Gabriela Sabatini: “Yo era una persona tímida. El tenis me ayudó a expresarme”

In an interview with Newspaper La Nacion, Gabriela Sabatini reflected on her professional career prior to reaching her 50th anniversary.

During the early 1990s, the Argentinean player was among the best in the world. At the age of 20, she defeated German opponent Steffi Graf 6-2 7-6 in the US Open, her biggest career victory. During the tournament, she only lost one set to Mary Joe Fernandez.

At the age of fifteen, Sabatini lost to American tennis great Chris Evert in the semifinals of the 1985 French Open, making history as one of the youngest players to ever make it that far. Later that year in Tokyo, Sabatini captured her first-ever top-level singles title.

“Playing on Centre Court at Roland Garros at the age of fifteen was an amazing feeling.” When I first started playing tennis, I had no idea who my opponent was, despite the fact that Chris Evert was among the greatest players in the world. I had fun competing in the Roland Garros semifinals, but I didn’t truly understand what it meant to go up against a player of that caliber.

In addition, Sabatini defeated Graf in the Seoul 1988 Olympic singles final and captured two WTA Finals titles (1988 and 1994). She also lost the 1988 Wimbledon women’s doubles championship. The German superstar achieved the Golden Grand Slam with her Olympic gold medal in the capital of South Korea. Graf and Sabatini took home the Wimbledon doubles championship that same year.

Because there aren’t many chances for tennis players to represent their nation, competing at the Olympics was a unique experience. Although the WTA Eanking did not receive any points at the Olympic competition at the time, it was nevertheless an honor to represent Argentina and share this experience with other athletes. I was very energized because we were in the same family and shared a meal together. After this event, I was even more driven than before. You can truly experience the pure spirit of sport at the Olympic Games.

Before Graf won the third set 8-6, Sabatini was two points away from winning Wimbledon in 1991.

When Gabriela was a teenager in 1988, she made it to her first US Open final but lost to Graf in three sets. After Margaret Smith Court in 1970 and Maureen Connolly in 1953, the German became the third player in history to win all four Grand Slam championships in a single year. With 37 WTA titles under her belt, Sabatini peaked at number three in the world. Eleven Grand Slam singles semifinals occurred during her career as well.

Sabatini and Graf had forty encounters between 1985 and 1995. Graf defeated her player from South America 29 times.

In 1988, 1989, 1991, and 1992, Sabatini took home four championships at the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome. Because of her Italian ancestry, the Argentine player had a unique connection to the Rome crowd and competition. At the close of the 1800s, her grandfather David Sabbatini left his birthplace of Potenza Picena in the Marche region and emigrated to Argentina.

She lost to Graf in three sets in the 1987 Rome tournament final, but she went on to win 23 of her 24 matches at the Foro Italico and four of the following five editions. Martina Navratilova defeated Sabatini in the semifinals of 1990. In straight sets, Sabatini defeated then-world champion Monica Seles in 1991 and 1992.

“In Rome and New York, I felt at home. Even away from the tennis court, there are locations where I feel really good. I got a lot of energy from the enthusiastic crowd at these cities. My family traveled to Rome to see my games. I visited the town where my grandfather was born. The visit to my father’s grandmother’s house was enjoyable.

On October 14, 1996, Sabatini participated in her final singles match, losing to Jennifer Capriati in straight sets in the European Indoors preliminary round.

Since retiring at the age of 26, she has devoted her post-tennis career years to her perfume business. She is now a prosperous businesswoman. Since 2006, she has been honored with a spot in the Newport Hall of Fame.

“I’m content with my current situation and the experiences I’ve had. I gained far more from tennis than I lost. I was able to travel, meet people from all around the world, and get to know them. I was a shy, fearful individual. The fear of having to address the media and speak in public as the tournament winner stopped me. I was no longer able to play freely. I had my head closed. I was able to express myself through tennis. “This sport allowed me to see the world,” Sabatini remarked to Sebastian Torok, an Argentine journalist covering tennis for La Nacion.

Sabatini had intended to celebrate her fiftieth birthday in Zurich, but the coronavirus outbreak has compelled her to remain in Miami.

“I’m in Miami for these few days. It’s challenging to get through this peculiar time. I have nothing to complain about. I live in a cozy apartment in Miami where we can do sports outside. I’m waiting to go back to Switzerland while I’m here. My thoughts are with people who are going through a trying time as a result of the financial crisis.

According to Sabatini, tennis needs to prioritize other matters before resuming its international schedule. She expressed her doubts that this year’s tennis season will continue.

.. “I believe it will be challenging to host any kind of sporting event in the upcoming months. In closing, Sabatini said, “I doubt that anything can be done in tennis this year.”