“To see myself in a place of history, I think that’s too early for me to do”: When Steffi Graf beat Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to win her 20th Grand Slam

According to Steffi Graf, the realization of her historic achievements came to her at an early age.

The German claimed her 20th Grand Slam singles title at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships, having previously secured a record-breaking 19th Major at the French Open earlier that year.

Despite being seeded first, Steffi Graf did not lose a single set until the semifinals. She defeated Ludmila Richterova, Nathalie Baudone, Nicole Arendt, 16th seed Martina Hingis, and sixth seed Jana Novotna.

After defeating 12th seed Kimiko Date 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, Graf advanced to the final where she emerged victorious with a 6-3, 7-5 win over her rival and fourth seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. This marked her seventh Wimbledon title and her 20th Grand Slam singles title, making her the first player to achieve this impressive feat.

Following the match, Graf expressed her surprise at winning 20 Majors, stating that she never anticipated such an achievement. She also mentioned that it was still too early for her to fully grasp the magnitude of making history.

“It’s something that I’ve never imagined I would be able to do. It’s just incredible to me how the last few years have been going on, and how I’ve always been able to rise to the occasion. But to see myself in a place of history, I think that’s a little too early for me to do,”Graf said as quoted by the New York Times.

In 1996, the German continued her success by winning the US Open and earning three Grand Slam victories. Throughout the year, Graf dominated with a record of 54 wins out of 58 matches, earning seven titles in total.

Despite a nearly three-year drought, Graf eventually secured her last Grand Slam victory at the French Open in 1999, defeating Martina Hingis in the final.

A Rivalry for the Ages: Steffi Graf vs. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario at Wimbledon

Steffi Graf in action at the Wimbledon Championships in 1995

Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario faced each other 36 times, with three of those meetings taking place at Wimbledon.

In 1989, Graf and her opponent first met at the grass-court Major during the quarterfinals, in which Graf emerged victorious with a score of 7-5, 6-1. She then continued on to defeat Martina Navratilova in the final and claim the tournament title.

The duo met for the second time at Wimbledon in the 1995 final. Sanchez Vicario took an early lead as she won the first set 6-4. Nevertheless, Graf made a comeback and secured a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 victory. Their final match took place in the 1996 Wimbledon final, marking their last encounter on the court.