The Final Top Ten

1987 French Open Final

Steffi Graf def. Martina Navratilova

6-4,4-6,8-6

Jackie M. Tanner's review of the '87 French Open final.

As Steffi came out of the entrance tunnel, she blinked in the sudden brightness and also at the size of the crowd. There wasn't a seat to be had and the whole place pulsed with excitement. Following Steffi onto the court was Martina Navratilova, her walk cocky and sure after her complete destruction of Chris Evert in the semifinals. Martina had rationalized her defeat by Steffi back in March as a complete fluke, blaming it more on the wind that day and the effect it had on her forehand volley. She was playing well and she had no reason to doubt that she was about to win her third French Open Championships.

It was June 6, 1987, the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. It was twenty-five years to the day that the Allies launched their last great offensive against the German forces during World War II. There was some question of just how the French crowd might react to Steffi Graf, the rising young star from Germany. The answer was immediate as soon as the two players were introduced. Martina's reception was warm and respectful, but when Steffi's name filtered out through the sound system of the huge arena, a great cheer arose from the crowd. It was a cheer that was to grow in strength throughout the match and throughout the years until the cry of "Stef-fi, Stef-fi, Stef-fi!!!" has become an accustomed chant at Court Central.

The match between the champion and the future champion was tight from the very first point, the athleticism of both great players immediately on display. The first set lasted almost an hour and came to a dramatic tenth game. At 4-5, it was Martina's serve. One as superstitious as Martina must have thought all the fates were against her as she stepped up to the baseline to begin her service motion and a huge gust of wind tore across the court, blinding her with a swirling cloud of dust. The wind was not to let up throughout the rest of the match, blowing the top layer of dressing clear off the court, making life miserable for the wealthy box seat holders. But it shook Martina, who couldn't help but suffer from flashbacks to that day at the Lipton a couple of months before. She played the next four points cautiously, but Steffi didn't. She went all out, blasting shots off both wings, and played four magnificent points in a row, winning the set before Martina knew quite what had hit her. The completion of set point drew an enormous sustained cheer from the crowd, and Steffi screamed in exaltation. Her first Grand Slam final and the first set was in her pocket! Martina stood on the baseline, shaking her head in disbelief. One has to wonder if what she had said after her defeat by Steffi in March came to her mind at the moment. "Today, she is the best player in the world, and she will be until I play her again."

Martina dug in for a tough fight in the second set and broke Steffi in the third game. She held the lead until Steffi broke back to even at 4-all, only to lose her serve immediately again to Martina. Martina closed out the second set and the two players, after almost two hours, found themselves even again.

The third set was incredible. Martina broke Steffi early, and Steffi was to struggle to hold every one of her service games until she found herself serving to stay in the match at 3-5. It took four brilliant shots to win her serve, but both players took their changeover chairs with the knowledge that the next game was the most important one of the match. Martina began her service game with her customary serve and volley, winning the first point when Steffi dumped a weak attempt at a passing shot into the net. On the next point, Steffi hit a low, dipping return that handcuffed Martina and she couldn't get the volley over the net. 15-all. Martina had a fault on her first serve in the next point and as she began her service motion for the second serve, someone called out from the crowd, breaking her concentration and causing Martina to yell in frustration at the over-enthusiastic fan. When she served again, the ball barely made it to the net, a double fault at a most crucial time. Martina's mental state was obvious as she whirled in disgust, yelling at herself, "Get it over the net, you chicken!" Even with this sign of obvious temper, no one in that stadium, including Martina and Steffi, expected her to double fault again, but she did. The crowd roared, antsy now with anticipation. Steffi had two break points. If she could win one, it would be tied in the third at 5-all. At 30-40, Steffi ran around her backhand on the service return and fired a huge forehand at the charging Martina. Martina couldn't control it and her volley flew long over the baseline. The crowd erupted in noise, screaming and stomping their feet. But even over them, Martina's cry of rage was audible. Never had she been more anger with herself. She had let the kid back in the match.

Steffi has never been one to turn down opportunities and she won her next service game with some brilliant volleying of her own. It was obvious now that the one who would win the match would be the one who held her serve and her nerve. Each game was a trial by fire for both players. Martina played a good game and evened the set at 6-all. Now the pressure was back on Steffi and her serve. In that thirteen game, both players attacked, showing courage. Martina gained a break point, Steffi fought it off, and then finally won the game when one of Martina's forehands sailed long.

It was 6-7, Martina's turn to serve. Again, the wind began to swirl, but Martina's first serve was good. The two players traded groundstrokes until Steffi worked a shot up the line pass Martina. Love-15. Martina's first serve sailed long, and she yelled at herself furiously, "Toss it up!" Her second serve was good, and she played a wonderful point, anticipating Steffi's passing shot and cutting it off for a sharp volley. 15-all. Martina charged the net again, crisply volleying Steffi's return, but Steffi was waiting on it, and caught the ball quickly, blowing the passing shot by Martina before she could react. 15-30. In the next point, Martina hit a brilliant volley that Steffi, with incredible speed, chased down, but her passing shot just flew over the baseline. 30-all. Martina's next serve was struck with strength, but Steffi caught it early, dipping her return low over the net and catching Martina as she came into the net. Martina couldn't handle it and her volley hit the bottom of the net. Her anguished cry of "Oh Godddd!!!" mingled with the excited cry of the crowd. Match point for Steffi Graf.

Martina's first serve landed directly in the bottom of the net. Steffi's eyes widen with surprise and then narrowed with anticipation. She moved to her left, clearly showing Martina that if the next serve wasn't a great one, she was going to take it on her forehand and blast it with all her strength. It was too much for the nervous Martina. She hit the serve and it flew right over the line! The umpire's cry of "Fault" was drowned in the screams of the crowd. Their darling, their seventeen-year-old champion had won!

Steffi ran to the net, trying desperately not to show her joy of winning in the face of Martina's obvious disappointment. The two players shook hands at the net and then Steffi turned to her changeover chair and took a moment to bury her face in her towel, shedding a few tears in what, at that time, was the most incredible moment of her career.

When she hoisted the trophy to the crowd to share it with them, a mutual love was born. For the Parisians, she was the new champion, and a European one at that. It had been a long time since that had happened, as the tournament had been dominated by Martina and Chris for many years, and the crowd embraced Steffi as their own. When she struggled with her acceptance speech, something she hadn't known she had to do, and expressed her happiness over winning while at the same time feeling sadness that Martina had had to lose, Steffi firmly implanted herself in the French hearts. It is a love affair that has only strengthen with the years, and it is the French crowds who have reduced Steffi to appreciative tears more than once. They have loved her unconditionally and expressed it many times with all their hearts. It is a love Steffi returns ten-fold.