The greatest season in tennis history

TMF

Talk Tennis Guru
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Krish872007

Talk Tennis Guru
A bloody extraordinary season.

72-3 W/L record. Think this was the year of the famous 35-minute RG final as well

On a side note, the Seoul Olympics was also where the women's 200m world record was set - and still stands to this day. A ridiculous time that no one has really got that close to
 

USO

Banned
Sorry but when you look at the matches there’s nothing impressive. She basically only had Sabatini who is hardly amazing, and then an old Navratilova and old Evert, both past their primes. The tour was a joke, she took advantage between the end of Navratilova/Evert era and before the Seles era.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN AUSTRALIAN OPEN
AUSTRALIA Jan 11-Jan 24, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $711,450
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalC. EvertEvert (3)3-6-17-63
SemiC. Kohde-KilschKohde-Kilsch (8)10-6-26-3
QuarterH. MandlikovaMandlikova (5)5-6-26-2
R16C. LindqvistLindqvist (13)16-6-07-5
R32C. MacgregorMacgregor131-6-16-2
R64J. ThompsonThompson99-6-06-1
R128A. JonssonJonsson178-6-36-1

ROLAND GARROS ROLAND GARROS
FRANCE May 23-Jun 5, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,488,000
Surface Clay
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalN. ZverevaZvereva (13)15-6-06-0
SemiG. SabatiniSabatini (4)5-6-37-63
QuarterB. Fulco-VilellaFulco-Vilella37-6-06-1
R16N. TauziatTauziat29-6-16-3
R32S. Sloane-LundySloane-Lundy106-6-06-1
R64R. ReisReis185-6-16-0
R128N. GuerreeGuerree224-6-06-4

WIMBLEDON WIMBLEDON
GREAT BRITAIN Jun 20-Jul 3, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,717,085
Surface Grass
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalM. NavratilovaNavratilova (2)2-5-76-26-1
SemiP. ShriverShriver (3)4-6-16-2
QuarterP. Paradis-MangonParadis-Mangon36-6-36-1
R16M. FernandezFernandez (16)12-6-26-2
R32T. PhelpsPhelps71-6-36-1
R64K. Quentrec EagleQuentrec Eagle168-6-26-0
R128H. NaNa76-6-06-0
US OPEN US OPEN
USA, NY Aug 29-Sep 11, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,937,333
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (5)4-6-33-66-1
SemiC. EvertEvert (3)3WWALKOVER
QuarterK. MaleevaMaleeva (14)15-6-36-0
R16P. FendickFendick22-6-46-2
R32N. HerremanHerreman119-6-06-1
R64M. BollegrafBollegraf92-6-16-0
R128E. MinterMinter95-6-16-1

OLYMPIC GAMES
SEOUL, KOREA Sep 19-Oct 2, 1988
Level ITF
Surface Hard
Draw 64M/16D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (3)--6-36-3
SemiZ. GarrisonGarrison (8)--6-26-0
QuarterL. NeilandNeiland (11)--6-24-66-3
R16C. SuireSuire--6-36-0
R32L. MeskhiMeskhi--7-56-1
R64---BYE
 

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
A bloody extraordinary season.

72-3 W/L record. Think this was the year of the famous 35-minute RG final as well

On a side note, the Seoul Olympics was also where the women's 200m world record was set - and still stands to this day. A ridiculous time that no one has really got that close to
Yeah, and the 100m is still a record as well for the women. But we know there were artificial reasons.
 

Krish872007

Talk Tennis Guru
Sorry but when you look at the matches there’s nothing impressive. She basically only had Sabatini who is hardly amazing, and then an old Navratilova and old Evert, both past their primes. The tour was a joke, she took advantage between the end of Navratilova/Evert era and before the Seles era.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN AUSTRALIAN OPEN
AUSTRALIA Jan 11-Jan 24, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $711,450
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalC. EvertEvert (3)3-6-17-63
SemiC. Kohde-KilschKohde-Kilsch (8)10-6-26-3
QuarterH. MandlikovaMandlikova (5)5-6-26-2
R16C. LindqvistLindqvist (13)16-6-07-5
R32C. MacgregorMacgregor131-6-16-2
R64J. ThompsonThompson99-6-06-1
R128A. JonssonJonsson178-6-36-1

ROLAND GARROS ROLAND GARROS
FRANCE May 23-Jun 5, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,488,000
Surface Clay
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalN. ZverevaZvereva (13)15-6-06-0
SemiG. SabatiniSabatini (4)5-6-37-63
QuarterB. Fulco-VilellaFulco-Vilella37-6-06-1
R16N. TauziatTauziat29-6-16-3
R32S. Sloane-LundySloane-Lundy106-6-06-1
R64R. ReisReis185-6-16-0
R128N. GuerreeGuerree224-6-06-4

WIMBLEDON WIMBLEDON
GREAT BRITAIN Jun 20-Jul 3, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,717,085
Surface Grass
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalM. NavratilovaNavratilova (2)2-5-76-26-1
SemiP. ShriverShriver (3)4-6-16-2
QuarterP. Paradis-MangonParadis-Mangon36-6-36-1
R16M. FernandezFernandez (16)12-6-26-2
R32T. PhelpsPhelps71-6-36-1
R64K. Quentrec EagleQuentrec Eagle168-6-26-0
R128H. NaNa76-6-06-0
US OPEN US OPEN
USA, NY Aug 29-Sep 11, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,937,333
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (5)4-6-33-66-1
SemiC. EvertEvert (3)3WWALKOVER
QuarterK. MaleevaMaleeva (14)15-6-36-0
R16P. FendickFendick22-6-46-2
R32N. HerremanHerreman119-6-06-1
R64M. BollegrafBollegraf92-6-16-0
R128E. MinterMinter95-6-16-1

OLYMPIC GAMES
SEOUL, KOREA Sep 19-Oct 2, 1988
Level ITF
Surface Hard
Draw 64M/16D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (3)--6-36-3
SemiZ. GarrisonGarrison (8)--6-26-0
QuarterL. NeilandNeiland (11)--6-24-66-3
R16C. SuireSuire--6-36-0
R32L. MeskhiMeskhi--7-56-1
R64---BYE

Why haven't more people won the Grand Slam then? If you want to cite "poor competition" there are several years to pick from.
 

pat200

Semi-Pro
Sorry but when you look at the matches there’s nothing impressive. She basically only had Sabatini who is hardly amazing, and then an old Navratilova and old Evert, both past their primes. The tour was a joke, she took advantage between the end of Navratilova/Evert era and before the Seles era.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN AUSTRALIAN OPEN
AUSTRALIA Jan 11-Jan 24, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $711,450
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalC. EvertEvert (3)3-6-17-63
SemiC. Kohde-KilschKohde-Kilsch (8)10-6-26-3
QuarterH. MandlikovaMandlikova (5)5-6-26-2
R16C. LindqvistLindqvist (13)16-6-07-5
R32C. MacgregorMacgregor131-6-16-2
R64J. ThompsonThompson99-6-06-1
R128A. JonssonJonsson178-6-36-1

ROLAND GARROS ROLAND GARROS
FRANCE May 23-Jun 5, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,488,000
Surface Clay
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalN. ZverevaZvereva (13)15-6-06-0
SemiG. SabatiniSabatini (4)5-6-37-63
QuarterB. Fulco-VilellaFulco-Vilella37-6-06-1
R16N. TauziatTauziat29-6-16-3
R32S. Sloane-LundySloane-Lundy106-6-06-1
R64R. ReisReis185-6-16-0
R128N. GuerreeGuerree224-6-06-4

WIMBLEDON WIMBLEDON
GREAT BRITAIN Jun 20-Jul 3, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,717,085
Surface Grass
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalM. NavratilovaNavratilova (2)2-5-76-26-1
SemiP. ShriverShriver (3)4-6-16-2
QuarterP. Paradis-MangonParadis-Mangon36-6-36-1
R16M. FernandezFernandez (16)12-6-26-2
R32T. PhelpsPhelps71-6-36-1
R64K. Quentrec EagleQuentrec Eagle168-6-26-0
R128H. NaNa76-6-06-0
US OPEN US OPEN
USA, NY Aug 29-Sep 11, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,937,333
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (5)4-6-33-66-1
SemiC. EvertEvert (3)3WWALKOVER
QuarterK. MaleevaMaleeva (14)15-6-36-0
R16P. FendickFendick22-6-46-2
R32N. HerremanHerreman119-6-06-1
R64M. BollegrafBollegraf92-6-16-0
R128E. MinterMinter95-6-16-1

OLYMPIC GAMES
SEOUL, KOREA Sep 19-Oct 2, 1988
Level ITF
Surface Hard
Draw 64M/16D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (3)--6-36-3
SemiZ. GarrisonGarrison (8)--6-26-0
QuarterL. NeilandNeiland (11)--6-24-66-3
R16C. SuireSuire--6-36-0
R32L. MeskhiMeskhi--7-56-1
R64---BYE


waaah waaah waaah. As Lendl said, he doesn't care if it were against old grandmas barely able to walk, the point is NO ONE has EVER achieved such a season playing anyone in their way, and to this day no one has even EVER achieved a CYGS on 3 distinct surfaces let alone a GCYGS.
 
N

Nole14_15NoPressure

Guest
I was probably atoning for the sins of my previous life when this happened. I had no idea she was this legendary.
 

USO

Banned
Graf won the first 3 meetings with Seles in 1989 when Seles was a 15 year old player starting out and Graf was #1. Then starting in 1990 Seles became a top player, started winning title after title and led their rivalry between 1990-1993 with 4-3 overall including most importantly 3-1 in slam finals.

She also had won the last 3 AO, the last 3 RG, the last 2 USO, the last 3 YECs. As for Wimbledon she reached the final in only her 3rd try (which is the same amount of tries it took Graf to become a finalist). Monica won 7 of the last 8 slams she entered including a 55-1 record in slams during that time. Then a Graf fanatic was tired of seeing his player as the 2nd best and stopped Seles.

Sorry but Steffi Graf will never be the GOAT, not even close. We will never know with Seles, but we do know that Serena Williams still managed to surpass Steffi despite Steffi's inflated record and that's enough proof. I'm not saying that Graf isn't an all-time great but she's nowhere near the GOAT status and she's nowhere near Serena Williams.
 
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D

Deleted member 771911

Guest
Graf may have done it in a less competitive era, but it was still competitive. Evert, Navratilova and Sabatini were no slouches. Also, if everything was so uncompetitive, why weren't other women doing this before Graf (excluding Olympics of course)? Winning all four slams in one season has only been achieved by Court on the women's side. Navratilova did win six in a row, but never in the same year. The pressure is huge. Graf was so relieved to do this.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
It is an amazing, awesome and extraordinary achievement but with that said, she only lost 3 sets in 4 Slams and the Olympics? And people on here always talk about Serena having the weak era? My god. She just rolled over her field.
 

pat200

Semi-Pro
Graf won the first 3 meetings with Seles in 1989 when Seles was a 15 year old player starting out and Graf was #1. Then starting in 1990 Seles became a top player, started winning title after title and led their rivalry between 1990-1993 with 4-3 overall including most importantly 3-1 in slam finals.

She also had won the last 3 AO, the last 3 RG, the last 2 USO, the last 3 YECs. As for Wimbledon she reached the final in only her 3rd try (which is the same amount of tries it took Graf to become a finalist). Monica won 7 of the last 8 slams she entered including a 55-1 record in slams during that time. Then a Graf fanatic was tired of seeing his player as the 2nd best and stopped Seles.

Sorry but Steffi Graf will never be the GOAT, not even close. We will never know with Seles, but we do know that Serena Williams still managed to surpass Steffi despite Steffi's inflated record and that's enough proof. I'm not saying that Graf isn't an all-time great but she's nowhere near the GOAT status and she's nowhere near Serena Williams.

thankfully only you and a few selestials are the only ones who don't consider graf in the goat debate. the overwhelming majority of the world can deal with that and go on. the question is can those selestials deal with history and move on when seles herself did?
 

metsman

G.O.A.T.
waaah waaah waaah. As Lendl said, he doesn't care if it were against old grandmas barely able to walk, the point is NO ONE has EVER achieved such a season playing anyone in their way, and to this day no one has even EVER achieved a CYGS on 3 distinct surfaces let alone a GCYGS.
Plenty of WTA seasons (and pretty much every single one for the last 10 years) no better than 88 anyways.
 

metsman

G.O.A.T.
Graf may have done it in a less competitive era, but it was still competitive. Evert, Navratilova and Sabatini were no slouches. Also, if everything was so uncompetitive, why weren't other women doing this before Graf (excluding Olympics of course)? Winning all four slams in one season has only been achieved by Court on the women's side. Navratilova did win six in a row, but never in the same year. The pressure is huge. Graf was so relieved to do this.
88 Navratilova was only as declined as 11 Fed. Evert and Sabatini were certainly no worse than wet noodle Ralph and Murray in 2011. Yet....
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
88 Navratilova was only as declined as 11 Fed. Evert and Sabatini were certainly no worse than wet noodle Ralph and Murray in 2011. Yet....

Nav lost in the 4th round at RG. I couldn't see 2011 Federer losing in the 4th round of a Slam and he almost made the SF of all 4 Slams if not for a freak, out of the world performance from Tsonga in the quarters at W.
 
D

Deleted member 771911

Guest
Djokovic's four in a row was great, but he could never do it all in the same year in a weak era. Steffi, though, could. Plus Olympics.
 

metsman

G.O.A.T.
Nav lost in the 4th round at RG. I couldn't see 2011 Federer losing in the 4th round of a Slam and he almost the SF of all 4 Slams if not for a freak, out of the world performance from Tsonga in the quarters at W.
Navratilova lost in the 4th round of RG in 1983. She must have sucked that year too, don't really remember her doing anything extraordinary there.
 

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Navratilova lost in the 4th round of RG in 1983. She must have sucked that year too, don't really remember her doing anything extraordinary there.

This is a false equivalent. Federer and Nav won 0 Slams in 1988 and 2011, were 32 and 30, so why bring up 1983 when she was 26/27 and won 3 Slams?

And wet noodle Ralph? :D The guy who was holding 3 Slams until Wimbledon, made 3 Slam finals and 5 Masters finals?
 

Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
Sorry but when you look at the matches there’s nothing impressive. She basically only had Sabatini who is hardly amazing, and then an old Navratilova and old Evert, both past their primes. The tour was a joke, she took advantage between the end of Navratilova/Evert era and before the Seles era.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN AUSTRALIAN OPEN
AUSTRALIA Jan 11-Jan 24, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $711,450
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalC. EvertEvert (3)3-6-17-63
SemiC. Kohde-KilschKohde-Kilsch (8)10-6-26-3
QuarterH. MandlikovaMandlikova (5)5-6-26-2
R16C. LindqvistLindqvist (13)16-6-07-5
R32C. MacgregorMacgregor131-6-16-2
R64J. ThompsonThompson99-6-06-1
R128A. JonssonJonsson178-6-36-1

ROLAND GARROS ROLAND GARROS
FRANCE May 23-Jun 5, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,488,000
Surface Clay
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalN. ZverevaZvereva (13)15-6-06-0
SemiG. SabatiniSabatini (4)5-6-37-63
QuarterB. Fulco-VilellaFulco-Vilella37-6-06-1
R16N. TauziatTauziat29-6-16-3
R32S. Sloane-LundySloane-Lundy106-6-06-1
R64R. ReisReis185-6-16-0
R128N. GuerreeGuerree224-6-06-4

WIMBLEDON WIMBLEDON
GREAT BRITAIN Jun 20-Jul 3, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,717,085
Surface Grass
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalM. NavratilovaNavratilova (2)2-5-76-26-1
SemiP. ShriverShriver (3)4-6-16-2
QuarterP. Paradis-MangonParadis-Mangon36-6-36-1
R16M. FernandezFernandez (16)12-6-26-2
R32T. PhelpsPhelps71-6-36-1
R64K. Quentrec EagleQuentrec Eagle168-6-26-0
R128H. NaNa76-6-06-0
US OPEN US OPEN
USA, NY Aug 29-Sep 11, 1988
Level Grand Slam
Prize Money $1,937,333
Surface Hard
Draw 128M/64D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (5)4-6-33-66-1
SemiC. EvertEvert (3)3WWALKOVER
QuarterK. MaleevaMaleeva (14)15-6-36-0
R16P. FendickFendick22-6-46-2
R32N. HerremanHerreman119-6-06-1
R64M. BollegrafBollegraf92-6-16-0
R128E. MinterMinter95-6-16-1

OLYMPIC GAMES
SEOUL, KOREA Sep 19-Oct 2, 1988
Level ITF
Surface Hard
Draw 64M/16D
RdOpp.Opp. RW-LScore
FinalG. SabatiniSabatini (3)--6-36-3
SemiZ. GarrisonGarrison (8)--6-26-0
QuarterL. NeilandNeiland (11)--6-24-66-3
R16C. SuireSuire--6-36-0
R32L. MeskhiMeskhi--7-56-1
R64---BYE

Keep in mind for comparison sake that Serena lost to Vinci in her CYGS attempt so every win Steffi had definitely counts. Steffi handled the pressure that Serena succumbed to. Serena’s fans won’t like to hear that, but it’s the truth.
 

ChrisRF

Legend
Steffi’s 1989 season actually isn’t less impressive, but is of course overshadowed by the CYGS a year before.

But in 1989 she only lost 2 matches, one of them being the RG final which prevented her from winning 2 consecutive CYGS. She had a 5-3 lead in the final set over Sanchez, but still lost. It’s sometimes said she was in heavy pain because of her menstruation that day.
 

Boom-Boom

Legend
Graf won the first 3 meetings with Seles in 1989 when Seles was a 15 year old player starting out and Graf was #1. Then starting in 1990 Seles became a top player, started winning title after title and led their rivalry between 1990-1993 with 4-3 overall including most importantly 3-1 in slam finals.

She also had won the last 3 AO, the last 3 RG, the last 2 USO, the last 3 YECs. As for Wimbledon she reached the final in only her 3rd try (which is the same amount of tries it took Graf to become a finalist). Monica won 7 of the last 8 slams she entered including a 55-1 record in slams during that time. Then a Graf fanatic was tired of seeing his player as the 2nd best and stopped Seles.

Sorry but Steffi Graf will never be the GOAT, not even close. We will never know with Seles, but we do know that Serena Williams still managed to surpass Steffi despite Steffi's inflated record and that's enough proof. I'm not saying that Graf isn't an all-time great but she's nowhere near the GOAT status and she's nowhere near Serena Williams.

lol

Graf >>>>>>>>>>> Serena
 

lucky13

Semi-Pro
Cannot agree. Seles had a period where she was better but after Graf thrashed her at Wimbledon i think things would have turned round in Grafs favour as Graf by then had worked seles out although maybe not on clay
the fact is that graf took 8 slams before seles came with her first RG1990 and until AO1993 she only took 2 slams (seles did not play on one). during the same time seles took 8 slams. and then seles was stabbed by a German steffis fan. after that graf took 11 slams. so it is clear who was better and by what methods she was stopped. their vimbl match had nothing to do with it. the knife in the back, on the other hand, had everything to do with it!
 
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USO

Banned
Cannot agree. Seles had a period where she was better but after Graf thrashed her at Wimbledon i think things would have turned round in Grafs favour as Graf by then had worked seles out although maybe not on clay

That Wimbledon there was a whole big fuss about the grunting especially in the SF against Navratilova (they even put a grunto-meter on court) and then in the final Seles wasn't relaxed, didn't grunt and was completely flat. Otherwise the match would have been different. But the bottom line is Seles beat Graf the next time they played in the 1993 AO so no things were not turning in Graf’s favor.
 
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TMF

Talk Tennis Guru
Huh? Most if not all her (die-hard) fans believe that she is a goat candidate.
You haven't read enough on this board. One of Serena die-hard fan say she can't be a GOAT because she never won the Grand Slam, the zenith of achievement. Serena can only be the best in her era.
 
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