Won all four majors plus Olympic gold in a single calendar year (1988).
Perfection is an awfully tough standard. But for tennis'sÜberfrau, Steffi Graf, there was never an alternative. From the day of her pro debut at 13 to her retirement last summer at age 30 after winning the French Open, Graf was unable to tolerate anything less than flawlessness. Often described by her peers as "a machine," Graf was mirthless and merciless in plying her trade. But the results speak volumes. "Steffi," says no less an authority than Billie Jean King, "is definitely the greatest women's tennis player of all time." It's virtually impossible to exaggerate Graf's greatness. She's the only player to have won all four Grand Slam events at least four times. After assuming the No. 1 ranking in 1987, she topped the charts for 186 straight weeks -- and a preposterous 377 weeks total -- the longest reign of any player, male or female. She retired having won more than 900 matches, $20 million in prize money and 22 Grand Slam singles titles. "Sometimes I wish I could have been a bit more relaxed," she says, looking back on her career. "But then I wouldn't have been the same player."
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