European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 02, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse M up Michael Wilson Washington Post 1 Steffi Graf does t bother putting on a mask. She does waste time with a Jock fagade trying to make you think she is Invulnerable and All is Well. Because Allisn t Well. Her father is under House arrest in Germany for tax evasion millions and millions of dollars Worth. Her aching Back won t even let her jog or lift weights to stay in shape. Her grandmother is very ill. Obsessive people including German reporters Are camped outside her Manhattan apartment. And her primary rival has returned after an absence caused by a deranged fan of grass like the great goddess who saved Tennis a you Don t watch a Graf match to see if Shell win you watch wondering whether Shell have an emotional breakdown right there on the court. It would take every skycap at Laguardia to cart her emotional baggage around , she of the spare tire around the Middle joked last week that she d like to be As thin As Graf not this thin. Graf looked drawn and worried from the time she lost the opening game of tuesday s . Open match at love on a double fault right through a lost Steffi Graf age 26height 5-9 weight 13$ pounds Birthplace brew residences Bruhl and new York City wow ranking co no. 1 Wimbledon titles 1988, 89, "91, "92, "93, "95 . Open Mica 1988, 89, w French open titles 1987, 88, 93, 95 australian opwti8s 1983, 89,m 94 olympic Gold medal 1988 1095 prize Money $1.4 million career prize Money $16 millions a Steffi Graf winning wednesday is shooting for her 18th grand slam title. First set and a stirring comeback that Only a Champion could mount. And she s a. Champion of 17 grand slam tournaments. When someone asked afterwards whether her emotional state is affecting her Tennis Graf wasted no time in answering yes it is. Obviously at certain times i have difficulty 7 " concentrating out there i Haven t really played a lot lately and i ". Definitely Lack through much of tuesday s first set against the same Amanda Roetzer who eliminated her two weeks ago in the first round of the Canadian open. Graf looked absolutely frightful. Twice she lost her serve at love and the tiebreaker was 6-0 before Graf managed her Only Point. I feel she definitely gives you a Chance now to get into the games Roetzer said. Though Graf lost the set the tiebreaker actually helped Graf regain some composure and Confidence before the second set began. Co Etzer the noticed How she lifted her game up just a Little bit higher.". And she kept it there for the second and third sets save for a late Roetzer flurry. If Seles return is critical to Tennis Graf staying in Tennis would be equally important. It is extremely symbolic that the two share the no. 1 ranking at the moment. They Are Borg and Mcenroe Chris and Martina. You know we All want to see Graf and Seles in the . Open final. The presence of both makes each Shine More brightly. In some ways this tournament is a bigger Deal for Graf than for Seles. If Seles loses so what first grand slam Back she was a Little Rusty. She already proved her Point two weeks ago in Canada. If Graf loses particularly Earl the talk of her demise gains credibility and perhaps she moves closer and closer to retiring at 26. You wonder How Many times she can see her Way through the muck to prepare for tournaments if no rewards Are forthcoming. Already the questions come what Are her plans for the rest of the season will she bother to play another tournament Given the number of modern Day athletes who routinely Retreat from this kind of stress and physical pain obviously with my Back i Don t 15st very Long on the practice court she said and i used to be Able to do a lot of off court activities like jogging or during few years quite a bit of weights and things like that. I Haven t really been Able to do that. I am used to doing a lot of workouts and i Haven t been Able t6 do 7 for the Back there Are massages manual therapy Graf Calls them. But there s no such help for the spirit. You can to Massage your father out of House arrest or rub the people away from the front door of your apartment. Graf even has her own scars from that idiot who out of a self professed loyalty to Graf stabbed Seles 28 months ago. When she said it s taken me a lot of Energy to get ready she meant emotional not. is not a Joy she said to go out and you have people in front House. I am trying not to really let it affect me. I am doing what i want to do arid you know i am obviously realizing that people Are around my when someone asked about a report in new York this week that she was being stalked by a woman Graf answered like someone who had grown accustomed to being stalked. I had no knowledge of that she said. All the people that i knew about were men. No realizing the Absurdity of it an uneasy smile crossed her face. Graf s Comfort level improved wednesday. She hammered Rita Grande an italian ranked 96th in the world 6-1, 6-3 in 44 minutes. I think i was a lot More relaxed than i was yesterday Graf said i Felt much better today. I was a lot it s no wonder she said tuesday this is what i really want to do and this is where you know i can get away from a lot of Monica sales by Jennifer Frey Washington Post had such an easy second round match at the .open thursday she spent the after Nath regaling listeners with tales of her shopping excursion to Barney s. Returning from a two Day absence from open play one she spent wandering both Central Park and Barneys the famous new York. Emporium Seles trounced Erika de Lone 6-2, 6-1 in her second round match then went on and on about her shopping expedition. It is quite amazing stuff they have there Seles said of Barneys which is. Known for its Valet parking and spectacular Christmas window displays. Food Wise and clothes Wise and shoewise.". -. Seles Only difficulty St far has been deciding whether to make a Purchase at Barneys where she dined in the store restaurant wednesday and received a standing ovation As she departed. Her favorite moment came in the hat department where she danced to piped in Frank Sinatra while trying on Caps. There was absolutely nobody a there it is almost closing time and i am like trying on All these hats 100 hats that i can try on without a salesperson Ever coming Tome and this music was playing said Seles who seemed enchanted by the experience. I just Felt it is like out of the movies like when you see Audrey Hepburn. Wow i mean it was the Seles did t Purchase a thing she claim but admits to having a closet overflowing with clothes Many of them duplicates. For the moment she has contented herself with a new outfit from Nike her sponsor who designed a two piece ensemble for the pc n. It is very Young and it is very me and it is also kind of very new York Seles said. "1 love after Barney s. September 2-8, 1995 beyond the game Page 21
