"I took a lot of pills to be able to play" - When Steffi Graf described her difficulties on clay due to shoulder issues

Steffi Graf had an illustrious tennis career during which she won 22 Grand Slam titles, an Open Era record before Serena Williams broke it in 2017.

Like every other tennis player, Graf had her fair share of injuries throughout her career. She had quite a few issues with her shoulder during 1992, with one such instance coming right after her Wimbledon triumph.

Graf, however, helped Germany win the Fed Cup and was able to reach full fitness before the US Open. She started the New York Major with a comprehensive 6-0, 6-2 win over the United States' Halle Cioffi.

Graf spoke about her shoulder in her post-match press conference, stating that it had been fine in the past. The German was asked about the surface she found most difficult to play on due to her shoulder problems, to which she replied that it was clay that bothered her more than any other surface.

Graf stated that playing on the surface "hurt her" after her Wimbledon triumph. The then-World No. 2 also claimed that she took pills during the Fed Cup just so that she would be able to play.

"Clay. I mean, clay really hurt me a lot after coming from the Grand Slam, really very difficult. I mean, during Fed Cup, I took a lot of pills to be able to play, and so the clay was really very difficult. Then to change again from hard courts, just when you change courts, it is really getting difficult," Steffi Graf said.

Graf later went on to register straight-set wins over Pam Shriver, Nanne Dahlman and Maria Labat to reach the quarterfinals of the 1992 US Open before losing 7-6(5), 6-3 to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

The German finished the 1992 season with 71 wins out of 78 matches, adding eight titles to her name.

Steffi Graf won 32 claycourt titles throughout her career

Steffi Graf during the 1996 Wimbledon Championships

Steffi Graf won 32 claycourt titles throughout her glittering career, including six French Open titles.

Her maiden Roland Garros triumph came in 1987, where she beat Martina Navratilova in the final. She successfully defended her title the following year by thrashing Natasha Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in what is regarded to be the shortest Grand Slam final in the Open Era.

Graf lost three out of four French Open finals from 1989-1992 before winning the tournament in 1993, beating Mary Joe Fernandez in the title clash. She also triumphed in 1995 and 1996, defeating Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in the title clash in both years.

Graf's sixth and final Roland Garros crown came in 1999, when she defeated Martina Hingis in the final. This was also her last Grand Slam title.