Steffi Graf: Nunca sentí odio hacia Gabriela Sabatini; simplemente había una rivalidad deportiva sana entre nosotras. Ella es una persona realmente espectacular y maravillosa en todos los sentidos.She truly made a significant impact on my professional career development. a dear friend whom I cherish deeply

Former US Open champion Gabriela Sabatini has expressed that she never harbored any feelings of animosity towards Steffi Graf, with whom she shared numerous intense battles throughout their respective careers. Sabatini emphasized that the German tennis star is, in her opinion, a truly remarkable individual with a captivating personality. Graf había pronunciado el discurso de presentación cuando Sabatini fue incluida en el Salón de la Fama Internacional del Tenis en Newport hace unos cuantos años.

The two talented players also achieved great success by clinching the prestigious Wimbledon doubles championship in the year 1988. Speaking to the popular German publication, BILD, on the momentous occasion of her 50th birthday on the 16th of May, Sabatini was questioned about whether she harbored any feelings of animosity towards Graf. “Absolutely not, the intense rivalry between Steffi and myself always remained confined to the tennis court, and I must admit that Steffi truly brought out the best in my game.”

I consider myself fortunate to have had her as a rival in my life; she was a formidable competitor in every sense of the word. Outside the square, Steffi was perceived as a remarkably reserved individual, with each one of us crafting our own unique narrative. Throughout the passing of time, as we gradually ceased engaging in play, our bond grew remarkably strong and intimate. I have always admired Steffi; she is truly an extraordinary individual. Her remarkable qualities and admirable character have always captivated me.

Sabatini mentioned that she had always managed to maintain amicable and harmonious relationships with the majority of her fellow players outside of the competitive arena. She emphasized that while she thrived on rivalry and competition during matches, her interactions off the court were consistently positive and congenial. Maybe en el tenis encontré muy complicado jugar contra Arantxa (Sanchez Vicario) porque era una jugadora que tenía una mentalidad muy exigente y te transmitía un espíritu de lucha hasta el último punto, un partido en el cual todo regresaba y ella corría hasta la última pelota, lo cual la convertía en una jugadora complicada de enfrentar.

It was particularly challenging for me to compete against the formidable opponent that Monica Seles was. Throughout my time on the field, I consistently maintained a positive and amicable relationship with all those around me, both on and off the pitch. Hablando de otra rival suya durante su época de jugadora, Martina Navratilova, Sabatini comenta que la leyenda del tenis siempre había sido extremadamente generosa con ella.

Martina has always been known for her exceptional generosity towards others. Whenever she opened her mouth, she never failed to provide insightful commentary on the intricacies of the game itself, offering words of encouragement to spur me on. It was extremely important that Martina expressed some words to me, considering the great admiration I held for her in my heart. In this particular aspect, she consistently demonstrated remarkable generosity; I harbored a deep and abiding fondness for Martina.

When we played their final match at the iconic Madison Square Garden, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions, primarily due to the profound significance that Martina’s presence held for me. Por un lado, no quería ser yo quien los venciera en su último partido, y por otro lado, pensaba que era una oportunidad única para disputar un encuentro de alto nivel.

The reality is that Martina has consistently demonstrated remarkable generosity, excelling not only as an athlete but also as a person. I am perpetually filled with gratitude for her insightful and encouraging comments.