Golden Slam Winner 1988 Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slams in addition to winning an Olympic gold medal in the same year, thus becoming the first and only Golden Slam winner in 1988. She held the longest #1 position in tennis among the women and men tennis players at 377 weeks. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004.

Born on June 14, 1969 in Manhiem, West Germany, Stephanie Marie Graf (Steffi Graf), the Golden Slam Winner 1988, is a former #1 tennis player in the world. She started playing at a very young age under the guidance of her father, Peter, and won many junior tournaments. She dominated the world tennis in the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s.

Steffi Graf, the future Golden Slam Winner 1988, won the European Championships 12s and 18s in 1982 at age 12. The same year in October, she played her first professional tournament in Filderstadt, Germany, but lost 4-6, 0-6. She began playing full time on the professional circuit in 1983. Ranking 124th in the world in the beginning of the season, by year-end she stood at 98th position.

With determination, Graf steadily moved ahead. By the end of 1984, she ranked 22nd in the world. The same year, she represented West Germany at the Olympics in Los Angeles in the tennis demonstrations and won the gold medal. In 1985, she ranked 6th and not before long the world would see her as the Golden Slam Winner 1988.

By the end of 1986, Graf ranked 3rd in the world. She won her first tournament at Hilton Head, South Carolina. In 1987, she moved into the finals at Wimbledon but lost to Martina Navratilova, the world #1. She won the 1987 French Open as well as several tournaments and replaced Martina Navratilova as the #1. 1988 is considered the best season of Graf and saw her emerge as the Golden Slam Winner 1988.

In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slams. She beat Chris Evert 6-1, 7-6 in the Australian Open women's singles final, Natalia Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in the French Open women's singles final, Martina Navratilova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the Wimbledon women's singles final and Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the U.S. Open women's singles final. The same year, she also won the Olympic gold medal beating Sabatini 6-3, 6-3 in the Olympic women's singles final in Seoul, South Korea. This qualified her for the golden slam. She was declared the Golden Slam Winner 1988. Tv