Photo: Steffi_Graf_in_Hamburg.jpg: Mark Henckel from Hamburg-Altona, Deutschland (http://sommer-in-hamburg.de/) derivative work: César / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I rank Steffi Graf among the most complete athletes of the twentieth century, and the numbers barely explain why. Yes, 377 weeks at world No. 1 and eight year-end top finishes are staggering, but what stays with me is the manner: that whipping forehand, the relentless footwork, the refusal to coast. Even more impressive is how she handled the aftermath of greatness — stepping away cleanly, guarding her private life, letting the record speak. Her 2004 Hall of Fame induction was a formality. In an era of manufactured personas, Graf's quiet, almost austere excellence feels like a lesson in dignity.
Overview
Stefanie Maria Graf ( GRA(H)F, German: [ˈʃtɛfi ˈɡʁaːf] ; born 14 June 1969), known professionally as Steffi Graf and preferring to be called Stefanie since 2001, is a German former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for a record 377 weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 a record eight times.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Steffi Graf
- Name (Japanese)
- シュテフィ・グラフ
- Reading
- しゅてふぃ・ぐらふ
- Born
- June 14, 1969 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- Mannheim, Karlsruhe Government Region, Germany
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 176 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- tennis player / athlete / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Silbernes Lorbeerblatt
- 2009 Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 2002 Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg
- 1999 Silver Olympic Order
- 2004 International Tennis Hall of Fame
- 1999 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports
- 1988 BBC World Sport Star of the Year
- 1994 Best Female Tennis Player ESPY Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Tennis player — see all → · Athlete — see all → · More people from Germany →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.