When Iga Swiatek walked off Centre
Court after delivering a ruthless 6-0, 6-
0 demolition of Amanda Anisimova in
the Wimbledon final, the record books
made us turn back to a familiar page.
Only one woman in the Open Era had
ever achieved a “double bagel” in a
Grand Slam final before. A name that
no tennis enthusiast could ever forget.
Her name?
Steffi Graf.
In 1988, Graf dismantled Natasha Zvereva with the same scoreline in the French
Open final. That year, she didn’t just win Paris, she won everything. All four Grand
Slams and Olympic gold. The only tennis player in history, male or female, to
capture a Golden Slam in a single calendar year.
While this glorious moment belongs to Swiatek, it also makes this a perfect
moment to look back on a legend whose career redefined dominance.
Golden career and hard workSteffi Graf was born on June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, West Germany. Her father,
Peter Graf, who was a car and insurance salesman, was also an ambitious tennis
coach. He famously began training his daughter in their living room before she
ever set foot on a court.
By the age of 4, Graf was already on the ground swinging rackets.
Which achievement do you find more impressive?
Golden Slam by Steffi Graf
Double bagel in Grand Slam final by Iga SwiatAt five, she entered her first tournament. At six, she was taking formal lessons.
And by 13 years and four months, she turned professional, ranking 124 in her
debut season. She became the second youngest player ever to earn an
international ranking.
She climbed to No. 6 by 1985 and all this without a single tour-level title to her
name. In 1987 she won her first Grand Slam event, defeating Czech-born
American Martina Navratilova at the French Open.
Unlike most teen phenoms, Graf’s schedule was tightly controlled. Peter Graf
limited her tournament entries, shielding aher from burnout. In 1985, she played
10 events leading up to the U.S. Open. For comparison, her rival Gabriela
Sabatini, one year younger, played 21.
Grand slams and more
As per an ESPN report, Graf’s training regimen was merciless: four hours a day,
sometimes right off a plane. It was this hard work that prepared her for every
situation.
Her crowning achievement came in 1988—the year of the Golden Slam. In winning
the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, and Olympic gold in
Seoul, Graf joined Margaret Court and Maureen Connolly as the only women to
sweep the Slams—but she remains the only one to add Olympic gold.Over her career, she claimed 22 Grand Slam singles titles and, for a long time,
held the record for the most Grand Slams in the Open Era, until Serena Williams
surpassed it in 2017.
Net worth
Steffi Graf’s financial legacy matches her sporting one. As of 2024, her net worth
stands at approximately $145 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Combined
with her husband, fellow tennis icon Andre Agassi, their joint fortune edges close
to the $300 million mark.
Beyond prize money, she built a savvy business portfolio anchored by a longstanding relationship with Adidas, where she launched her line of signature
sneakers. She also appeared in high-profile commercials for Opel in Germany,
reinforcing her status as a national icon. Off-camera, Graf and her husband, Andre
Agassi, co-manage a diversified investment portfolio that includes stakes in tech
firms, wellness brands, and fitness ventures. In the end, Steffi Graf remains one
of the best tennis players to ever grace the court.
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