Tennis legend and a proud owner of 22 Grand Slam titles, Steffi Graff celebrates her 51st birthday on June 14, 2020 (Sunday). Graff’s tally of Grand Slam trophies is only second to Serena Williams (23) in the open era and only behind Serena and Margaret Court (24) in all-time records. Graf, who started playing tennis since the age of four, enjoyed her most glorious moments in 1988 when she conquered all majors and added a cherry to the cake with an Olympic gold medal in singles. The feat dubbed a calendar year Golden Slam has never been repeated again.

Graf was introduced to tennis by her father, who was a car-and-insurance salesman but also an aspiring tennis coach. He trained a young Graf and was her coach when she turned professional at the age of 12. Graff initially was a brilliant player, with her swift footwork and aggression earning worldwide praise, but failed to show with trophies. Stefanie Graf’s first major title came at the French Open in 1987 and it was the start of a glorious career. As she celebrates her 51st birthday, take a look at some interesting facts about Steffi Graf.

  • Steffi Graf was born in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany on June 14, 1969

  • Her father Peter Graf worked  as a car-and-insurance salesman while mother Heidi Schalk was a housewife

  • Graf started practising tennis since the age of four

  • At 13, Steffi Graf became the second-youngest players to earn an international ranking

  • Steffi Graf is the first tennis player to all four Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year

  • She is also the only tennis player to win each Grand Slam tournament at least four times

  • Steffi Graf holds the record for staying World No 1 for the longest time (377 weeks) in tennis' history

  • Steffi Graf is one of only two players to win three Grand Slam tournaments in a calendar year five times

Graff retired at the age of 30 in 1999 with a record 107 singles titles, third in all-time women’s list after Martina Navratilova (167) and Chris Evert (157). She was ranked World No 3 in the WTA at the time of retirement. Women’s tennis pioneer, Billie Jean King famously remarked that "Steffi is definitely the greatest women's tennis player of all time” when Graff decided to hang her boots.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 14, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).