Gabriela Sabatini on ex-rival: Steffi Graf “the greatest”

They fought bitter duels on the tennis court in the 80s and 90s. Gabriela Sabatini, 55, and Steffi Graf, 56, faced each other 40 times, often in major semi-finals and finals of the most important tournaments in the world. Today the two tennis legends maintain a warm relationship. In an interview with , the 55-year-old Argentine now talks about her admiration for the German icon.

“For me, Steffi was and is one of the greatest, if not the very greatest!” enthuses Sabatini in an interview. The defeats against Graf were bitter, but today gratitude prevails. “She brought out the best tennis in me. Our sporting rivalry also provided unforgettable moments that I still look back on fondly to this day.”

One of those unforgettable moments was the final of the 1990 US Open, when Sabatini defeated Graf in straight sets. “That was the highlight of my career,” remembers the Argentine. “I’ve been so close to winning a Grand Slam tournament several times before, but it just didn’t work out for many years.” The title at the US Open was the moment when all her work in previous years finally paid off. “I can’t even describe this feeling.”

But when Sabatini thinks of Steffi Graf today, this game doesn’t necessarily come to mind, she reveals. Instead, she remembers “her athletic and human greatness.” Graf demanded an incredible amount of himself and thereby made everyone better. “And I have also learned to appreciate her more and more in my private life over the years.”

After their rivalry as athletes ended with their careers, they were able to get to know each other better as people. “I really like her style. She is very down-to-earth and private. She lives for her family and the children,” said Sabatini about Graf, who has been married to Andre Agassi, 55, since 2001 and has two children with him.

The contact between the two former rivals has not broken off to this day. “We talk on the phone every now and then – for example on our birthdays,” reveals the Argentinian. What’s more: “We have decided to meet again as soon as possible.”

Does she sometimes think about how many titles she would have won if Graf hadn’t been active at the same time? “Honestly not,” replies Sabatini. When she was active, it was annoying to be so often on the verge of winning the title and then not win it. “Today I can say that I am totally satisfied with my career.”

Sabatini, who ended her career at the age of 26, now lives in seclusion in Switzerland. The mental fatigue from the constraints and pressure of professional tennis became too great back then, she explains in the interview. She didn’t pick up a bat for years after that. Now she occasionally plays tennis again and takes part in legends tournaments.

The 55-year-old spends her everyday life primarily doing sports. “I have been passionate about cycling for years,” she says. But Sabatini has also discovered a new passion: “I also took two barista courses because I’m a big coffee fan. I’ve been toying with the idea of ​​opening my own café for a long time.”