Frank Deford: "Graf most Overrated Tennis Player Ever"

[grafselesfan]

Originally Posted by pmerk34

Sabatini made Graf play some three setters often. The bottom line though is lopsided in Grafs favor.

She is 11-29 vs Graf. That is pretty darn good for a 1 slam only winner. People consider Sanchez Vicario one of Grafs toughest opponents and a tough matchup for Graf, and she eventually ended up a much more accomplished player than Sabatini it turned out, yet even her 8-26 head to head is a slightly worse ratio than the one Sabatini has vs Graf.

[Lionheart392]

Originally Posted by grafselesfan

She is 11-29 vs Graf. That is pretty darn good for a 1 slam only winner. People consider Sanchez Vicario one of Grafs toughest opponents and a tough matchup for Graf, and she eventually ended up a much more accomplished player than Sabatini it turned out, yet even her 8-26 head to head is a slightly worse ratio than the one Sabatini has vs Graf.

Am I right in thinking that Sabatini has more wins over Graf than anyone else? Navratilova beat her 9 times and Sanchez Vicario 8 times; I can't think of anyone else who defeated her as many times as Gabby.

[grafselesfan]

Originally Posted by Lionheart392

Am I right in thinking that Sabatini has more wins over Graf than anyone else?

Yes that is correct. Navratilova, Seles, Davenport, Venus, and even Jo Durie, have better W-L ratios vs Graf than Sabatini of those who have played her a fairly significant # of times. However Sabatini does have more wins than anyone else, aided in part by the oppotunity to play Graf more times than anyone else.

[Lionheart392]

Originally Posted by grafselesfan

Yes that is correct. Navratilova, Seles, and shock of all shocks Jo Durie, have better W-L ratios vs Graf than Sabatini. However Sabatini does have more wins than anyone else, aided in part by the oppotunity to play Graf more times than anyone else.

At one time Sabatini really did seem to have Graf's number, but Graf regained her stranglehold over the rivalry soon enough. I think failing to win the 1991 Wimbledon title really dented her confidence.

[grafselesfan]

Originally Posted by Lionheart392

At one time Sabatini really did seem to have Graf's number, but Graf regained her stranglehold over the rivalry soon enough. I think failing to win the 1991 Wimbledon title really dented her confidence.

From late 1990 to mid 1992 there was a stretch where Sabatini beat Graf 7 out of 8 times. Other than that stretch Graf won 32 of 36. However in 88-89 when Graf lost only 5 total matches, 3 of those 5 were to Sabatini (0 were to Navratilova). At the U.S Open they have played 5 times total and each have 1 straight set win over the other, with the other 3 being 3 setters which Graf all won.

[boredone3456]

Gaby as a rival for Graf is truly underrated. Mentally ok she was a bit of a flake, but on her game she was able to push Steffi's buttons and push her around quite a bit. At their very best Graf was better, but if Graf was off a bit and Gabby was on, she could take it to Steffi, as those matches she won from 1990-1992 that Grafselesfan mentioned show. Steffi was not herself then, Gaby was at her peak, an she was able to win even when other players were still getting clobbered. Gaby was relatively unlucky in the sense that she had to, at her best, deal with Seles, Vicario, Graf, a still formidable at times Nav, Fernandez (who was a god awful matchup for her). Today Gaby would probably be the number 1 player in the world and have like 5 or 6 slams. I think Gaby did have the most wins out of anyone against Graf.

[grafselesfan]

Originally Posted by boredone3456

Gaby as a rival for Graf is truly underrated. Mentally ok she was a bit of a flake, but on her game she was able to push Steffi's buttons and push her around quite a bit. At their very best Graf was better, but if Graf was off a bit and Gabby was on, she could take it to Steffi, as those matches she won from 1990-1992 that Grafselesfan mentioned show. Steffi was not herself then, Gaby was at her peak, an she was able to win even when other players were still getting clobbered. Gaby was relatively unlucky in the sense that she had to, at her best, deal with Seles, Vicario, Graf, a still formidable at times Nav, Fernandez (who was a god awful matchup for her). Today Gaby would probably be the number 1 player in the world and have like 5 or 6 slams. I think Gaby did have the most wins out of anyone against Graf.

The late 80s and early 90s was Sabatini's peak. In the late 80s Graf and Navratilova were constantly in her way, and in the early 90s it was Graf and Seles constantly in her way. Sanchez Vicario was even lucky by comparision as she peaked in the mid 90s when there was only Graf really, and Graf was injured for some of the slams. Novotna and Pierce were around and very capable but wildly inconsistent, while Martinez was a continous slam dissapointment other than her fluke Wimbledon title on her worst surface.