Gabriela Sabatini once spoke about her relationship with longtime rival Steffi Graf, revealing that they shared a good rapport off the court. But she admitted that their true friendship only began to develop deeply after both had retired from professional tennis.
Graf is widely regarded as one of the most private tennis players in the sport’s history, known for keeping her distance from colleagues and firmly separating competition from personal relationships. Her closest bond to come out of the sport is arguably with fellow tennis legend Andre Agassi, who is now her husband.
But Sabatini was one of the rare few who managed to build a genuine bond with the German. The two faced off frequently on the court, playing each other a remarkable 40 times, with Graf leading their head-to-head 29-11.
That rivalry proved to be incredibly beneficial for Gabriela Sabatini, pushing her to grow and improve, as she shared in a 2020 interview with German publication BILD. After retirement, she carried forward the positive impact of that competitive relationship into a lasting friendship—and so did Graf.
“The rivalry between Steffi and me was always on the court, and I always say that Steffi got the best out of my tennis. I was lucky enough to have her as a rival, she was a big competitor. Outside the square, Steffi was a very reserved person, each of us wrote our own story,” the Argentine said.
She added:
“Over the years, when we stopped playing, we got very close. I admire Steffi, I have always admired her and she is a spectacular person.”
The duo even teamed up to play doubles together and clinched the 1988 Wimbledon Championships title, proving that they could not only compete fiercely against each other but also work seamlessly as a team on the same side of the court.
Steffi Graf has 21 more Grand Slams than Gabriela Sabatini
While there’s no doubt that Gabriela Sabatini was one of the greatest tennis players of her generation, she significantly trailed behind Steffi Graf in terms of Grand Slam success. The latter amassed an incredible 22 Grand Slam titles, while the former managed to secure just one.
Sabatini reached the final of a Major once more at Wimbledon in 1991, but her hopes were dashed as Graf defeated her in the championship match. Apart from that, the Argentine made it to the semifinals of Slams on nine other occasions—and in three of those, it was once again Graf who stood in her way.
Sabatini retired from professional tennis in 1996, with Graf hanging up her racquet three years later in 1999. Both have since settled into private lives away from the spotlight and rarely make public appearances. However, Graf has been seen more frequently in recent times, especially with her growing interest in pickleball.
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Edited by Pritha Ghosh
