Trivial Biographies: Steffi Graf

NAME Stefanie Maria "Steffi" Graf

WHAT FAMOUS FOR One of the greatest tennis players in history, Graf is famous for winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles and for being the only player to achieve the “Golden Slam” in 1988 — all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in the same year.

BIRTH Born on June 14, 1969, in Mannheim, West Germany. She grew up in Brühl, a small West German town.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Steffi was born to Peter and Heidi Graf. Her father Peter was a car and insurance salesman who later became a tennis coach. Her mother Heidi was also a tennis player. She has a younger brother Michael, born in 1971.

Peter Graf had been an aspiring tennis instructor who taught Steffi how to swing a wooden racket in their living room when she was just three years old.

CHILDHOOD Graf started playing tennis at age three with her father's guidance. She practiced on a makeshift court in the family's basement using two chairs and string as a net. By age five, she was playing on real courts, and at age six she won her first junior tournament. Her childhood was dominated by tennis training, with her father Peter serving as her dedicated coach.

EDUCATION Graf's parents withdrew her from school in the eighth grade in 1982 when she was 13, after she became the second-youngest player in tennis history to achieve an international ranking (No. 214 in WTA rankings). Her formal education was cut short to focus on her professional tennis career.

CAREER RECORD Graf turned professional on October 18, 1982, at age 13. She won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, held the World No. 1 ranking for a record 377 weeks, and claimed 107 singles titles overall. She remains the only player to win each Grand Slam tournament at least four times.

APPEARANCE Graf stands at 5'10" and was known for her athletic build, with strong legs that gave her remarkable speed and agility on the court. With blonde hair and blue eyes, she was frequently referred to as a “blonde, blue-eyed German beauty with a toned physique.” (1)

Steffi Graf in 2005 by Wikigo

FASHION Graf’s natural elegance and athletic appearance made her a favorite with brands seeking to project both strength and sophistication. At just 17, Gerhard Weber, co-founder of the fashion label Gerry Weber, signed her as an ambassador before she had achieved international fame — a move that highlighted her marketability not just as an athlete, but as a style icon.

Graf was known for her signature on-court look, which typically consisted of a short skirt, tight-fitting top, and a headband. She was recognized as a fashion icon of the 1990s, known for her glamorous red carpet looks and stylish on-court attire. Her fashion sense was often ahead of its time - she was one of the first female athletes to wear sports bras and compression shorts. She appeared in numerous commercials and magazine ads, including a famous Calvin Klein billboard advertisement. (1)

CHARACTER Steffi Graf is known for her disciplined, reserved, and intensely private character. On the court, she was a fierce and focused competitor. She rarely engaged in on-court dramatics and handled both victories and defeats with class. Her emotions were famously described by Sports Illustrated as running "from A to B: apathy to boredom". (2)

Off the court, she maintained a low profile and rarely sought the spotlight, preferring a quiet life with her family. She is widely regarded as humble and grounded.

Graf was known for her introverted and disciplined personality. She was described as having "absolute focus, quiet concentration and total professionalism". She rarely engaged in on-court dramatics and handled both victories and defeats with class. Her emotions were famously described by Sports Illustrated as running "from A to B: apathy to boredom". She was intensely private and preferred to let her racquet do the talking rather than seeking attention. Despite her reserved nature, she was known for her determination, maturity, and composure on court.

SPEAKING VOICE Graf spoke with a soft German accent when speaking English. Her speaking style was typically measured and thoughtful rather than animated.

SENSE OF HUMOUR While she rarely displayed a public sense of humor during her playing days, her friends and family have described her as having a warm and witty side in private.

RELATIONSHIPS Graf married fellow tennis legend Andre Agassi on October 22, 2001, in a low-key ceremony at their Las Vegas home, exchanging vows "barefoot and wearing jeans". They have two children together: son Jaden (born 2001) and daughter Jaz (born 2003). Their relationship began after meeting in 1992, though they didn't start dating until 1999. Graf was previously in a relationship before meeting Agassi.

MONEY AND FAME Graf earned substantial prize money during her career, though specific figures vary by source. Her father Peter managed her finances for much of her career. The family faced a major tax evasion scandal in the 1990s when Peter was convicted of evading over $7 million in taxes on Steffi's earnings. Graf maintained her innocence, stating she trusted her father with her finances during her teenage years. Today, she and Agassi have an estimated combined net worth of $145 million and own multiple properties in Las Vegas.

FOOD AND DRINK Graf follows a health-conscious diet, preferring to start her day with vegetables and egg whites. She allows herself treats like cookies and chocolate throughout the day for "little pick-me-ups". (3)

After retirement, she noted that she no longer needed to eat as much as during her playing career to maintain energy and muscle mass. She has admitted to preferring being thinner than she was during her competitive years. Graf maintains that she has "never had any weight problems" and has "always eaten very consciously". (4)

MUSIC AND ARTS Graf enjoys classical music as well as contemporary pop, and she has supported various arts-related charities through her foundation.

Graf mentioned being captivated by a Picasso painting at the Louvre in Paris and taking time to learn everything about the masterpiece. She has shown appreciation for various art forms, though she tends to keep these interests private. (5)

Image by ChatGBT

LITERATURE In interviews Graf has mentioned enjoying biographies and works on history.

Graf has been the subject of several biographical books, including works by Laura Hilgers and Judy Monroe. There is also a tribute book titled A Tribute To Steffi Maria Graf: From A Great Fan.

NATURE Graf enjoys outdoor activities and maintains an active lifestyle. She regularly walks her dogs and engages in outdoor sports with her family, including snowboarding and basketball. She appreciates mountain views from her Las Vegas home and values the natural beauty around her residences.

PETS Graf and Agassi have multiple pets, including three dogs and a cat named Sweetie. They own a Great Dane named Blue, which Agassi frequently features on social media. Graf mentioned going on "ALOT of walks" with her dogs, which serves as part of her daily exercise routine. (3)

TENNIS CAREER Steffi Graf’s tennis career is, by any measure, one of the most astonishing in the history of sport. Not just tennis, mind you — sport. You could line up every other athlete with a racket, bat, or ball, and she’d still be near the top of the heap.

In 1988, Graf did something so improbable that it sounds like an exaggerated pub story: she won all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same year. It was dubbed the “Golden Slam,” which rather undersells it, like calling Everest a “pretty big hill.” No one — man or woman — has ever managed it again.

Over her career she collected 22 Grand Slam titles: 4 Australian Opens, 6 French Opens, 7 Wimbledons, and 5 US Opens. And just for good measure, she made sure she won each of them at least four times, because why not?

Graf didn’t just win; she parked herself at the very top of the game and simply refused to leave. She was ranked world No. 1 by the WTA for 377 weeks — more than seven years in total — including a run of 186 weeks where she never budged. That’s over three and a half years of being the best player in the world every single Monday. Her overall career numbers are equally absurd: 902 wins against just 115 losses, and 107 singles titles, a tally beaten only by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

Her secret weapon was a forehand so ferocious that commentators often sounded slightly awed, as though they couldn’t quite believe what they’d just seen. Graf could play on any surface — grass, clay, hard court — and win, which explains why she dominated not just matches, but entire eras. She neatly closed the chapter on Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and then wrote her own, practically defining women’s tennis in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Graf was always precocious: she sneaked into the French Open main draw at age 13 in 1983, which made everyone else’s teenage years look rather unproductive. She won her first Grand Slam title at 18, at the 1987 French Open, and then spent the next dozen years collecting trophies like they were going out of style. She appeared in 31 Grand Slam finals, won 282 matches in the majors, and retired in 1999 at age 30 — still ranked world No. 3, just to make the point that she was leaving because she wanted to, not because she had to.

Even now, Steffi Graf’s legacy stands alone. She wasn’t just a champion; she was the champion’s champion — the rare athlete who managed to dominate, inspire, and leave everyone else wondering how on earth she did it.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Beyond tennis, Graf has diverse interests including old airplanes, vintage cars, and archaeology. She expressed fascination with "old bones, things you get out of the ground". She enjoys hiking, cooking, and grocery shopping with her husband.

After retiring from tennis, Graf has continued to remain active, with golf being one of her known hobbies. She has participated in various celebrity golf tournaments. She also enjoys snowboarding and basketball with her family. (5)

SCIENCE AND MATHS. Her early withdrawal from formal education at age 13 limited her academic exposure to these subjects.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Throughout her career, Graf has described herself as a believer with a personal spiritual outlook, growing up in the Catholic Church and meeting the Pope as a young athlete. She has spoken openly about praying regularly and valuing faith, but also about her disappointment with organized religion and her eventual decision to leave the Catholic Church for personal reasons. (6)

Graf focuses on practical action rather than theoretical discussion, as evidenced by her approach to charitable work. Her foundation work demonstrates a belief in the importance of helping traumatized children recover and find joy.

POLITICS Graf has generally avoided political activism, preferring to focus on humanitarian work rather than political positions. While her foundation's work in supporting refugee children may have political implications, she tries to concentrate on helping the most vulnerable rather than engaging in political debates. She has been described as "not into political activism".

SCANDAL The major scandal in Graf's career was her father Peter's tax evasion case in the mid-1990s. Peter was arrested and convicted of evading over $7 million in taxes on Steffi's earnings between 1989 and 1993. Graf was also implicated but maintained her innocence, questioning what she could have done differently as a teenager trusting her father. Peter served a prison sentence but was released early. Additionally, there was a paternity scandal in 1990 involving Peter Graf that affected Steffi's on-court performance.

MILITARY RECORD Germany does not have a mandatory military service for women, and Steffi Graf has no military record.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Graf dealt with various injuries throughout her career, including chronic back problems, bone spurs, muscle spasms, shoulder issues, and ankle injuries. She retired in 1999 partly due to persistent injury concerns. Despite these challenges, she maintained excellent physical condition throughout her career and continues to stay active in retirement. She exercises for about 45 minutes daily, including walking, stretching, and light weight training.

HOMES Graf currently lives with Agassi in a 9,000-square-foot mansion in the exclusive Summerlin community of Las Vegas. The property features seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a private tennis court, pool, and home gym. They previously owned another Las Vegas home in Spanish Hills Estates, which they sold in 2021 for $2.4 million. Graf's extended family, including her mother and brother with his four children, also live in the Summerlin area.

TRAVEL During her professional career, travel was an extensive part of her life, as she toured the world for tournaments. She continues to travel for business, charity work, and personal reasons.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Beyond her tennis matches and post-match interviews, Steffi Graf has appeared in various media formats, including television commercials for brands like Adidas, Unilever and Opel. She has also been featured in documentaries and news programs highlighting her historic career.