Serena Williams vs Steffi Graf: When two icons met in the Indian Wells final
Indian Wells has produced several classic finals over the years, but perhaps few are as legendary as the 1999 women’s singles final.
That year, two all-time greats in very different stages of their careers – Serena Williams and Steffi Graf – met for just the second, and ultimately, final time on the court.
We look back at one of the greatest matches ever to take place in Tennis Paradise and the importance it ultimately held for both players.
Different pathways
Aged 17 and 29 respectively at the start of 1999, Williams and Graf were undoubtedly facing different challenges.
A teenage Williams was looking to follow in the footsteps of her older sister Venus and rise towards the top of the game, having finished 1998 – her first full season on tour – as the world No 20.
Graf came into 1999 as the world No 9 after working her way back up the rankings following an injury-ravaged 1997, though the German was still not close to matching the peak of her powers.
Just days into the year, Graf and Williams would meet for what was the first of their two meetings that season.
Their second-round match at the Syndey International was hotly-contested but, perhaps aided by experience, sixth seed Graf battled her way to a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 victory.
“I kind of thought, you know, she [Williams] has a lot of potential,” Graf said. “It’s going to take time for her to choose the right shots at the right time.”
Graf would then beat fourth seed Venus in the last eight, though then suffered a straight-sets semi-final loss to world No 1 Lindsay Davenport.
The ensuing Australian Open saw 10th seed Graf beaten in the quarter-final stage by long-term rival Monica Seles, while an unseeded Williams was beaten by 14th seed Sandrine Testud in Round 3.
Indian Wells showdown set
Graf had been beaten in the quarter-finals of Tokyo and semi-finals of Hanover heading into Indian Wells, though a rankings surge saw her seeded fifth at the event.
Williams, meanwhile, was unseeded but came in fresh off winning her first WTA singles crown, having beaten Australian Open runner-up Amelie Mauresmo to lift the Open GDF Suez title.
Defying her underdog status, the 17-year-old stunned second seed Davenport 6-4, 6-2 in the second round, and would then go on to beat sixth seed Mary Pierce 7-5, 7-6(1) in the last eight.
Facing Australian Open conqueror Testud, the American gained revenge over the Frenchwoman, downing the 12th seed 7-5, 6-0 to reach just a second WTA Final – and first at WTA 1000 level.
Graf was also impressive, dropping just one set on her way to the final.
The two-time Indian Wells champion dropped just six games combined to beat Kveta Peschke, Ai Sugiyama, and fourth seed Jana Novotna, before a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Chanda Rubin in the last four.
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Blockbuster battle
The stage was set for a thrilling generational clash – and what followed was a match for the ages.
Known for her power, and in particular her destructive forehand, across her career, Graf found herself unable to match the sheer firepower sent down from the Williams racket at times.
However, despite dropping the opening set, the 29-year-old used all her know-how to peg Williams back, forcing her opponent into a deciding set.
Many could have predicted experience to work to Graf’s advantage at that point – but the American had other ideas.
Williams pounced at the death to prevail 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, sealing just her second of 73 WTA singles titles – and the first of 23 WTA 1000 titles.
What happened next?
Graf and Williams would both go on to claim Grand Slam titles in 1999, though in very different circumstances.
Finding herself an underdog against world No 1 Martina Hingis in the Roland Garros final, Graf battled back in a dramatic – and, at times, controversial – final to seal a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 triumph.
It was her sixth French Open title, 22nd Grand Slam title, and 107th career singles title, and she would go on to reach the Wimbledon final just weeks later, falling to Davenport.
That was the final hurrah of Graf’s career, with the German announcing her sudden retirement from the sport in August 1999.
Less than a month after her final match, Williams would win her first major singles title at the 1999 US Open.
She would go on to dominate the WTA for large parts of the next two decades, matching Graf on 22 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 2016, and then breaking the record with victory at the 2017 Australian Open.
The pair were never destined to have a long rivalry, but their Indian Wells clash – for many reasons – will never be forgotten.
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