"When I played Steffi Graf it was just a dream come true" - When Serena Williams revealed the word that came to mind while thinking of German legend

Serena Williams once shared her opinion on Steffi Graf, revealing that her feelings about the German legend could be summed up in one word. The American also disclosed how it felt to face Graf on the court.

Williams produced a strong campaign at the 2008 Miami Open after entering the tournament as the eighth seed. After beating the likes of Flavia Pennetta, top seed Justine Henin and Svetlana Kuznetsova, she claimed a 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 win over Jelena Jankovic in the final. In doing so, the American secured her fifth title at the event and tied Graf's record.

At a press conference during her run in Miami, Serena Williams spoke about how it was a dream come true for her to have faced Steffi Graf on the court. The American praised Graf for her legendary achievements, which included winning 22 Grand Slam titles and completing the calendar year Golden Slam.

Williams also revealed that "greatest" was the first word that came to mind when she thought of the German. She went on to describe Graf as an incredible person both on and off the court and expressed gratitude for the chance to witness her greatness in person.

"I mean, Steffi Graff, what could - I mean, when I played her it was just like a dream come true. She was, hands down, one of the greatest players. One of the few players to win a Golden Slam: All the Grand Slams and the Olympics," Serena Williams said.

"Yeah, you know, when I think of Steffi Graff, I just think of the greatest. She had the greatest footwork ever. She was so focused all the time. She was a great player, you know, both on and off the court that I had a chance to experience, and it was just an amazing experience. She was just awesome," she added.

Serena Williams only had two opportunities to lock horns with Steffi Graf, with both matches taking place in the German's final year on tour. Graf claimed a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 victory in their first encounter at the 1999 Sydney International, while Williams won 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the Indian Wells final later that year.

Andre Agassi revealed how his wife Steffi Graf felt about Serena Williams surpassing her Grand Slam record

Serena Williams with the 2017 Australian Open trophy - Source: Getty

Serena Williams made history at the 2017 Australian Open, breaking Steffi Graf's longstanding Open Era record of 22 Grand Slam titles by clinching her 23rd Major. Speaking to The Guardian that year, Andre Agassi revealed how his wife really felt about her record being broken.

The American said that Graf was largely disconnected from the tennis world and had only regarded the achievement as important out of obligation and respect for Williams.

"It has no relevance in her world. The hardest part of Serena chasing down those numbers was respecting the game. Steffi doesn’t want people to feel she doesn’t care about tennis," Agassi said.

"She cares but she’s so disconnected. Every time she was asked she felt obligated to put importance on it for the sake of tennis and an incredible champion in Serena," he added.

Despite her apparent indifference, Steffi Graf was always very supportive of Serena Williams. The American once shared how valuable Graf's backing was when she was attempting to win the Calendar Slam in 2015.