster to mark her return to tennis.
#4. 1993 Australian Open final
Monica Seles entered Australian Open 1993 as the top seed and the two-time defending champion. She dropped just eight games en route to the quarterfinals, defeating Gloria Pizzichini, Maria Strandlund, Patty Fendick and Nathalie Tauziat.
Here, the then-Yugoslav beat Julie Halard 6-2, 6-7, 6-0 before thrashing third seed Gabriela Sabatini 6-1, 6-2 to set up a title clash with rival Steffi Graf. The German got off to a good start and won the opening set 6-4. However, Monica Seles fought back and registered a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory to win her third successive Australian Open title.
The then-19-year-old became the very first player to hold three successive titles at the Melbourne Major and the French Open, and is the only one to have attained this feat. This was Seles' last Grand Slam title before her stabbing incident.
#3. 1990 German Open final
Monica Seles had a short but fierce rivalry with Steffi Graf and her first win over the latter came in the final of the German Open in 1990.
The then-16-year-old registered some comprehensive wins over Nicole Jagerman, Magdalena Maleeva, Conchita Martinez and Natasha Zvereva to reach the final. Here, she was up against World No. 1 Steffi Graf, who was on a 66-match winning streak, just eight behind equaling Martina Navratilova's record of 74 consecutive victories.
Monica Seles put in a fine performance and beat Graf 6-4, 6-3 to end her winning streak in front of her home crowd. it was also the then-teenager's very first win over the German after three defeats.
#2. 1990 French Open final
Shortly after defeating Steffi Graf in the German Open final, Monica Seles entered that year's French Open as the second seed. The then-16-year-old beat Katia Piccolini, Helen Kelesi, Leila Meskhi, 16th seed Laura Gildemeister (married name at the time), Manuela Maleeva and Jennifer Capriati to reach her maiden Grand Slam final.
Here, she was up against three-time defending champion Steffi Graf and registered a 7-6(6), 6-4 win to clinch her maiden Grand Slam title and register her second straight victory over the German.
Monica Seles thus became the youngest French Open champion ever, a record that is yet to be bettered.
#1. 1992 US Open final
After losing the Wimbledon final, Monica Seles entered the 1992 US Open as the defending champion and top seed. The then-18-year-old reached the final after registering straight-set wins over Audra Keller, Lisa Raymond, Claudia Porwik, Gigi Fernandez, Patricia Hy and Mary Joe Fernandez.
Here, she faced fifth seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who previously beat Steffi Graf in the quarterfinals. Seles produced a fine performance to beat the Spaniard 6-3, 6-3 and successfully defend her title in Flushing Meadows without dropping a single set.
Seles thus became the only teenager in the Open Era to win three out of four Grand Slams in multiple years.