Not for the faint of heart - Steffi Graf versus Martina Hingis 1999
On June 5, 1999 Steffi Graf won her 22nd and last title with a major in Roland Garros. The success against Martina Hingis was remarkable in several ways.
by SID
last edit: Jun 04, 2020, 02:21 pm
Steffi Graf really did not hurry the call to get lost in endless verbal battles with umpires and line judges on the tennis court, but on this cool June 5th 1999 in Paris her nervous costume is suddenly extremely thin. "What is now, do we want to continue playing or discussing," she asks chair referee Anne Lassere - but she also seems a little overwhelmed.
A moaning, stubborn Martina Hingis has unhinged the complete dramaturgy of the French Open final in Paris. The 18-year-old Swiss started as number one in the world to complete her career grand slam with the last missing title, but then she not only slips away the match.
Hingis had already won the first set 6: 4, and Graf, battered by injuries and doubts in the weeks before, does not seem to be able to do much against the opponent, who is twelve years younger. Hingis also made a 2: 0 in the second set - then disaster takes its course.
Anne Lassere returns Hingis "Aus", a decision she does not want to accept. To make sure, Martina Hingis breaks an iron rule in tennis: she walks to her opponent's side to check the ball's imprint herself. It remains: the ball was outside.
Graf encourages Hingis
Hingis sits on her chair and refuses to continue playing. She receives a warning, a little later the sentence compensation, she whines and complains continuously. Her mother and trainer Melanie Molitor tries in vain to catch the daughter from the stands, who meanwhile gambles away the finals and all sympathy.
In the third set, Steffi Graf has 5: 2 and 40:30 match ball, Hingis hits from below, the stadium roars down the Swiss. Graf is so perplexed that she hits the return on the net, she is unstoppable. A little later she brings her sixth French Open title home. It is the 22nd and last in a Grand Slam tournament.
And Martina Hingis? She leaves the place shaken by a crying spell, her mother can hardly persuade her to return to the award ceremony. During this ceremony, Steffi Graf found conciliatory words for the young Swiss: "You will still win many titles, you have so much time."
Graf no longer: Four weeks later she lost the Wimbledon final against Lindsay Davenport, another month later she ended her career. By the way: Martina Hingis does not get very far at Wimbledon, loses to Jelena Dokic in the first round - and never wins a single Grand Slam title again.