“She started screaming at us,” Steffi Graf’s relationship with Michael Bartels revisited as German tennis photographer delves into an unappealing interaction with the former world number 1

Rick Macci labels Steffi Graf as the player with the fastest control of points.

“She started screaming at us,” Steffi Graf’s relationship with Michael Bartels revisited as German tennis photographer delves into an unappealing interaction with the former world number 1

Steffi Graff plays during The Pickleball Slam 2 at Hard Rock Live (Via IMAGO)

Veteran tennis photojournalist Juergen Hasenkopf reveals how his passion for the sport almost got him into trouble with Steffi Graf and her ex-boyfriend Michael Bartels.

Hasenkopf has been a photojournalist for five decades. He has covered the evolution of the sport from when Graf turned pro in 1982 to this present generation of players. Witnessing and covering matches of the likes of Roger Federer, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, and many others. The 73-year-old, despite his age still follows the sport like he did when he began. However, he once faced the ire of a 22-time Grand Slam while on the job.

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Narrating to Khaleej Times, Hasenkopf said he was once asked by Bunte Magazine to go cover Graf’s practice at Long Island in New York, where she trained for the US Open. On getting there, Graf’s mother told him that her daughter wouldn’t talk to him. After the US Open began, he and a fellow German journalist went shopping in Chinatown. But later, they decided to take a walk to Graf’s penthouse where she was staying with her ex-boyfriend Michael Bartels.

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Steffi Graf (L), Juergen Hasenkopf (R) via Tennis News 
And all hell broke loose when Steffi came out and saw us. She started screaming at us. I was like ‘What’s wrong with you? We are just here, we don’t have cameras'.She was having some trouble with her father during that time, and she was always worried that journalists would ask her about her personal life.
Juergen Hasenkopf via Khaleej Times

Graf had an incredible career. She is the only player in tennis history to achieve the Golden Slam, an excellent record by winning all four Grand Slams in a year.

Rick Macci labels Steffi Graf as the player with the fastest control of points

Serena Williams‘ former coach, Rick Macci has hailed Steffi Graf as the player with the fastest control of points. Graf was rated as the best player in the late 80’s and 90’s following her 22 Grand Slam wins. The German’s record was broken by Serena Williams, with 23.

Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf (via Imago)
The best WTA player of all time who got control of the point the fastest was by far Steffi Graf. Her inside-out forehand with Extra pepper and her Skidding Low crosscourt slice set the Stage to turn the Page was a deadly Combination the best of her Generation.
Rick Macci via X

Graf retired in 1999 winning 107 singles titles, including 22 major titles and an Olympic gold, making her one of the most decorated WTA players of all time.

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