"Steffi Graf's father is at the centre of a sex scandal, she is concerned with her own health" - When Chris Evert spoke on her 'compassion' for German

Chris Evert once empathized with Steffi Graf as she navigated through several difficult situations, including an injury and a paternity scandal involving her father, Peter Graf.

In 1990, Steffi encountered numerous challenges that significantly impacted her season. Despite making a strong start to the year by winning her ninth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, the German faced a setback after injuring her thumb in a skiing incident in Switzerland.

Soon after her return to the tour post-injury, Steffi Graf was forced to deal with the German publication Bild running a series of stories targeting her father Peter Graf, based on accusations made by Nicole Meissner, a model who claimed that Peter was the father of her child.

The incessant questions from reporters regarding this situation took an emotional toll on the German, even causing her to break down in tears during a press conference at the Wimbledon Championships.

The scandal seemingly also had a detrimental impact on her on-court performance, as she suffered losses in crucial matches. The German lost the French Open final to Monica Seles, failed to defend her Wimbledon title, and was defeated in the US Open final by Gabriela Sabatini. Consequently, she also slipped down the rankings.

Chris Evert, who had transitioned into a commentary role after retiring from the sport in 1989, observed that Steffi Graf appeared to be carrying the world on her shoulders while dealing with her father's paternity scandal and her personal health. She commended Steffi for navigating these challenges with remarkable grace and dignity.

"Steffi seems to have the world on her shoulders. Her father is at the center of a sex scandal. She is concerned with her own health. I admire Steffi, for emerging with great dignity while dealing with factors outside her control," she said.

Evert further suggested that Steffi Graf's tribulations had humanized her in the public eye, which resulted in the American and others feeling a sense of "compassion" for her.

"People are looking at Steffi differently now. She's not some cold-hearted German machine. There are considerable human feelings, and everyone is feeling compassion for her," she said.

Chris Evert also expressed her hope for Steffi Graf to regain her peak efficiency in the future.

"I'm pulling for Steffi to get back to peak efficiency. Who knows what will happen now in her life, including her father's situation? There's a world of talent in this woman, but only time will reveal what the Graf future focus will be," she added.

Looking back at Steffi Graf and Chris Evert's rivalry

Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf and Chris Evert locked horns in 13 tour-level encounters, with the German enjoying a narrow 7-6 lead in their head-to-head record. Evert dominated their rivalry initially, triumphing in their first six meetings without dropping a set.

The American defeated Graf 6-4, 6-2 in the 1985 Miami Open semifinals. That same year, she also emerged victorious against the German in the Hilton Head semifinals, the Berlin final, and the fourth round of the French Open. Evert went on to triumph over the German in the Miami Open final and the Key Biscayne final in 1986.

Steffi Graf claimed her first win over the American in the 1986 Hilton Head final, securing a 6-4, 7-5 victory. Subsequently, she emerged victorious against Evert in the Miami Open final and the Los Angeles final in 1987. Evert won her maiden Australian Open title in 1988 by beating Evert 6-1, 7-6(3) in the final. Later that year, she defeated the American 6-4, 6-4 in the Miami Open final.

Graf then claimed a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Evert in the 1989 Boca Raton final. She also triumphed over the American in their last meeting on tour, defeating her 6-2, 6-1 in the 1989 Wimbledon Championships semifinal.