HERE is how far they were apart: MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
#1 SELES WON-----------------------------#2 GRAF WON
1990 WTA Tour Championships
1991 Australian Open
1991 French Open
-----------------------------------------------1991 Wimbledon
1991 U.S. Open
1991 WTA Tour Championships
1992 Australian Open
1992 French Open
----------------------------------------------- 1992 Wimbledon
1992 U.S. Open
1992 WTA Tour Championships
1993 Australian Open
In these 12 major events between the end of 1990 and the April '93
Hamburg stabbing....
#1 Monica Seles:
entered 11 of the 12 events.
won 10 of the 12 events.
reached the final round in 11 of the 12 events.
#2 Steffi Graf:
entered 11 of the 12 events.
won 2 of the 12 events.
reached the final round in 4 of the 12 events.
lost in the semis or earlier in 8 of the 12 events.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1993 Australian Open Final Mary Carillo: "Monica also says that she never watches matches of 1993 Australian Open Final Cliff Drysdale: "Seles played fif*** tournaments last year, she won Mary Carillo: "Well, she should be, Cliff. That's just the ranking Cliff Drysdale: "You got that right! No question!" Mary Carillo: "It should be very difficult to become Number One in the 1993 Australian Open Final Mary Carillo: "That was a 92-mile-an-hour serve from Steffi, and I'd 1993 Australian Open Final Cliff Drysdale: "Graf has won eleven grand slam championships." Mary Carillo: "Seles has played 20 less but she's already won seven of 1993 Australian Open Final Mary Carillo: "How much can you say about this woman? She is a 1993 Australian Open Final Mary Carillo: "[Steffi's] actually playing better than when she played
herself play, and I think that is absolute genius. Because if she saw
what she did, as she does in this point - a full-bodied swing from
half-court for a winner - if she saw that, if she watched any video
of her own thing, I think she'd look at the screen and go, 'AAAAAAAACK!
What am I doing?! How could I try that?!' "
ten of them, she played four Finals [of those she didn't
win]...Tremendous record, tremendous consistency from Monica Seles.
Number one player in the world, and yet she's not that far in front of
Steffi Graf."
system. I mean, even Steffi admits that...Each system is flawed, both
the ATP and the women's side, they try very hard to get the ranking
system right. But you can't tell me that a woman who's won three out of
the four grand slams in each of the last two years should be in danger
of losing her Number One spot, that's ridiculous!"
world, and it should be very difficult to lose that spot, too. And I
think these rankings don't really reflect that."
like to have gotten the radar on the return of serve. It was stronger."
them."
remarkable - she has that remarkable instinct, when under the gun, when
under pressure, to attack. She's got the instincts of a doberman. You
know, when confronted, she attacks. It's the natural thing for her to
do. I just, as I say, I've never seen her like before. I've seen great
players, obviously, great champions. But time and again we've seen
Monica in trouble, we've seen her play less than her best tennis, and
in the end, I mean, she just basically says, 'All right, gimme the
ball, gimme the ball.' And she hits winners. It's great stuff."
in '88 and won the Grand Slam. Everyone acts as though 'Well, you know,
she's got to get it back, she's got to get it back.' I actually feel
that Steffi has added a lot to her game. She's a better defensive
player. She's got a better first serve than she used to. I think her
slice backhand really works well. I mean, I happen to think that she's
a better player than she was a few years ago, but she's facing an
opponent that is just remarkable, and I think that's why she doesn't
have the Grand Slams titles we're used to seeing from her."