Two years after a Steffi Graf fan infamously stabbed Monica Seles, the German star faced her in the 1995 US Open final. The match also came amid intense media scrutiny over Graf’s father and manager, Peter, who had been arrested for tax evasion in Germany.
Adding to the tension surrounding the encounter, her opponent, Seles was making a return after a traumatic on-court stabbing by a fan obsessed with Graf, in 1993. A teenager at the time of the incident, Seles returned months before turning 21.
Amid personal turmoil and the weight of public scrutiny, Graf secured a hard-fought victory over Seles after completely losing the plot in the second set. To clinch her fourth US Open title, Graf registered a 7-6, 0-6, 6-3, victory over Seles.
Despite her victory, Graf knew the challenges off the court were far from over. She braced herself for what lay ahead, stating:
“I have to think I will be tough enough… I know at some stage I’ll be able to deal with everything, to look everyone in the face…and we’ll just move on.”
