"Steffi Graf doesn't approve of Martina Navratilova's lifestyle, she has no time for that" - When German's father spoke on her relationship with rival

Steffi Graf's father once shed light on his daughter's frosty relationship with her arch-rival, Martina Navratilova.

In their 11th meeting among 18 tour-level encounters, Graf and Navratilova faced off in the 1988 Wimbledon Championships final. After suffering a straight-sets loss to Navratilova the previous year, the German turned the tables in the 1988 final, claiming a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory.

This not only marked Graf's maiden title at SW19 but also prevented the Czech-American from winning her seventh consecutive title at the grasscourt Major.

Soon after Steffi Graf's triumph, her father, Peter, revealed that the German harbored no warm sentiments towards Navratilova, emphasizing that they had nothing in common beyond tennis.

"Steffi just doesn't have any personal feelings of great affection for Navratilova. They don't meet. They don't have any contact. Why should they? Apart from tennis they have nothing in common," he said (via Deseret News).

He stated that although Graf had never explicitly expressed her liking for the Czech-American to him, she had communicated her disapproval of Navratilova's lifestyle.

"You would have to ask Steffi if she likes Martina. But I'm her father and she has never told me that she does. What she does tell me is that she doesn't approve of her lifestyle - she has no time for that at all," he added.

Peter Graf went on to say that while his daughter respected Navratilova's tennis skills, she didn't particularly admire her. He also disclosed that they were not friends, a dynamic he didn't expect Graf to want to alter.

"I would not even say Steffi admires her. She has respect for good tennis, but it's no more than that. They are not friends and I'm sure Steffi doesn't feel she needs to change that," he said.

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Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova locked horns in three consecutive Wimbledon finals

Steffi Graf defeated Martina Navratilova in the 1989 Wimbledon final

Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova locked horns in 18 tour-level encounters, with each of them claiming nine wins apiece. However, Navratilova held a slight edge in their matches at Grand Slam tournaments, winning five of their nine clashes.

Three of their nine encounters at the Majors took place in consecutive Wimbledon finals. They first clashed at the grass court Major in the 1987 final, where Navratilova claimed her sixth straight title at SW19 by defeating the German 7-5, 6-3.

The German turned the tide in their subsequent Wimbledon finals. In 1988, she defeated Navratilova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to clinch her maiden title at SW19. Steffi Graf then went on to successfully defend her title in 1989, claiming a 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1 victory.