Birthday greetings: WTA icon Stefanie Graf turns 50
In honor of 22-time Slam champion Stefanie Graf's 50th birthday, we look back at her finest moments.
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As a 15-year-old in 1984, Graf won the tennis demonstration event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, in a sign of things to come. (Getty)
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A 17-year-old Graf won her first career title at Hilton Head Island in 1986. (Getty)
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At age 17 in 1987, Graf won her first career Grand Slam title, defeating Martina Navratilova to win the French Open. (Getty)
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After winning the Virginia Slims of Los Angeles in August of 1987, Graf ascended to World No.1 for the first time. (Getty)
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She defeated Gabriela Sabatini in the gold medal match at the Olympic Games in Seoul and became the only player to date to achieve the Golden Slam, winning all four majors and the Olympics in the same year. (Getty)
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Known for her legendary singles career, Graf reached a career-high World No.3 ranking in doubles, winning Wimbledon with Gabriela Sabatini in 1988. (Getty)
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Graf qualified for the WTA Finals 12 times, winning five titles. (Getty)
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In a stretch of dominance, Graf reached 13 consecutive major singles finals, from the 1987 French Open through the 1990 French Open (pictured), winning nine of them. (Getty)
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Graf and Michael Stich won the Hopman Cup together in 1993, two years after winning Wimbledon together in 1991. (Getty)
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In Fed Cup, Graf helped Germany win two titles: in 1987 and 1992. (Getty)
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Graf was voted the ITF World Champion in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995 and 1996. She was voted the WTA Player of the Year in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. (Getty)
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Graf won her last Grand Slam singles title at the 1999 French Open, beating Martina Hingis in three sets. (Getty)
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Graf was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004. (Getty)
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In recent years, the WTA legend has served as tournament ambassador at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai.
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She has served in this role for the past three years. (Getty)
