1987 Key Biscayne Final

[@madonnacicone4944]

Queen Steffi at the beginning period of her career.

[@thanikaiveludorairaj5841]

excellent game by Steffi my favorite.. one of the finest players of all time 👍👍

[@aandjain8274]

Steffi is a visual delight on court. So powerful yet so graceful in all the way.

[@carrerau7138]

@@joeyconvery2055 Especially as #1 Seles loved to beat up Steffi pretty good. Winning 2 of 7 matches.

[@ericavalderrama2547]

"Changing of the guard", these champions start young! Thanks for sharing this classic match...

[@mcgoran100]

Glad you like it.

[@anntengocampo1455]

steffi beginning to combine power variety of shots and accuracy on the court, made more grandslams

[@giacomogazzaniga3707]

As much I am a Graf fan, i cannot avoid to recognize the graciousnes of Chris Evert: not a grunt, not a complaint… like the ‘modern’ players who act like drama queens on the ground! Pity this tennis is dead!

[@mcgoran100]

Yes Chris was always very calm and composed. Steffi too was very calm and just got on with the game. Today’s players seem to have real attitude. And that screaming with every shot. Some even scream when they slice the ball. 🤦‍♂️

[@sujanyadebnath4622]

Grunting queen seles.

[@randyb5579]

@@mcgoran100 Ok, I laughed at the screaming on slice comment - so true, more effort in vocalizing versus the actual physical output. Monica was a genius with ball handling, and those angles and short court play, while today's players are mostly making noise just for G.P.

[@林奈緒美-t5d]

田原俊彦

[@alexsdb9712]

Actually, for a while now, tennis IS dead.

[@chariebuenaobra6610]

Im a Fan of these Two, i used to root for Chris until she retired, im a fan of Steffi until now, love watching her, thanks for this Video😍

[@MrBjorn6]

I was a Chris fan until Steff because Steffi was my age and could challenge Martina more.

[@JorgeCarlosGómez-r9n]

Love that original/first look of her: golden mane. Graf the Golden Girl.

[@piloyvind1222]

Graf was the first one to bring force in tennis. Then followed Seles, Capriati, Williams, etc. But Graf has something the others didn't have : elegance !

[@carrerau7138]

Steffi was a visual delight. That athletic but feminine body, those incomparable legs. And she moved like a combination of a gazelle and a panther.

[@alexsdb9712]

​@@carrerau7138and mixed with a ballet element.

[@darrylsanders6056]

Elegance is relative

[@Readyteddygo]

Steffi was probably the most graceful player of all time ❤️

[@markdecena4559]

@M C I agree 100%

[@martydav9475]

Maria Bueno? Evonne Goolagong?

[@jamesyu5212]

Federer?

[@carrerau7138]

@@jamesyu5212 Federer as a kid watched Steffi “for hours“ on German TV.

[@corgeousgeorge]

her footwork was so good she could have taught boxers proper footwork. So many adjustments and toe moves to make sure her shots had power and bite. So many small steps. No one moved like her on the baseline before or since with as much elegance. When it comes to transition games tho I'd say that both Sabatini and Novotna had beautiful movement and volleys. Novotna also had such flowing strokes and even her serve position was visually appealing at full stretch on her toes. I think Henin may have moved near as well as Graf on the baseline and with such small steps, she always just seemed to be everywhere the ball was at the right moments.

[@rushrush1209]

Evert said after this match "I sometimes hit with the men. They don't hit as hard as Steffi does.".. Graf simply crushed Evert in this match.

[@alexsdb9712]

That's right. A pure naturally born-athlete, chess mindset, and professional mindset - Steffi Graf. And remember these huge factors: Steffi played with and experienced all types of equipment, and she played during her first chapter domination with modern equipment but much heavier than later equipment, almost basic modern strings, and a much smaller racquet head which was the more standard size at the time.

[@anthonydecastro6938]

the clip did not show Steffi speaking to the crowd at all; instead, what we had was an interview of Chris Evert!!! american exceptionalism in full view...

[@alexsdb9712]

Sick of it.

[@alexsdb9712]

Sick of it.

[@silviatennismusic]

Gracias por tu increíble carrera Steffi graf.

[@ytangel7263]

Two all time greats and I’m a fan of both tennis stars. Steffi’s tennis shining bright 🌟 during the reign of Chris and Martina N. (fyi Steffi beat Martina in the semis with relative ease in this tournament). Steffi’s forehand was on fire 🔥 especially at 46:39! Amazing how powerful and accurate her forehand was and I know it’s all about her athleticism, timing and effortless technique. I can’t help but compare to powerful forehands today where you can see how much effort current players exert to generate power while taking advantage of racquet and string innovations. I wonder how Steffi’s forehand, which is the greatest forehand ever, would look in the modern game with all the racquet/string technology. Combined with her athleticism and uncanny accuracy, it would be a more heavier and deadlier forehand! Her backhand slice was the best ever too! No one, not even current players today (with the exception of Roger Federer), can hit a knifing slice like Steffi. With racquet/string innovations, it would be “Death by a Thousand Cuts”! If I could put both Steffi and Serena in the same era (either in the late 80s to mid 90s or in 2000s at their very best), I’d go anywhere to see the Greatest Forehand vs. the Best Serve battle it out and compete for grand slam titles!!!

[@jamesyu5212]

Ashley Barty slice could rival grafs

[@ytangel7263]

@@jamesyu5212 Ash Barty has a good backhand slice, actually better than any of her peers but I don’t think it’s better than Steffi’s driving backhand slice. Ash’s slice looks a lot like Steffi’s slice when Steffi was young but Steffi’s slice was vicious and became more wicked when she changed to a larger Wilson 95. Ash is still relatively young and she did win the 2022 AO with her slice so it may even evolve to more of a menacing shot. Regarding Steffi, take a look at the ‘95 US Open Steffi vs Seles. There’s a backhand slice from Steffi that was just awesome!

[@maximilian2974]

@James Yu oh no. Barty has a good slice, but the Graf slice backhand was lethal on every court surface...it literally died on the grass courts.

[@maximilian2974]

I think she'd be number 1 again. Graf's forehand was crazy good, and it hardly ever let her down. I feel the other players would struggle with backhand, as well as it was so low and one of the best serves and footwork ever.

[@ytangel7263]

@@maximilian2974 I agree with the only caveat that Steffi could have been number one again during the years that Hingis was the highest ranked player but I don’t think it would have lasted even if Steffi remained on tour after 1999. She already made it clear to fans she would unlikely play well past age 30.

[@natalieking9246]

you are spoiling us, some of these matches I had a long time ago on VHS.

[@whitestar655]

Great match to watch again. Graf all fresh faced, fleet of foot, free hitting and all over Chris like a cheap date. Chrissie seemed all at sea in this match - she certainly wasn't in the place yet to figure out Steffi's ever-developing power game. It was quite horrible to watch Chris at times during this face-off, though I'm aware she had returned fairly recently from quite a long lay off. Still, nice to see both ladies in action once again. Thanks so much for posting this treat :-)

[@sashashaikh111]

Great comment

[@johncortesi8038]

Fuck off

[@yussepig6629]

Agree Monica was Graf’s nemesis. That’s why Steffi’s jealous fan stabbed her, she was on the ascendancy to complete domination. 7 of 8 slams, wow !

[@yussepig6629]

Max E you are clueless as usual. Seles won 7 of 8 Slams during her ‘rivalry’ with Graf. Graf had an early lead before the Seles onslaught. If not for the stabbing Graf would have gotten numerous horrible beatings from Seles. Statistics 30 years later don’t show the direction of the rivalry at that important point as I’m sure you know (but you are constantly trying to cover your eyes or feign ignorance).

[@yussepig6629]

@ Max E: why are you babbling about 1989 and 1990 you fool. Seles was a baby then lol. And then babbling about Seles post stabbing again? That’s the whole point, she wouldn’t be fat and unfit if not for the stabbing as you knows. The 91-93 period was utter Seles domination 7/8 Slams by Seles. Utter domination except grass and trust me that would have come too. No doubt that if not for stabbing Graf would have won zero or little Slams. Seles kicked her ass. That’s why the guy stabbed her ( sounds like you’re as crazed as that guy).

[@rgncajun21]

Love watching these old matches

[@maximilian2974]

There was a lot of love for Chrissie here and deservedly so.

[@lenwelch2195]

Chris had taken a layoff then played a tournament and lost first round. Then entered this tournament. She always knew Steffi was the next number one . When she heard that Steffi had beaten Martina in Sf so easily, she had to take the court in this match nervous and wondering if Steffi was ready to be number one. Chris gave a speech after this match. I’m not sure if this version shows it. Chris says “ Steffi you have a great past and future but now you have a great present. Then said she didn’t expect the ball to come over that fast and she practices with the men. Chris was so gracious the crowd clapped so l9ngvthat chrissie had a tear in her eye. She was handing the star to Steffi and conceding . Wonderful women 😊

[@carrerau7138]

Evert said "she cleaned my clock!"

[@frankiedelgadoes]

Steffi is a racist. She is not wonderful. She hated Zina, Lori, and the Williams sisters for the color of their skin. Her losses to Zina and Lori at Wimbledon were ironicaly partly due to her racism. Her fear of losing to a black woman, even one she was highly favored over, was so intense, she wound up choking.

[@silviatennismusic]

Stefanie Graf ❤️💐🍀😘😘

[@tuneaddicted]

Watching this 36 years after it was played there are two things that really stick out to me, how weak Evert's serve was but she was so consistent and how great Graf's backhand was! Yes her forehand was great but so was her backhand. She could slice that with pace to any corner to the court no matter how off balance she seemed while running to hit it. So impressive

[@gk891]

I actually think her backhand was her biggest weapon. It had so much vicious underspin on it. It set up her forehand so well.

[@Hannibalheyes71roger]

Thank you for all the great uploads

[@aleksthegreat4130]

Chris Evert made 52 out of 56 Grand Slam semifinals,amazing!

[@carrerau7138]

But winning only 18 slams after reaching 52 semis is bad.

[@broncoguy4862]

Steffi Graf reached a Grand Slam final a record 11 consecutive times, and won nine of those, including the Calendar Grand Slam. Which is more impressive?

[@carrerau7138]

@@broncoguy4862 13 consecutive slam finals in 1987-90.

[@OCRATHLETE]

Chris reached the finals, all 5 times at this lipton event. When ever Chris Evert Lloyd played in Florida , it was always standing room only in the crowd

[@carrerau7138]

Didn't they have seat there in Florida back in the day??

[@tomogden9503]

Chris so gracious in defeat (and this must have been a tough loss). '87 was a watershed year for her. She had some cracking matches with Steffi in '88 and particularly at Boca in '89.

[@tomogden9503]

@Ilya Kuryakin Indeed Ilya. And both were great, especially the Lipton 🙌🏻

[@tomogden9503]

@Max E Hi Max. The Lipton ‘88 and Boca Raton ‘89 finals are worth checking out IMO. But I grew up with Chrissie so I could watch all her matches til the cows come home 🤗

[@tomogden9503]

@Max E You have great taste 😉

[@carrerau7138]

Young Steffi was so cute in the interview after the match!

[@jm7804]

Any Evert Graf match was an event. Steffi leads the rivalry 7-6. Graf and Navratilova tied at 9 each. Navratilova and Evert at 43-37. The 80s were entirely about these 3 players.

[@jm7804]

Trolls insist on 8-6, but here are the 7-6 facts: matchstat.com/tennis/h2h-odds-bets/Steffi%20Graf/Chris%20Evert www.stevegtennis.com/head-to-head/women/Chris_Evert/Steffi_Graf/ And here are the official WTA stats www.wtatennis.com/head-to-head/70044/50020

[@richardross4677]

@@jm7804 I think they are wrongly counting either the match Chris defaulted and Steffi won by walkover, which many sites incorrectly list as a win, and some different sites count an exhibition match that Graf won. That is where the 7-6 vs 8-6 confusion comes in.

[@paologonzato5202]

@@richardross4677 No way.They count a victory of Graf by Evert forfait in US OPEN 88 semifinal

[@michaelagischas]

These 3 have more matches won than Serena within more years.

[@carrerau7138]

It is 8-6 for Steffi. 86 Hilton Head 87 Miami, Los Angles, Fed Cup 88 AO, Miami 89 Boca Raton, Wimbledon = 8 Steffi wins No idea where this “7 Steffi wins“ myth comes from.

[@williamoleary9330]

The power, wow.

[@user-be5qg7mr1s]

the slice is a smart play to neutralize her opponent. It helps develop a tempo and rthym for her forehand smash

[@markuse3472]

This was the Miami Open Masters at Key Biscayne, now played at Miami Gardens, Miami (after 2018). Whether it was the audio or the rackets back then, it sounds like they were hitting rocks.

[@alexsdb9712]

It was the facility's acoustics, but for sure it was also the equipment. Racquets were heavier with smaller heads, and more solid material back then up until the mid-90s, and strings were more neutral with each player. Today the equipment is overdone, especially the strings.

[@LDVTennis]

@18:15, Billy compares Chris' and Steffi's forehands. The differences are remarkable.

[@NOTHEOTHERGUY]

Cliff is horrible!

[@milkybum6339]

Agreed but Chris is still a great champion of the game in her own right. Both of these amazing women are amongst the best ever. I used to be a huge fan of Carling Bassett since I am Canadian and I remember her first and only slam semi, Evert gave her a huge tennis lesson.

[@poussinhamzah4013]

Je me souviens quand j'ai lu les résultats de ce match en 1987...le fait que Graf a gagné n'était pas une surprise pour moi mais j'étais choqué de la façon dont elle a écrasé Evert !!

[@bjoernrietz6401]

I remember how the counted her Backhand Slice as a weakness... but today we all know what a tough wappon that was...

[@aleksthegreat4130]

Bjoern Rietz Sampras was also using backhand slice,with a difference,he could attack and hit with backhand

[@JSmith-zr2ve]

It was a thing of beauty.

[@sashashaikh111]

Extreamly..........it held up all the way into the 90s......even to some degree on clay aswell.

[@broncoguy4862]

Another title for Graf without dropping a set during the tournament.

[@oliverdesouza5741]

Early Steffi was the best because she rolled her BH as well as chopping it. Not easy with a Max 200G!

[@marianitadelabahan7771]

STEFFI THE GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME

[@helderbento7991]

@@joeyconvery2055 in your wet dreams

[@helderbento7991]

@@joeyconvery2055 she lost the number 1 spot that is your argument. Roger Federer never lost number 1, the same as Novak, Rafa, Serena, Navratilova and all the champions in the past never lost the number one ranking.

[@helderbento7991]

@@joeyconvery2055 specially in Wimbledon. The greatest tournament in the world where Seles exhaled with her great volley Ana first serve

[@helderbento7991]

@@joeyconvery2055 wrong again. That is the Tournament. The one that every tennis player wants to win. Ivan Lendl said that he would give every one of his Roland Garros titles to win in Wimbledon.

[@yussepig6629]

Graf was a fake. Seles GOAT!

[@Logans3Run]

I like Chrissie's acknowledgement of a winning shot from her opponents, by uttering "Yuh"...

[@misalabajrovic9493]

Steffi je najbolja za sva vremena❤ Zao mi je sto danas zenski tenis nema sampionki, za razliku od muskaraca...

[@jonathankieranwriter]

Make no mistake: Graf was going to win this match, given how majestically she was playing, but Evert really made a dog’s breakfast of herself in this final. So many uncharacteristic unforced errors on routine shots (not even on shots where she was rushed) serving quite poorly. Navratilova got waxed in the semis because she gave the sizzling Graf a constant target, but Evert, on a better day, ought to have made the sets a lot closer because she had the game to make Steffi play and engage her. If Chris had been even at 80% she should have lost by a score like 4-6 4-6. But she would have lost at 100%. This event truly was the put-your-finger-on-it moment when the guard was changed in women’s ball and Steffi began to ascend without serious rival for a few years.

[@zeddeka]

Chris definitely not at her best in 1987 but peak Steffi was always a bad match up for Chris. Steffi much more powerful from the baseline, physically much stronger and able to outlast Chris. So Chris didn't really have anywhere to go, other than to perhaps try things that weren't natural to her, hence all the errors. It's interesting that after Steffi got her first win over Chris in 1986, she never lost again and only dropped one set.

[@broncoguy4862]

Evert had to up her game, as it were, and play outside her comfort zone, going for higher-risk shots to try and keep up with Graf's relentless power play and athleticism.

[@charleskristiansson1296]

Chrissie helped Steffi's bankhand come on leaps and bounds by her merciless pounding of it ...

[@tomschmitz5745]

interesting that graf improved so much in such a short time, a year earlier she had beaten chris for the first time (evert had her chances in that match) and a year later graf is whipping evert...also interesting in that while evert never beat graf again she did play graf tougher towards the end of her career and her retirement then she did in 1987.. graf was whipping her easily in 1987, but after that besides their 1989 wimbledon semi when evert was in no way match touch or in shape to challenge graf, their matches were tight 2 setters or a 3 setter in early 1989... evert i think needed time to deal with graf's power and speed of foot and how to play her but at the same time by that time, evert's mental and physical gifts were dwindling due to her age and burn out hence why she retired...

[@umarharith7234]

It is actually tough for Steffi to handle Christ in their last few matches becoz Christ is a very clever player and very skillful that she can produced great shots time after time. Chris also has beaten Martina late into their rivalries....and she beat Seles 6-0, 6-2? in 1989 US Open....yes of course Seles was still young then but Seles had troubled Steffi and many top players in 1989.

[@derrickvaillancourt4431]

It was a combination of Graf coming closer to her prime which she was nowhere near in 86, and Chris aging out of her prime considerably starting in 87.

[@derrickvaillancourt4431]

@@umarharith7234 Seles was a slow courter still in 89. She beat old Chris on clay and gave Steffi a close match at the French. On fast courts she was useless though, not only did Chris smoke her at the U.S Open but Graf beat her 6-1, 6-0 at Wimbledon. Only a factor on slow courts at that point.

[@yussepig6629]

Chris was returning from long injury lay off. She was never the same player esp. mentally, just lost all her patience but still had the odd great match.

[@markthomas7225]

Do you have the 1988 Lipton final? It was a better match than this one, but this was still good to see. Thanks!

[@mcgoran100]

I do but it won’t upload. Sorry!

[@markthomas7225]

@@mcgoran100 Ugh that stinks

[@zuichiang5088]

I think someone posted that match (uploaded into 4 parts - German commentary): kzbin.info/www/bejne/pofCgJmZiqlsn7M

[@josephjoel9199]

Chris Evert is my favorite player of all time, but she also is the "you know" queen. Sad.

[@JSmith-zr2ve]

Oh shut up.

[@josephjoel9199]

@@JSmith-zr2ve , what a Trumpish, low class, unintelligent response. My dog could have said that.

[@jamesc7019]

Steffi destroyed Martina & Chris in less than an hour. She ended their reign.

[@OCRATHLETE]

did you notice in both matches, the players took about 10 seconds between points as in 2021 , players need all 25 seconds ....and the shot clock.. Chris, Steffi, nor Martina needed a shotclock

[@rajusaha855]

@@joeyconvery2055 poor Monica, couldn't win Wimbledon & just wins 9 slams compared to Steffi's 22 slams & 7 Wimbledon. Compare Monica to Steffi's husband 😆😆😆. But again Agassi won career super slam, your poor Monica fails to win Wimbledon or Olympic gold.

[@JSmith-zr2ve]

@@rajusaha855 Could have had something to do with being stabbed, dumbass.

[@rajusaha855]

@@JSmith-zr2ve no, Steffi was far superior than Monica.

[@jigsterify]

Martina did beat Steffi at the US open a few years later

[@estebanmartin4087]

Con Steffi Graf en este nivel, ni Serena Williams ni Monica Seles podrían haberle ganado. | Esteban.

[@musilandia20]

TOTALMENTE DE ACUERDO. ELLA ES LA REINA DEL TENIS DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS

[@HCaulfield115]

Seles was dominating Graf at this level till she got stabbed

[@carrerau7138]

@@HCaulfield115 Steffi vs #1-ranked Seles: 5-2 H2H The worst record ever of a #1 player against any opponent.

[@tonydecastro6340]

BJK never seemed to like Steffi Graf. There was not one question to Chris about Steffi, as if Steffi did not exist at all. This could be one reason why Graf never warmed to BJK at all.

[@tonydecastro6340]

@Ilya Kuryakin a comment that came many years later, a very delayed recognition it seems. your link above are pics taken it seems of an event that happened in 2010...

[@anthonydecastro6938]

@Ilya Kuryakin Steffi Graf retired from tennis in 1999. The pictures were taken 11 years after. And the interview 18 years after. But all the years Steffi was an active player on the WTA circuit, BJK never really liked her. Primarily because Steffi was not particularly invested in promoting the women's game, at least not in the manner that BJK and Navratilova and Evert were doing. She promoted it on court, not off it. And BJK did not like that.

[@anthonydecastro6938]

@Ilya Kuryakin and you have hit the nail on the head; haven't you noticed those three are Americans? Steffi, being German and European, was not active off court in the US although she would eventually buy homes there.

[@willnill7946]

Anthony de Castro she didn’t promote bjk s politics

[@abdullahsuherman2186]

Maybe steffi didnt promote tennis off court as much as billie, martina & chris were doing before... but tennis became more popular when steffi was on top... billie didnt saw that... same case with margaret who didnt promote tennis off court & billie didnt like it, but margaret more successful than billie 🤔😅

[@Calicokit101]

I think Steffi liked playing Chris...by 1986 she knew the match was always 100% on her racquet.

[@yussepig6629]

Wrong. Up til 1987 she hated playing Chris and stayed she didn’t know what to do to beat her. Only Chris’s decline after a long break gave Steffi the edge and after that she was superior physically due to Chris’ injuries and age.

[@zeddeka]

@@yussepig6629 peak Steffi was a bad match up for Chris. Once Steffi became physically strong enough, that was that. Steffi was stronger, quicker, more powerful and could outlast Chris. There was nowhere really for Chris to go. All but one of their matches after 1986 was a straight sets win for Steffi.

[@yussepig6629]

@TH: only because Chris got old

[@carrerau7138]

@@yussepig6629 Watch how a 16-year-old Steffi beat a 31-year-old Evert in 2 sets in Hilton Head 1986. Steffi hit two and a half as many winners as Chris. Chris would never beat Steffi again. At that point Evert was the same age when Serena won her 16th (of 23) slam.

[@umarharith7234]

Steffi's forehand is better in 1987 than later on? Looks like

[@zeddeka]

Definitely for a period 91-93 she made a huge amount of errors on her forehand. I think a lot of that was due to her real lack of confidence during that period.

[@johncortesi8038]

Chris’ beat eveyone in two sets in this tournament too!

[@mcgoran100]

Steffi won the tournament. Are you thinking of 1986?

[@roshidihashim1637]

Ngan lei peng....

[@raceleiter]

85-93 Golden Era of women's tennis-1) Graf 2) Navratilova 3) Evert 4) Seles 5) Sabatini Top

[@paologonzato5202]

Evert won First 6 meetings against Graf,Steffi won the following 7 loosing only 1 set!Chris won 24 matches on Martina in their First 30 meetings.Then Martina,during the period 80-88 won 37 times and Evert 13,and all this period was defenetely the best of their rivalry....I'm sure that NOBODY could think that Evert was Better than Martina.Results speak very clearly despite the High mental fragility of Martina Who deserved the final victory in a couple of US OPEN finals,First on Tracy Austin and second on Mandlikova...both Lost 7-6 at the 3rd set!!!

[@carrerau7138]

Steffi beat Evert 8 times in a row in 1986-89. Don‘t forget their 1987 Fed Cup match!

[@josephjoel9199]

A lot of you knows, Chris. I never have to worry about such a thing with Martina. Martina wins.

[@yussepig6629]

What is ‘you know’ mean?

[@johncortesi8038]

Chris was the best!!!!

[@sujanyadebnath4622]

Chris was steffee is

[@wilf18]

Weird how Steffi didn’t play a top spin backhand. It’s always a slice. I forgot that

[@carrerau7138]

You don’t beat Navratilova in two Wimbledon finals without a topspin backhand.

[@peterphilstacey4698]

Billie Jean King, when she sees Medvedev play six hours for a win , and the majority of women play one quarter the same time for the same money, can you imagine the other way around? there would be anarchy.

[@mikebatlinh6650]

Steffi ended Martina and Chris dominance.

[@mikebatlinh6650]

She was faster stronger more powerful.

[@alexsdb9712]

Martina and Chris paved the way for Steffi, but Steffi was something else altogether that never was seen before in tennis, and perhaps won't be seen again. Martina and Chris were excellent players and champion legends, but Steffi was that too with more dimensions and natural athleticism to her game.

[@carrerau7138]

@@alexsdb9712 Navratilova often held her own against Steffi. She was Steffi's greatest opponent, Steffi said so herself.

[@jaspalcheema1500]

Steffi talks here about the topspin backhand. Shame it never materialised in her career.

[@colinoswald2]

Didn’t she break her thumb in ‘91? Resulting in a forced move to ‘retire’ her topspin backhand?

[@zeddeka]

As time went on it became less and less necessary because there were fewer and fewer serve and volleyers. Her slice backhand was more effective against baseliners.

[@carrerau7138]

Sadly you never watched Steffi beating Navratilova in 4 slam finals and one YEC final.

[@zeddeka]

Chris didn't really have the stokes or game pattern to consistently bother peak Steffi. She hit the ball the way Steffi liked it - realtively flat and with a regular rhythm. She didn't really have the variety to mix up the pace much (like Sabatini could), didn't have the power of a Seles, wasn't really a net player like Navratilova and wasn't an amazing retriever like Sanchez was

[@umarharith7234]

No....it is tough to play Christ...she is clever and skillful

[@whitestar655]

Wow. Chris sounds as though she was pretty useless after all. Those 18 grand slams must have happened by luck and flaw ^^

[@yussepig6629]

She was mentally superior to Graf and had better backhand. Unfortunately age and injury allowed Graf to finally beat her.

[@aleksthegreat4130]

Yes,despite not having all these,she was top-3 player for almost 15 years,won 18 Slams and made 52 out of 56 GS semis.

[@whitestar655]

@GoTeam What does Evert's match with Martina at Wimbledon in 1988 have to do with her mental prowess, or indeed the point that @Yussepi G was making a few days ago?

[@johncortesi8038]

These commentators always go with the one in the lead! They don’t know shit about the match in progress!

[@umarharith7234]

Was this before the French Open? I think Steffi did not play as good as here in the French.

[@scampsweep]

Yes, this tournament is played well before the French Open.

[@umarharith7234]

@@scampsweep Thank you my friend.. I feel like Steffi played quite bad at the French 1987,...may be she was nervous then.... not as in this tournament...but she still won the French.

[@FlabbyTitmuss]

@@umarharith7234 Agreed. She was very nervous against both Sabatini and Navratilova at the French.

[@flash-uj6ly]

Marion Bartoli is a way better Tennis player than Steffi Graf. Marion bartoli had belief in herself that Steffi Graff as a great tennis player doesn't have even being world no.1 to win Wimbledon. Wimbledon is a grass court tournament and therefore amongst the medium surfaces. which means medium rallies dictated by serve and therefore less exertion of energy during a point and shorter matches in general. you get value for your shot! fat and short or tall and thin! when you play 3 sets against 5 sets for men, it is always an advantage. Marion Bartoli played a more strategic than a grind type of tennis in tournaments. good volleying skills as compared to Steffi Graff even in execution. Marion Bartoli had the belief that she could win and in contrast to Steffi Graff who believed that Bartoli would wear herself down and just lose(not that they don't have to play, just that they had to hang in there long enough for her to break down). Most of them slightly underestimated what she was doing in tournaments. She was an inexperienced player by that point who had proven herself as a former top 10 player. Her winning was really a surprise i.e out of the blue with already having made the finals twice but her consistency was questionable. She had unique two handed forehands and backhands. That was easy to replicate and master but once mastered it was going to be lethal. That was what spectators saw in tournaments of Marion Bartoli to a great extent. at Wimbledon 2013 she had some luck from the draw as 15th seed. she never played a top 10 player en route to her victory. the finalist she played: Venus Williams had already beaten Agnieszka Radwańska en route to the final. Venus Williams was playing her best but was probably worn out a lot by her battles with Agnieszka Radwańska and others. Venus Williams was in the form of her life but Bartoli had the luck of the draw. Regardless of whether your fat or not, if you make your shots even Steffi Graff may not be able to return it at Wimbledon. so if you are playing near perfection and having consistency with your shots then you are playing on a level field. then speaking of fat, technically Marion Bartoli may be classified as fat, yet she was the most successful female tennis player. Bartoli wasn’t really playing a specific style and really had weakness in tournaments and most of her shots had some vigor in it that Steffi Graf generally doesn't necessarily have. Here return games were spot on and had more errors and more importantly she can get Steffi Graff to errors first. all in all, this was a victory that was easily replicable or Bartoli after this mediocre run. She had belief and luck along with inexperience that allowed her to win her only Grand Slam. Marion Bartoli was dubbed as unfit and fat. She still made it to Grand Slam finals. Even in her Wembdon win 2013 she wasn’t fit. Marion Bartoli is an inspiration. It was really a fluke because Bartoli won by dropping sets and beat a few top 20 players along the way. Winning by dropping a set means you played really close to perfection along with dropping the level enough that allowed anyone to comeback and take a set from you. being fat may seem a hindrance, but is a limitation if you want it to be one. Honestly calling her fat in tournaments is really justifiable because she wasn’t thin but fat is really appropriate. And yes, tall and lanky players like Steffi Graf don’t always win , especially in the topsy turvy women’s tour. slightly fatter players can generate more power than extremely thin and tall players like Steffi Graff.

[@paologonzato5202]

What a boring tennis by Evert-Lloyd!I ask why the crowd here in America,in England or in Paris was Always on Evert side despite her kind of tennis.

[@carrerau7138]

I found Evert's strategic approach always very interesting. And in no way boring. Boring were and are all those brainless ball bashers.

[@adsie79]

Evert was always kinda shitty towards Graf. Clearly a lot of jealousy there.

[@carrerau7138]

It became worse in the 90s. When Steffi did not only overtake her in the slam count but also in the beauty department. Women....😂

[@johncortesi8038]

Every point has a lot of rallies. Steffi cant compare to chrissie on the court!!!

[@yussepig6629]

Basically he means if they were both playing with wooden rackets Chrissie would destroy her as brute power wasn’t important in those days.

[@yussepig6629]

She was fast true but Chris had superior anticipation and often out-thought her. Superior mind rather than just an athlete

[@garygentry8050]

@Max E Your an idiot. Chris is an amazing commentator with the experience and knowledge to. back it up. What do you have to make you such a critic about tennis?

[@carrerau7138]

@@garygentry8050 Evert is the perfect commentator for dumb TV viewers.