Steffi Graf believes Serena Williams will race past her Open-era record of 22 major singles titles, and insists she will be happy for the American when it happens.
Williams, who has won 21 Grand Slam singles events, was halted in her bid to tie the long-standing mark at the Australian Open in January when she was upset in the final by Graf’s fellow German Angelique Kerber.
But Graf expects Williams to come roaring back this year. “I’m very sure that she will (break the record),” Graf said yesterday. “To be honest I think we all believe that she can, and that she will do it soon.”
The 46-year-old, who dominated women’s tennis from the late 1980s until the end of the 1990s, insisted that there would be no lingering disappointment at being overtaken by Williams.
“Have I accepted it?” she laughed. “I gave everything to tennis and I feel great about what I have achieved,” added Graf, now a mother of two living with husband Andre Agassi and their two children in Las Vegas. “I follow it somewhat but this is somebody else’s chance and I’m happy for them. It doesn’t take anything away from what I have achieved. I’m completely at ease.”
Graf completed a memorable calendar-year Grand Slam in 1988, capturing all four major titles plus a gold medal from the Seoul Olympics for good measure. But the German credited Williams for revolutionising women’s tennis with her agility and brute strength.
“Her serve is just the biggest stroke ever in women’s tennis,” said Graf, who split her only two meetings against Williams at the end of her career in 1999.
“There’s nothing that’s ever been close to that kind of power. And just to see her athleticism—nobody has ever shown that in the sport. Hopefully it’s going to bring a lot of other players out who have that kind of power and can make the breakthrough.”
Graf, however, does not fear that the power-hitters will put the shot-makers out of business just yet.
“I see Simona Halep, who doesn’t quite have that physical strength but still shows incredible tennis,” she said. “When you look at Angelique Kerber, she isn’t physically such a force either. But they use the court and they use different shots so I think (finesse) is still out there. Obviously you have different equipment nowadays to what we used to use. It constantly changes and that’s the way the sport should be.”
Graf, visiting Tokyo to promote a junior tournament run by Roland Garros, declined to comment on the failed drugs test by Maria Sharapova. Williams has praised the “courage” of the Russian, who could be facing a lengthy ban.
Graf did, however, tip Kerber for more Grand Slam success after her Melbourne triumph. “I’ve watched and followed her, I’ve practised with her over the years a little bit,” she said. “I was pretty aware of the talent and her capabilities. She was pushing for many years and I always felt like the confidence held her back a little bit. But I felt like she was on the right track, like it was a matter of time.”
Graf added: “I think she can add to this because she’s very comfortable on all surfaces. Right now all she has to do is stay with it and just believe she can do it. I think that’s what the Australian Open win is going to do for her—just to believe more and more and she will see even more results.”
Henin, Safin among four elected to Hall of Fame
Former world number ones Justine Henin of Belgium and Marat Safin of Russia have been elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Henin won seven Grand Slam singles titles and spent 117 weeks atop the WTA rankings, while Safin collected two major crowns and spent nine weeks atop the ATP rankings.
Set for posthumous induction in July 16 ceremonies at the ATP Hall of Fame Championships are Frenchman Yvon Petra, who died in 1984 at age 68, and England’s Margaret Scriven, who died at age 88 in 2001.
Henin, 33, is the first Belgian player inducted into the Hall of Fame. She won 43 career singles titles before retiring in 2011, including the 2004 Australian Open, 2003 and 2007 US Opens and 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 French Opens.
“It’s a big honour,” Henin said. “I was five years old when I started playing tennis and my dream was to become a champion. All of the things that then happened—all the dreams that came true, all the victories and Grand Slams, and every emotion that I lived in my tennis career—remain something very important in my life.”
Safin, 36, is the first Russian player inducted into the Hall of Fame. He won 15 career titles, including the 2000 US Open and 2005 Australian Open, before retiring in 2009. “I’m very happy to be inducted to the Hall of Fame,” Safin said. “To be part of a Hall of Fame is every athlete’s dream. I am really honored to be inducted and proud to represent Russian tennis alongside the greatest champions of tennis history.”
Petra won the Wimbledon men’s singles title in 1946, after spending five years as a prisoner of war in Germany. He is the most recent French winner of the Wimbledon singles crown. Scriven won the French title in 1933 and 1934, becoming the first left-handed woman to capture a Grand Slam crown and the only unseeded winner of the French championships. “Their success is part of the sport’s storied history and we’re glad to recognize their accomplishments,” said Hall of Fame president Stan Smith.