Gabriela Sabatini v Steffi Graf Lipton 1991 pt4

[@maurdiaz]

I was there in the stadium when Gaby Sabatini defeated Graf

[@oscarcastellino1554]

I miss you GABY... i love you

[@zeddeka]

Really odd match in many ways and indicative of the problems these players had with their games around this period. Gabi being a very slow starter and Steffi in this period was really lacking in confidence. She'd come out and win a set, maybe then go up a break, and then suddenly get incredibly brittle. Apart from the matches against Gabi during this period, Steffi's 1991 Hamburg final against Seles was another example. She really should have won something like 6-3, 6-2 but got incredibly nervous and was lucky to win in the end.

[@sabaindy7269]

My name is also sabatini. My parents said that they named it after her.

[@osdafranco29]

Sabatini...Fue la jugadora que mas veces le gano a Graf....Gaby...SOS UNA GENIA...Y UNA NUM.1.💛🧡💜

[@musicpainting1520]

The footwork of these players are so good..

[@rehabboy01]

look at that hand shake from grafiti, that angry, bitter hand shake when she lose. didnt even bother looking at sabatini's in the end.

[@stevenmichael4990]

Too many of Graf's crazy fans think she had such great sportsmanship but just like you commented, Steffi could be a nasty bratty little b***h. Far too often when Steffi lost I remember her give these weak limp wrist handshakes & barely make any eye contact but of course when she wins Steffi is so sweet & nice. Sure she is. Everybody is when they win.

[@stevenmichael4990]

don anthony I sound bitter? Really? So, my last comment has the sound of bitterness. And I guess you would know a thing or two about bitter sounds.

[@moviefan4life166]

I have to say I agree with y’all and to make it worse, they were and are friends. When Gaby lost to Steffi she hugged her and was the ultimate sportswoman but wow when Steffi lost to Gaby, she looked like a spoiled little kid ready to break something.

[@zeddeka]

I think she was unhealthily blinkered and obsessive about her tennis at times. It's said in her early years on the tour, she had the nickname "Little Miss Sauerbraten'.

[@MrSatysingh]

Very true

[@nocomment5778]

Graf's always bitter every times she loses to the shy, humble Sabatini -.-"

[@michaelpaskos9052]

I never understood why Steffi hated losing to Sabatini so much. At least when Sabatini would lose to Steffi, she always congratulated Steffi and didn't come off like a sore loser. At least in that regard, Steffi could have taken some pointers from Sabatini on how to act following a defeat.

[@nocomment5778]

Michael Paskos Well said! Difference between Graf & Sabatini is....One is sweet & the other is sour (Graf)

[@carrerau7138]

@@michaelpaskos9052 „It is your quality as a person that I have admired the most. You have made me a better player and a better person.“ (Gabriela Sabatini to Steffi Graf, Newport 2006)

[@pjw1980]

Not only was Graf’s handshake pathetic but was disrespectful considering she almost hit Gaby in the face with her attempted passing shot

[@carrerau7138]

Yes, that's why Sabatini chose Steffi to introduce her into the HoF in 2006.

[@senorgato70]

I never understood how in two Lipton semis, she beats Graf by playing such aggressive tennis. Then in the subsequent finals, vs. Seles and Sanchez-Vicario, she played so tentatively. I'm sure the semis both years took a lot out of her.

[@stevenmichael4990]

Because Gaby, as much as I really rooted 4 her 2 be great, just didn't really want it. Gaby could've gotten in Much better shape but she never did. Gaby could've improved her serve motion & serve speed but she never did. Gaby could've improved her overall game & hit the ball much harder & more aggressive but she never did. Gaby's topspin backhand, especially when she hit it down the line, was at times a deadly weapon against Steffi. Mainly because Steffi loved 2 run around her backhand but Gaby never worked on it enough 2 make it her solid go to shot vs Steffi & everybody else on the WTA tour. Gabriela Sabatini was 1 of the most talented tennis athletes but she was also 1 of the most disappointing talents as well. Gaby had it all but unlike Martina Navratilova, Gaby never worked on her fitness, her killer instinct(mentality) & her overall game. Gaby could've won many more Grand Slams than just the 1990 US Open. Gaby served for the 1991 Wimbledon Championships Twice & basically choked. Not as badly as Jana Novotna did in 1994 but Gaby choked all the same. I'm wondering who in the hell taught her how to hit her horrible serve. Gaby was a big strong girl who should've hit a much harder, much faster serve. Gaby's serve is the reason why she lost that Wimbledon title. And all that topspin she could hit should've won her a couple of French Opens but she never even made it to 1 French Open Final. Why not? Because she obviously just didn't want it. Gaby was 1 of the few athletes that could beat Steffi on Steffi's best day but that still wasn't enough to get her juices flowing & adrenaline pumping to want to be the best in the world &/or want to beat Steffi & all the rest back then to win more Grand Slam titles. It was so hard to watch this match & Gaby's other matches knowing she never fully realized her true potential.

[@senorgato70]

Steven Michael I agree with everything you've said. Another thing is that her coaches kept messing with her service motion and stroke production. If you look at Steffi, Martina, and Chris, their strokes, including their serves stayed pretty consistent throughout their entire careers. But it seemed like Gaby's service motion changed every year, where I thougth her motion in 1988 was a good foundation that just needed refinement. And I think this always played in her head which affected her confidence. Her forehand was made into a fairly wild and loose shot and not necessarily more compact as the point of contact had her elbow too far away from her body. Her backhand did stay fairly consistent and I think got stronger. But it's her legs that let her down the most. If she devoted three months to build up muscle and her fast-twitch muscles in her thighs and calves, I really think that would have made a world of difference in her movement, fitness, and overall confidence. When you watch her movement, she's almost flat-footed and lethargic compared to Steffi and Arantxa, and maybe even Monica.

[@stevenmichael4990]

senorgato70 Yeah, Gaby did look very flat footed. Gaby was so talented but she still had so much room for improvement but she just never did for whatever reason. Watching her now, makes me a little sad. Even the interviews I've seen with Sabatini, she's still so shy & so soft spoken. I don't see much confidence from such a beautiful woman. I think she's some what of a tortured soul. I could be wrong. Maybe Gaby never really wanted to play tennis.

[@senorgato70]

Steven Michael I have to believe that part of her torture was the fact that she is a lesbian. During her pro career, outside of Martina and Billie Jean, there weren't many others out and proud, in any sport or any public figures. Today is so much different. But having to hide who you are and what you truly feel can feel alienating and isolating. I think Martina's life took a completely different turn when she came out as she no longer had to focus on that part of her life and could just focus on her tennis and fitness. I will say that seeing Gaby today makes me so happy because she doesn't look back with regret and she seems like a very content and joyful person now.

[@stevenmichael4990]

+senorgato70 Well, I hope you're right. I hope she found something else she's good at to focus on. Gaby's a very talented lady. She can do alot of different things very well.

[@JordanjamesX]

Sabatini had a poor serve she should of won Wimbledon in 1991 huge disappointment. I think Sabatini is the biggest underachiever ever in women Tennis​.

[@1Rdby]

JordanjamesX That 91 Wimbledon final was a heartbreaker and so frustrating. I remember a volley Gaby didn't stick quite enough allowing Steffi to run cross court to make the pass. That would have given her championship point.

[@gustavolastra101]

You don't know much about Sabatini 's career and her rivals to say the she was the biggest "underachiever" un tennis history. You are wrong . She was a great player . You should have a look about her career before saying silly things.

[@musicpainting1520]

True.. Too afraid of flaten her serve

[@millennium8824]

Played exceptionally well in the semis in '91 & '92 against Graf & yet ended up losing in the Finals to Seles & Sanchez-Vicario. Wtf is up with that, did Sabatini fall off on the wrong bed or something?!?

[@zeddeka]

Notorious O.o it seems to have been a recurring feature of sabatini's career. She could put in some good performances and then really crash in the next round. If you look at her record in grand slams, she often had tough quarter final matches and then performed really badly in the semis.

[@musicpainting1520]

I think gaby did not build enough her game on volley as sanchez and seles's passing shots are consistent.

[@ralfbeckmann597]

❤

[@beaanchor]

葛老太婆那個老女人，連最後一球都幾乎是要打在對手的臉上，好險對手反應的快，讓她自己最後打出界，開心啊。

[@lenwelch2195]

Graf went off the boil, proves she’s human, never had a day like this except against Monica a couple of times. Sabatini is riding momentum and if graf had been able to show more patience and win a game things could’ve turned around. from 3-0 down graf wanted off the court. Graf rushes.

[@emmanuelcannou2433]

If Steffi could have served even harder and used her flat backhand down the line more often, very few players would have beaten her.

[@musicpainting1520]

Steffi slice can hurt lots of players with slice except gaby. Gaby is fitter than steffi

[@carrerau7138]

🤣

[@xuseppedrerol9097]

Graff awful.

[@carrerau7138]

Still bitter? 🤣