Most professional tennis players never reach the world’s No. 1 spot during their careers. Steffi Graf not only accomplished that feat, but she held on to that ranking for 377 weeks — or more than seven years.
Her list of achievements does not end there: she won 22 Grand Slam singles titles; became the only tennis player to win the “Golden Slam” by also earning an Olympic gold medal the same year; and is the only tennis player to have won each Grand Slam tournament at least four times. Graf is known for her powerful forehand, and her status as a tennis legend was confirmed when she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Graf, who was born in Germany and first swung a tennis racket as a 3-year-old, has long been active in nonprofit work. She founded Children for Tomorrow, a foundation that supports children traumatized by war and other crises.
“Trauma is an enormous burden, especially at an early age,” she said. “At the same time, with therapy, young children in the early stages of development have the best chances of recovery. It’s so beautiful to witness change taking place — and to see how much the children themselves want things to get better. My goal is simple: to bring joy back into their lives. And they also give us so much back — because they continually show us a strength that is admirable.”
Graf is also involved with the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, started by her husband, who shares her achievement as a former world No. 1 tennis player.
