It proved to be a great run for Jana as she beat Sabatini in the QF, then Martina in the SF, before falling to Steffi in the final. Although Jana got tight late in the match, the fact is Steffi hung in there like a champion. I think Steffi never gets enough credit for winning this match as most people tend to focus on Jana blowing her opportunity here.
Steffi was perhaps the best "closer" in narrow slam finals. She also won FOUR slam finals after her opponent had served for the match (FO 87, Wim 91, FO 96, FO 99) And THREE more slam finals (besides this Wim 93 one) when her opponent just had to serve out the match (Wim 88, USO 89, Wim 91).
That's because if the opponent chokes it's not really much of an accomplishment. Yes, Steffi did well to hang in there, but she was dead lost in most of those matches and got the win handed to her on a silver plate.
Graf wasnt handed anything. She proved to be tougher when the going got harder playing those championship points the way she did. thats part of her overall strengths, its an accomplishment. She wrestled the win from her opponent by playing the big points better and raising her game when it mattered most. Normal Procedere in tennis. Also, its difficult to maintain top level tennis for three complete sets. Novotna was great for 2,5 sets. A slight and understandable lapse of a few weaker shots was enough to open the door for Graf. Graf was a master of slamming that door wider open and walk through it. Graf herself had played through weaker periods here, in the 2nd set and early in the third. So, Was Novotna building up a lead because Graf was "choking" in the first place? Rubbish. A match is decided by players' Performance over the full course of the match, and graf came out the winner, because she was better on that day.
Props to Jana for playing such high level, though Steffi was def. off her game, not sure if it was an injury issue or low confidence. She is a shadow of herself from last year's final, still battled thru and fought hard for the win. RIP JANA! 😇
Thanks, your videos are the best for me to catch up on the old tennis classics. I hope that you could upload the 1989 Wimbledon final between Graf and Navratilova soon, as well as the 1996 Wimbledon final between Graf and Arancha Sanchez
She was a one of the most talented players of her epoca. To net she was extraordinary. If only she had been stronger metally...May she rest in peace. She miss we.
Jana was on fire in this match and did have set point in the first set. Surely a match of lost opportunities as Jana being up 2 breaks in a final set on grass surely means she wins 99% of the time. Steffi was a bit off in that first set but her raw fight allowed her to win it. I’m the second, Jana crushed her and was on her way to 5-1 in the decider. Then she missed balls by ten feet or more and her arm turned to stone. :( Pressure is a mean thing.
It was not uncommon for Graf to be in this situation. 1987 Martina Navratilova RG F served for the match, 1991 Wimbledon F Sabatini served for the match, 1999 RG F Hingis served for the match and was two points away. That's why players like Graf and Serena have 20+ slams, because they have the mental toughness for a grand slam champion.
Steffi didn't beat Jana. Jana just didn't win...I, vividly, remember that Jana was dominating the match, and, then, she choked at the very end. Wimbledon trophy (dish) was so so close within her reach that day, and it just went past her. When she broke down into tears at the trophy presentation, I really felt for her.
Steffi won 21 of the last 28 points (from 7-6 1-6 1-4 30-40). winners: Steffi 4-0 unforced errors: Jana 11-0 forced errors: Steffi 7-6 So Steffi made ZERO unforced errors during the last 28 points - sensational! Novotna's 11 UEs (incl. 4 DFs) was very bad but not catastrophic. Steffi won it more than Jana lost it.
So sad that Novotna royally gagged this match away against Graf! That forehand volley that went 5-10 feet out was a clear indication of just how badly Novotna was choking in the 3rd set of this match!
@MrDonanthony Exactly. Played Graf twice at Wimbledon, won a grand total of 4 games. Said herself in interview she never learned to play on grass. Laughed when Bud Collins asked if not grunting stopped her winning and said no. But Seles fans still believe she'd have won Wimbledon a dozen times if she wasn't banned from grunting, or 'brutally nearly stabbed to death by a man Steffi Graf hired'. Its cringe worthy.
The only year Seles might have won was 1994 but only if Graf loses early and Seles faces Martinez or the 1994 version of Navratilova. Seles cannot beat Graf on a grass court. She also never beat her on carpet or a fast deco turf hardcourt
It proved to be a great run for Jana as she beat Sabatini in the QF, then Martina in the SF, before falling to Steffi in the final. Although Jana got tight late in the match, the fact is Steffi hung in there like a champion. I think Steffi never gets enough credit for winning this match as most people tend to focus on Jana blowing her opportunity here.
Steffi was perhaps the best "closer" in narrow slam finals.
She also won FOUR slam finals after her opponent had served for the match (FO 87, Wim 91, FO 96, FO 99)
And THREE more slam finals (besides this Wim 93 one) when her opponent just had to serve out the match (Wim 88, USO 89, Wim 91).
That's because if the opponent chokes it's not really much of an accomplishment. Yes, Steffi did well to hang in there, but she was dead lost in most of those matches and got the win handed to her on a silver plate.
@@fundhund62 Funny, that so many players "choked" against Steffi and that she was handed so many slam trophies "on a silver plate"....
@@carrerau7138 Not really. Tennis is a mental game, the psychological aspect is a huge part of it.
Graf wasnt handed anything.
She proved to be tougher when the going got harder playing those championship points the way she did. thats part of her overall strengths, its an accomplishment. She wrestled the win from her opponent by playing the big points better and raising her game when it mattered most. Normal Procedere in tennis.
Also, its difficult to maintain top level tennis for three complete sets. Novotna was great for 2,5 sets. A slight and understandable lapse of a few weaker shots was enough to open the door for Graf. Graf was a master of slamming that door wider open and walk through it.
Graf herself had played through weaker periods here, in the 2nd set and early in the third. So, Was Novotna building up a lead because Graf was "choking" in the first place? Rubbish.
A match is decided by players' Performance over the full course of the match, and graf came out the winner, because she was better on that day.
Props to Jana for playing such high level, though Steffi was def. off her game, not sure if it was an injury issue or low confidence. She is a shadow of herself from last year's final, still battled thru and fought hard for the win. RIP JANA! 😇
Steffi was carrying a foot injury which prevented her from attending the Wimbledon ball. I suspect the pain she was feeling hampered her movement
Great video. Great match. Love Steffi, but feel bad for Novotna choking at the end.
Novotna was a played of great talent but without istint killer. She would have deserved to win much more and above all she left us too soon...😢😢
Novotna would go on to win the Wimbledon title in 1998. The tennis world was ecstatic. RIP
Thanks, your videos are the best for me to catch up on the old tennis classics. I hope that you could upload the 1989 Wimbledon final between Graf and Navratilova soon, as well as the 1996 Wimbledon final between Graf and Arancha Sanchez
Steffi the supreme champion.
I LOVE Novotna's backhand strokes. They almost look like wooden racket backhand strokes.
She was a one of the most talented players of her epoca. To net she was extraordinary. If only she had been stronger metally...May she rest in peace. She miss we.
This finals was poignant for Jana weeping on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent....
Handling pressure at crunch situation is important
Thank you for uploading
Жалко Яну в этом матче, но Штеффи есть Штеффи - настоящая чемпионка, характер просто кремень👍👍👍
I think this was the first Wimbledon Final held in Singapore.
15:49 Looks out.
No hawk-eye back then to check
15:54 also looked in.
Jana was on fire in this match and did have set point in the first set. Surely a match of lost opportunities as Jana being up 2 breaks in a final set on grass surely means she wins 99% of the time. Steffi was a bit off in that first set but her raw fight allowed her to win it. I’m the second, Jana crushed her and was on her way to 5-1 in the decider. Then she missed balls by ten feet or more and her arm turned to stone. :( Pressure is a mean thing.
The double ball on 4-1 third set decided the match, because it did to lose the head to Jana and to take to regain confidence to Steffi.
It was not uncommon for Graf to be in this situation. 1987 Martina Navratilova RG F served for the match, 1991 Wimbledon F Sabatini served for the match, 1999 RG F Hingis served for the match and was two points away.
That's why players like Graf and Serena have 20+ slams, because they have the mental toughness for a grand slam champion.
@@haneen7aneen2precisely
@@laviniaparisi9154 Jana still had a 40-15 lead in Steffi's next service game with the chance to go up 5-2.
@@haneen7aneen2 Sanchez also served for the match in the FO 96 final.
R.I.P. FERDY SAMBO FROM INDONESIA
Steffi didn't beat Jana. Jana just didn't win...I, vividly, remember that Jana was dominating the match, and, then, she choked at the very end. Wimbledon trophy (dish) was so so close within her reach that day, and it just went past her. When she broke down into tears at the trophy presentation, I really felt for her.
Steffi won 21 of the last 28 points (from 7-6 1-6 1-4 30-40).
winners: Steffi 4-0
unforced errors: Jana 11-0
forced errors: Steffi 7-6
So Steffi made ZERO unforced errors during the last 28 points - sensational!
Novotna's 11 UEs (incl. 4 DFs) was very bad but not catastrophic.
Steffi won it more than Jana lost it.
So sad that Novotna royally gagged this match away against Graf! That forehand volley that went 5-10 feet out was a clear indication of just how badly Novotna was choking in the 3rd set of this match!
Novotna frooze...
What the Dog Saw brought me here
Poor service during this era!
Girl, have you ever held one of those rackets from 30 years ago in your hand?
No?
Thought so.
If Seles was there she would won the champ.
Like she did in "92"?
@@MrDonanthony Graf was only better than grass to Seles. And finally Seles would beat Graf 93 if she was not stepped.
@@Hoyammath That may be true. But we are only talking about Wimbledon. My comment stands.
@@HoyammathThere is not even ONE surface on which Seles has a better winning percentage than Steffi.
@@Hoyammath Not true Graff has better purcentage on flushing meadows she has beaten seles twice in 95 and 96 Finals
Would have been Seles 1st Wimbledon title...
Yawn.
Like the one in "92"?
@MrDonanthony Exactly. Played Graf twice at Wimbledon, won a grand total of 4 games. Said herself in interview she never learned to play on grass. Laughed when Bud Collins asked if not grunting stopped her winning and said no. But Seles fans still believe she'd have won Wimbledon a dozen times if she wasn't banned from grunting, or 'brutally nearly stabbed to death by a man Steffi Graf hired'. Its cringe worthy.
The only year Seles might have won was 1994 but only if Graf loses early and Seles faces Martinez or the 1994 version of Navratilova. Seles cannot beat Graf on a grass court. She also never beat her on carpet or a fast deco turf hardcourt
Here you are an other seer!😅