CBS SportsLine wire reports Nov. 21, 1998 NEW YORK -- The fans at Madison Square Garden were disappointed to see Steffi Graf's run at the Chase Championships fall short of the final. But for the German star, her week in New York has been icing on a cake she never figured to be eating. "Honestly, I didn't think I would be here so I kind of had everything planned for this period," said Graf, who had to cancel a Caribbean vacation when she qualified at the last minute for the season finale. "Much better here than there. I don't like the sun anyway," joked the five-time champion after falling to top seed Lindsay Davenport 6-1 2-6 6-3 in Saturday's semifinals. Graf, who has struggled through two years plagued by injuries and surgeries, had merely hoped to get in a few matches before the end of the year following September wrist surgery. BUT SHE WENT ON A remarkable tear that appeared to turn back the clock to the days when she ruled women's tennis, surprising no one more than herself. "It has been three weeks that I didn't expect to be the way they were," admitted Graf, who turns 30 next June. She began her latest comeback three weeks ago in Leipzig and beat ninth-ranked Nathalie Tauziat in straight sets in the final to claim her 105th career title. From there Graf went to Philadelphia, where she beat second-ranked Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals, Tauziat in the semis and world number one Davenport in the final, qualifying for the season finale in the process. When she beat third-ranked Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna in the Chase first round, Graf added yet another line to the record books by becoming the first woman ever to defeat the top three players in the world in a four-match span. GRAF FOLLOWED THAT BY storming back from a 1-6 first set to beat former No. 1 and three-time champion Monica Seles in the quarterfinals in one of the most exciting women's tennis matches in recent memory -- her third successive win after losing the first set and 12th consecutive victory. "After the wins I would sit there in disbelief, so it has been great. It has been definitely very rewarding for what I have come through," Graf said. "She came back playing incredible," said Davenport. "For someone to come back from all those injuries is remarkable." The magical run came to an end only when a hamstring injury midway through the third set kept Graf from taking charge against a struggling Davenport, who ran off the final three games. Graf didn't think the latest physical setback was too serious, perhaps the result of far more tennis over the last few weeks than she had planned. "I GAVE EVERYTHING THAT I had in the last three weeks and that was a lot. It has been great, it's been exciting, a lot of fun. "That is why I can only look back with a very positive attitude," she said. And for the player with 21 Grand Slam singles titles, more years as No. 1 in the world than anyone since rankings were invented, and nothing left to prove, Graf will also look forward with a very positive attitude. "I never expect anything but the best out of me," she said. "I do not have any other goals than to play well."
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