While leafing through old tennis mags one article in (U.S.) Tennis
Magazine's June 1993 issue caught my eye. They were prediciting who
might win that year's French Open.
Obviously these forecasts were made *before* the Seles stabbing in
Hamburg (e.g. Zeitchick's prognosis).
The bottom line: Monica was not the experts' hot favourite!
Donna Doherty (Editor):
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario: She knows how to win it (champion in '89) and
her new coach, Carlos Kirmayr, has her looking ready to win it again
this year.
Norman Zeitchick (Senior Editor):
Steffi Graf: She has the most to prove and has the biggest guns when
her head is on right. Her backhand slice will give Monica Seles
trouble.
Peter Bodo (Senior Writer):
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario: She has the most bounce-per-ounce among all
the women. On clay, that's important. Her new coach, Carlos Kirmayr,
is a clever strategist and a confident motivator.
Mark Preston (Associate Editor):
Gabriela Sabatini: There's a limit on the number of years one can be
"potentially great". Sabatini's sort of pushing the envelope. It's
time for Gaby to do it or "adieu" it.
And so Graf, ASV and Sabatini battled it out with Graf winning the
title ....
Max
--
"A few sports stars win something rarer than trophies or championships
- an enduring place in the public's affections. Steffi Graf is one of
them. She hung up her racket five years ago after winning an amazing 22
Grand Slam titles, but that doesn't mean she is any less busy or
beloved."
(TIME Magazine, "European Heroes", October 2nd, 2004)