Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 4: Steffi Graf and Monica Seles give us the next great sports rivalry
By May 01, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
A spirit of activism has always been a part of the WTA tour
By Dec 11, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 10: From Venus and Serena to Naomi and Maria, the WTA's crossover icons are on a first-name basis
By Nov 07, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Approaching 80, Billie Jean King is still globetrotting for investment in women’s sports
By Oct 12, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Serena vs. BJK, Evert vs. Barty, Graf vs. Sharapova: Across 50 years, imagine these match-ups between WTA greats
By Oct 06, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
The Room Where It Happened: WTA Tour marks 50 years, backwards and forwards
By Aug 26, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 8: The WTA tour's global reach extends to nations and athletes everywhere
By Aug 25, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 7: 50 years after the WTA was created, its future is now—and never-ending
By Jul 15, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 6: Austin, Graf, Sharapova and Raducanu exemplify the WTA's capacity for teenage stars
By Jun 21, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 5: Venus and Serena Williams are perhaps the greatest story in the history of sports
By Jun 03, 2023Fifty Years of the WTA
Chapter 4: Steffi Graf and Monica Seles give us the next great sports rivalry
Who ever thought that a player could challenge a Golden Slam winner, and—over just 15 matches—that a duo could give us contests like Chrissie and Martina?
Published May 01, 2023
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![Much like Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who only played one another 14 times (7-7), Seles-Graf occupies the realm of conjecture. Prior to Seles' tragic stabbing, Graf led their rivalry 6-4. In all, they played just 15 matches against each other.](https://images.tennis.com/image/private/t_16-9_768/f_auto/tenniscom-prd/zibkeaptu4inqmufobg9.jpg)
Much like Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who only played one another 14 times (7-7), Seles-Graf occupies the realm of conjecture. Prior to Seles' tragic stabbing, Graf led their rivalry 6-4. In all, they played just 15 matches against each other.
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![Dubbed "Fraulein Forehand", Graf used her signature shot to win 22 Grand Slam singles titles and, like Seles, easily secure enshrinement into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.](https://images.tennis.com/image/private/t_16-9_768/f_png/tenniscom-prd/np05kjfspasgidgbtsk9.png)
Dubbed "Fraulein Forehand", Graf used her signature shot to win 22 Grand Slam singles titles and, like Seles, easily secure enshrinement into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
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![Left: What Graf wore during her win over Seles in the 1996 US Open final; middle: what Seles wore during her win over Graf in the 1990 French Open final; right: the two-hander—both with Seles' forehand and backhand—that shook up the tennis world.](https://images.tennis.com/image/private/t_16-9_768/f_png/tenniscom-prd/dygxu8jo0mjjeojrtdja.png)
Left: What Graf wore during her win over Seles in the 1996 US Open final; middle: what Seles wore during her win over Graf in the 1990 French Open final; right: the two-hander—both with Seles' forehand and backhand—that shook up the tennis world.
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![To many, Seles' win over Graf in the 1992 French Open final—10-8 in the third and deciding set—was their finest match. Said Seles, “Both of us deserved to win.”](https://images.tennis.com/image/private/t_16-9_768/f_auto/tenniscom-prd/yc11ff2s2vb1txsumh8o.jpg)
To many, Seles' win over Graf in the 1992 French Open final—10-8 in the third and deciding set—was their finest match. Said Seles, “Both of us deserved to win.”
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