Steffi Graf, a tennis legend, once openly expressed her views on the pressure of competing on the tennis tour. Her remarks came in response to the concerns about the declining interest and viewership in the sport.

Steffi Graf's Early Career and Rise to Stardom

Graf made her professional debut at a young age of 13 and began steadily climbing the rankings. In 1986, she won her first WTA title at the Family Circle Cup, creating a buzz by defeating Chris Evert 6-4, 7-5 in the final. That season, she went on to claim seven more titles, establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with.Her Grand Slam breakthrough came at the 1987 French Open when she achieved a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 win over Martina Navratilova in the title clash. The following year, she made history by accomplishing the coveted calendar Golden Slam, winning all four Major titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same year.

The Decline in Attendance and Television Ratings

By 1994, Graf had firmly established her dominance on the tour, winning her 15th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. However, this Melbourne Slam saw a significant decline in attendance, with over 31,000 spectators fewer than in previous years. This was accompanied by a drop in television ratings, raising concerns about the future of the sport.Amidst these growing concerns, there were calls for top players to do more to promote tennis. But Graf felt that she was already under too much pressure on tour.In a 1994 interview with Sports Illustrated, the German, who had been competing on the professional circuit since she was a teenager, asserted that she needed time away from tennis.“Look, I need to get away from tennis, not spend more time around it,” Graf said.

Graf's Decision to Retire and Her Post-Retirement Life

Later, Graf revealed that similar feelings led her to make the shocking decision to retire from professional tennis at the age of 30. She said, “I felt a certain satisfaction that I didn’t put tennis in the first place anymore.”Speaking to the press at her farewell ceremony at Madison Square Garden during the year-end championships, the former World No. 1 disclosed that she was now enjoying her “calmer life” after being “ruled” by the tennis schedule during her career.Although Graf won her 22nd Grand Slam title at the 1999 French Open, she realized it was time to end her career after losing to Lindsay Davenport in the Wimbledon final just a month later.“That moment came after Wimbledon, and, you know, it didn’t really hit me at one specific time. It just came gradually, when I started to get ready for the tournaments and I realized that, you know, I wasn’t really getting into it too much. I felt a certain, not emptiness, but I felt a certain satisfaction that I, you know, didn’t put tennis in the first place anymore,” Graf said.