Heart of a Champ

For 17 years, there was a woman who walked the path of greatness, one who never sought the spotlight but whose tremendous talent made it impossible for the world to ignore. Her name is Steffi Graf and she is synonymous with the word tennis. Her achievements, in retrospect, are unlikely to be eclipsed anytime soon.

But with Graf, the journey was hard. She had the reputation of wanting to play a match in the shortest possible time. Losing was rare. Even in practice, she was focused, playing every point like it was a match. She loved tennis. She wanted to play, but as soon as the show was over, she just wanted to be left alone. She was painfully shy. It didn’t sit well with a lot of people. Should a champion be required to speak up to promote her sport? Is it not enough to be yourself and set a good example?

When Monica Seles came to the scene, Graf’s omnipotence was suddenly threatened. Theirs was a rivalry of the ages. It was one of the most exciting times in women’s tennis. But a distraught Graf fan took it upon himself to save the top spot for Steffi. During a changeover in Hamburg, Gunther Parche stabbed Monica Seles in the back, thus forever issues. Does it make Graf less of a champion? Does the incident cast doubt on her being the greatest woman who ever played tennis? Consider the alternative. Had Steffi Graf given in to that presumption, had she folded with all the blame thrown at her direction, then she wouldn’t have been a true champion. Instead, she continued on. She kept on playing. Personal burdens only made her stronger. She maintained her resolve. She continued to win.

In her final years as a professional player, Steffi Graf was able to relax and open herself to the fans more son than she ever did in her earlier years. She permitted her fans to see her struggles and watch her fight to overcome them. She wept, screamed, laughed, and smiled for them. People recognized that she competed with passion. They admired her for it. Then, without...