The name of Gabriela Sabatini He is one of the most famous Argentine athletes. In fact, she is the most outstanding tennis player in the history of racquet sports in the country. Now, at 55 and talking to the former rugby player Augustine CreevyHe revealed intimate details of his sports career. He also explained what his historical rivalry was connected with Steffi Graf.
At the beginning of the vlog that Creevy has on his channel YouTubeSabatini made it clear that his personality was not always compatible with how he interacted with others. “I was extremely shy and introverted. I had some problems at school… I had a hard time speaking, standing up, I kind of didn’t like attention. Over time I think tennis helped me,” she said.
“I remember when I took part in the tournaments I knew that if I reached the final I would certainly have to speak. I thought about it and wanted to lose in the semi-finals so as not to be exposed to this situation. Unbelievable,” he added about this problem, which, as he later admitted, he had treated with psychological help.
In another part of the interview with Creevy, the former tennis player who won the US Open 1990 He confessed what was the turning point in his career: “When I was 14, I started playing professional tournaments. There was a tournament.” Hilton Head where they all played. I remember the championship was crucial in my life because it was a before and after.”
“I have to play the quarterfinals against Pam Shriver and it starts to rain, the game is interrupted. Well, it rained two days in a row and the final came on Sunday. I had to play in the quarterfinals, I won. Game after semi-final against Manuela Maleeva In the semi-final I played incredibly and beat him. Final against Chris Evertall on the same day, I lost in two sets, but I confirmed that I can play professionally and that I will do very well,” he added.
The rivalry between Gabriela Sabatini and Steffi Graf defined an era Women’s tenniswith a confrontation that went beyond stats and trophies and told a story of growth, improvement and epic moments in the professional game. Sabatini’s most memorable victory over the German player occurred on September 8, 1990, when she managed to win the US Open, winning her only Grand Slam title and thereby confirming her consecration new York.
The duo between the two was not only a demonstration of technical skills, but also, as Sabatini himself noted in conversation with Creevy, a constant test of demand: “We practically grew up together. For me, Steffi brought out the best in me, she was a spectacular competitor, with a cold and determined mentality. Until the last point, you knew you hadn’t won the game.”.
He then hinted at the moment they grew closer: “One day her father said to my coach, ‘Why don’t you play doubles together?’ I think it was alive there. And that’s when we started playing together. It was very crazy because we didn’t talk that much. I think the father used it to get to know me a little better. Steffi wasn’t the one who showed much, I don’t think any of us showed that much, but we played great in doubles. “We actually won Wimbledon.”
The record between the two reflects the size of the duel: between 1985 and 1995 they played 40 games, of which 11 were wins for Sabatini and 29 for Graf. The latter maintained their initial dominance by winning the first eleven games and ended their shared history with eight consecutive wins. However, the year 1991 changed the dynamic: Sabatini managed to break the German dominance by winning four of the five matches of the season, losing only in the Wimbledon final, a match in which she was just two points away from becoming champion and reaching world No. 1..
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