Graf relieved Grand Slam strain is finished

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 32

Graf relieved Grand Slam strain is finished

NZPA-AFP New York The top seed, Steffi Graf, of West Germany, has not had time to think about her three-set victory over the No. 5 seed, Gabriela Sabatini, of Argentina, to capture the United States Open and the Grand Slam. “I’ve just finished the match, changed and am trying to think about it a little, but I think I need some more time,” she said, adding that she was glad it was over. “I’m happy that all the talk about the Grand Slam is over. That’s a nice relief. Now I’ve done it and there’s no more pressure on me?’ Graf, aged 19, became only the fifth player in history to capture the Grand Slam with her 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over her doubles partner. Graf, joined Don Budge, Rod Laver, Maureen Connelly and Margaret Court in winning the U.S., Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon lit the

same year. Court was the last to do so in 1970.

In the final, Graf received a stiff challenge from Sabatini, who is the only woman to have beaten her this year. “It’s always a challenge playing against Sabatini,” she said. “She has a tough game for me and there’s always a big uncertainty about it.” Besides. tennis immortality, Graf earned $U5275,000 ($NZ431,750) for winning her first U.S. Open. Her career earnings now exceed $3 million.

The victory capped an extraordinary year for Graf. She raised her record to 60-2, both defeats suffered last spring to Sabatini, and dropped only two sets in her Grand Slam sweep. After. winning the match, Graf walked over to shake Sabatini’s hand and then strolled to the sidelines. Only after thanking the umpire and laying down her racket

did the world No. 1 begin to show signs of exhilaration.

She ran across the court and embraced her coach, Pavel Slozil, who flung his hat into the air after the final point, and then made her way into the seats to hug her parents. Flags from the four countries which host the Slam events were held aloft during the awards ceremony, which also featured a congratulatory kiss from Don Budge, who 50 years ago became the first player ever to win the Slam.

Meanwhile, the No. 2 seed, Mats Wilander, ended the surprise run of the Australian Darren Chaill, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, to reach his second straight U.S. Open final and his third Grand Slam final of the year. Wilander, the champion of France and Australia, deeded just two hours to finish off Cahill, ranked No. 33 in the world. The secofid-ranked Swede will

face the top seed, Ivan Lendl, who beat the American No. 4 seed, Andre Agassi, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 64, in the other semi-final.

Cahill, the lowest ranked player to reach the men’s U.S. Open semifinals since the computer rankings system was instituted in 1973, turned in another gutsy performance.

He attacked the net constantly and thrilled the crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium with charging, lunging, stabbing volleys. Cahill’s serve was off, however, as he delivered only 49 per cent of his first serves on target to 75 per cent for Wilander. But both players often had trouble holding serve and breaks seemed to come in bunches — there were 14 in the match. Wilander is the first player since the Australian, John Newcombe, in 1967 to reach the U.S. Open final without facing a seeded player along the way. f.