Monica Seles v Steffi Graf Full Match | Australian Open 1993 Final

Just finished re-watching this for the first time in a while, thought I'd leave some thoughts:

- Monica seemed even better in '93 pre-Hamburg than in '91 and '92, which is of course to be expected given she was still so young. Her serve looked noticeably better than it had a couple years prior, and the other aspects of her game in which she was already stellar were only improving as well.
- I think Steffi killed the chances she had in this match by committing too many unforced errors in the end, swinging the momentum against her in what was a tight match until the end (FWIW I think her process in this match > that of the '92 RG final)...but that's also what happens when an aggressive baseliner like her is met with someone who can just return everything. Seles is maybe the best returner I've ever seen (along with Clijsters and Azarenka; Steffi and Serena are also up there for me). This is also why Arantxa was able to give Steffi fits on clay courts; she'd send back Steffi's would-be winners and bait her into overcompensating (although Steffi's talent won out most of the time since ASV didn't have the weapons Monica did).
- To piggyback on that last point, I like matches between two ATGs w/ unique styles b/c it goes to show you how much the surface can influence the matchup. Seles was able to beat Graf at the AO and RG because of the courts being slower (allowing Monica to set up her deadly groundstrokes) and having a higher bounce (limiting the effect of Steffi's slice - which wasn't as much of a weapon in the early 90s anyway IMO). On the flipside, though, Graf was the superior player on faster surfaces (Wimbledon, USO, they played a bunch of tournaments on carpet courts back then too) due to her speed, shotmaking, and slice.
- It's both scary and sad to think that Steffi and Monica were producing legitimately captivating matches in the early 90s (not the point but they were so ahead of their time that their rallies are highly enjoyable even now. It's like they were playing a different sport than the other girls at the time) despite neither being at their peak. Monica was clearly still improving at the time of her unfortunate stabbing, and Steffi was a better player in the mid-90s when she switched rackets, refined her backhand (the 95/96 version of Steffi was knifing it deep, hitting it down-the-line as well as cross-court, and disguising drop shots - that was not the case with early-90s Steffi) and served harder than in the early 90s. And this isn't even accounting for the fact that had Monica not been stabbed, the two would've elevated each other's games as if they weren't already incredible. Lost out on so much b/c of Parche. I truly believe that these two would've split the slams from '93 to '96 with no other player standing much of a chance. In an ideal world, they both win around 18-20 (yes the math checks out) and go down as 2 of the 3 greatest players ever (though you could make the case anyway I suppose) with one of the most memorable rivalries in all of sports.

Seles , the true goat

Interesting stat PRIOR TO THE AO 1993 Open Finals...Graf had 11 Grand Slams at this point while the younger Seles who played "20 less Slams than Graf" had already won 7 Grand Slams!

Graf was unable to win any Slam other than Wimbledon during this period.. She was ONLY better on grass Pre-Stabbing .. Seles was the best on all the rest.

Biggest indoor event -- WTA Tour Championships
(Monica Seles won it in 1990, 1991 and 1992).

Biggest clay court event -- French Open
(Monica Seles won it in 1990, 1991 and 1992).

Biggest hardcourt event -- the U.S. Open
(Monica Seles won it in 1991 and 1992).

2nd biggest hardcourt event -- the Australian Open
(Monica Seles won it in 1991, 1992 and 1993).

To have a forehand like Graf even now a days, both men and woman? She had incredibly fast hands and timing!! Monicas timing with two hands on both sides, equally impressive! What should have been the rivalry of the 90s!! Next best match? Lindsey Davenport and Venus Williams 2005 Wimbledon!

This was a really close match until 10 minutes from the end with Steffi making some crucial errors. This rivalry was starting to build into one of the greatest of all time. Unfortunate circumstances didn't allow this to happen and tennis was poorer for it.

Monica was still a kid here. only 19 and had done so much.she never reached her peak..❤ I think maybe 1994 she would of,we will never know.

This Tennisgame is like watching an Oscar winning movie. I adore Steffi a lot, but i believe if Monica would not have had this terrible stabbing crime...She would have lasted on the Top for a long time. She is very charming and humble too - just like Steffi.

Monicaaaaaaaaa❤❤❤❤❤

Seles’ perfect response to the horrible loss vs Graf at Wimbledon 1992, following an excruciating win at the French open. This was her 8th slam titles in 9 finals out of 14 slams played in total. Mind boggling stats…

Not one of their best matches by a long way. It was described in Tennis magazine at the time as an "interesting but not classic affair". Monica started off slowly and nervously. Steffi had not been playing well that whole fortnight (having to grind through some of her matches - her semi final against Arantxa was particularly dour). Steffi only really won that first set because Monica was playing even worse. Neither of them at their best. Once Monica found her game in the second set, Steffi couldn't raise her game. There wasn't a great deal of drama in the match.

Monica .... grandissima...

Seles was IT 🙌

r a p e d t h a t N a z i

only wills moody was better

Steffi i miss you 👑🎾

I think it was very classy for Steffi to acknowledge Monica's win in her post-match statement. It's always classy to show respect to your opponent.

Like Monica seles, steffi graf also a wonderful player.

Pure tennis. No Show, no music, no social media. Just the game. I miss that...

。

Seles was the fittest she'd ever been here. She was moving and hitting the ball extremely well in 1993. She was literally still improving and then it was taken all away. A real travesty.

👌👌👌❤❤❤ Monica Seles🙏🙏🙏

When I watch this match I just think of how all tennis fans were robbed of this rivalry playing out. Truly one of the worst situations in tennis history. Things were just getting good when some nut case had to change tennis history. Still sad about this after all these years.

This match was incredible from both. It also makes Monica's stabbing more sad. It's very likely she hadn't peaked yet. Looking at the trajectory of most of the top female tennis players, it's likely she was going to peak around late 1993 to early 1994. Steffi Graf became a professional player in 1982, and played in her 1st slam in 1984, but it was in 1987 she really became a threat to Martina and Chris, and by 1988 she was the best in the world. Similarly Serena became a professional player in 1995, but played her 1st slam in 1998. Even though she won a slam in 1999, she wasn't at her best yet. It was in late 2001 she started to push for the top, and by 2002 she was the best. Looking at these examples makes Monica Seles career interesting and impressive. She began playing in the slams in 1989 French Open at just 15 years old. She won her first slam a year later in 1990 at just 16, and by 1991 when she was just 17 she was winning 3 slams a year. She was so young and inexperienced and hadn't peaked yet. You can tell from this match that she was still improving. Her serve here was far better than her serve in the 1990 French Open finals. Some insensitive people claim it was just a paper cut, but have no idea the amount of mental pressure that incident could have created for a 19 year old athlete who was just minding her business. Monica is definitely one of the all time greats along with Serena, Steffi, Martina and Chris.

I watched this match from Yugoslavia, Serbian Television. We loved and love Monika a lot.

لولا الطعنة الغادرة لاستحوذت سيليش على كل الألقاب، ومع ذلك فهي غوت التنس النسوي بدون منازع لأنها تتفوق على غراف بمراحل كبيرة ❤

It was Seles's last slam before stabbing. After stabbing, she only won one slam(AO 1996) F...k off crazy guy Gunther.

If Monica Sales used to stay healthy then Steffi Graf used to get hardly 7/8 Gland slams

I think both of these players were amazing. If Monica's run had not been shortened by some maniac then who knows what would have been. However, anyone suggesting that Steffi isn't one of the best femal tennis players is on acid or something 😂 She was an absolute athlete.

Love how Monica thanks the ball kids. I will never get over the tragedy of her stabbing.

Pour moi Seles fut la plus grande joueuse de l’histoire !

Monica the best ❤️❤️

At this stage, she's so used to winning tournaments that she didn't show any emotion anymore after that final point. Just like a normal walk in the park.

Wow...i didnt know that Monica is such a rude person, didnt even have a good word to say about Queen Steffi who lost to her.
At least Queen Steffi congratulated Monica for being the better player in the day.
Queen Steffi still holds a 10-4 head to head record vs Monica.

Seles is far better than Graf . Graf's fan ruined by her career and it's pre planned but graffiti never comment dis matter. Best of luck Graf fan.

Steffi had one of the ugliest slice backhands the game of tennis has ever seen. Pretty effective, though.....
(very ugly forehand, too, tbh)

Si no hubiera sido porque un seguidor de Steffi Graf apuñaló a Monica Seles y la obligó a retirarse por tres años, ella hubiera sido la más grande de todos los tiempos. Pero lamentablemente le destruyeron su carrera deportiva. Suceso que extrañamente ocurrió en Alemania, el país de origen de Steffi Graf.

I loved Steffi, the dancer of tennis, but I do the congratulations to Monica that in this match Monica was really Super. Gaf and Seles were the tennis!

Monica hit the same winner on match point like Graf hit against Sabatini in the 91 Wimbledon final

Graf was in tears during the press conference of this match after admitting that Monica “has her number.”

Monica's one handed forehand on the run was such a weapon.

I remember Chris Evert saying that Monica's style of play was so different and unique...she compared Monica to Olive Oyl from the cartoon Popeye. 😃

Monica's last Slam before the horrific tragedy, she could have gone on winning at least 10 more slams

Excellent ! Seles number 1 .

i like monica

i want to see black balls

Monica seles war die beste Tennisspielerin aller Zeiten und das sie auch für immer bleiben eine Legende ein Champion 😊😊😊

Graf was ,one,sore loser ....

Mônica dominaba el circuito!!! Siendo muy joven tenía para haber ganado muchos torneos más

Normally, Seles should have had 18 at 20 grand slams even more perhaps...