New Dominance, Injuries, and Final Tour Years
After dealing with a series of injuries and losses in the intervening years, Graf came back on top in 1993, winning three of four Grand Slam events in addition to the Virginia Slims championships. She won her first French Open since 1988, and conquered Wimbledon by defeating Jana Novotná. The next year, she won the Australian Open and an assortment of tournaments across the globe. However, while competing (and winning) in San Diego, Graf aggravated a long-time back injury, and developed a bone spur at the base of her spine due to a congenital condition. From 1994 to 1996, various ailments and surgeries disrupted her career, causing her to withdraw twice from the Australian Open. Despite the setbacks, Graf still managed to win a number of titles, including Wimbledon in 1995. The final of that championship is widely recognized as one of the most exciting in women's major finals history, with a dramatic third set that involved a 16-minute long, 13-deuce game.
Graf's final tour years from 1997 to 1999 were plagued with further injuries to her knees and back, causing her to lose her world number one ranking and, for the first time in a decade, the Grand Slam title. After racking up a handful of high-profile wins, Graf finally announced her retirement from the women's tour in 1999, attributing the decision to a loss of motivation.
They got married in 2001
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Days before Graf was due to give birth to their first child in October 2001, she and Agassi tied the knot in a low-key ceremony. The tennis star revealed in his memoir that he and Graf invited their mothers and a Nevada judge to their house, where they exchanged vows in their courtyard “barefoot and wearing jeans.” The couple used twists of old raffia that Graf found in a drawer for their wedding bands.
Agassi introduced his wife at her Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony
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Graf was overcome with emotion after Agassi introduced her at her International Tennis Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2004. "As I attempt to find words worthy to introduce the person that has changed my life, I realize the words have yet to be invented that are large enough, colorful enough, or true enough to express the heart and soul of this woman that I love," Agassi said in his speech.
They were formally introduced after winning Wimbledon the same year
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Agassi had the chance to meet Graf after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1992. She won the ladies' singles tennis title at the tournament the same year. Agassi was “dying to go” to the Wimbledon Ball that he’d heard about for years because the men’s winner got to dance with the women’s winner. He even purchased a tuxedo from Harrods for the event, but was informed that the dance had been canceled.
Agassi had a crush on Graf prior to meeting her
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Agassi developed a crush on his future wife before meeting her in person. “I’ve had a crush on Steffi since I first saw her doing an interview on French TV,” he wrote in his memoir Open. “I was thunderstruck, dazzled by her understated grace, her effortless beauty.”
Following the French Open in 1991, Agassi tried to get a message to his crush. “But she didn’t respond,” he shared in his book.
