GABRIELA’S GLORY

Gabriela Sabatini’s breakthrough US Open title victory still resonates 30 years later.

By Erik Gudris

The year was 1990. In women’s tennis, Steffi Graf still ruled the WTA tour. Monica Seles claimed her first major title at the French Open. Sabatini quickly rose to a careerhigh No. 3 in the world. Young American Jennifer Capriati was fast becoming a rising star. But there was still one player who had yet to enjoy success at the majors - Gabriela Sabatini.

When the US Open rolled around in the late summer of 1990, the Argentinian star was not exactly top of mind to win the last Grand Slam event of that year. That despite Sabatini being a constant fixture of women’s tennis by that point. At age 15, she burst onto the scene by becoming the youngest player ever to reach the French Open semifinals. Sabatini quickly rose to a career high number three in the world a few years later. That climb included winning the WTA Championships in 1988 and also the silver medal at the Seoul Olympics earlier that year.

Nicknamed “ The Pearl of the Pampas” by famed tennis writer Bud Collins, she became a fan favorite with her extreme topspin backspin backhand and steady baseline game. But the consensus was that she might finally find Grand Slam success on the red clay of Paris. That prediction lingered despite Sabatini’s record of having reaching the US Open final in 1988 and the semifinals the next year. Despite that, very few thought Sabatini would be a factor in the final rounds once main draw play got underway in Flushing Meadows.

Navratilova and Seles lost early in the event, leaving the door open for a surprise player to reach the finals. Sabatini found herself facing Mary Joe Fernandez in the semifinals. That encounter, which saw Sabatini trail early, forced Sabatini to use serve and volley to eventually walk away with a hardearned 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win. After the match, Sabatini announced her new confidence by saying “I’ve worked very hard before coming here and I think I’ll be in good shape. I think (that) I’m ready to beat Steffi.”

She played an awfully good match. She played very well, Graf said to Tony Trabert during the trophy ceremony. A bold statement indeed as the World No. 1 Graf entered the final as the overwhelming favorite.

Many hoped that Graf and Sabatini would become the next great tennis rivalry, but it never happened. Graf enjoyed a then 17-3 head to head record against Sabatini who she won the Wimbledon doubles title with back in 1988. But Graf herself was trying to navigate through an up and down year herself. After winning the Australian Open in January, Graf battled with injuries off and on in the season, and then she had to endure a falling out with her father Peter Graf over his alleged marital infidelities. Graf hoped adding another New York championship to her stellar resume would, in some part, salvage the year.

Two years earlier in 1998, Graf defeated Sabatini in the women’s final to not only win the US Open, but also clinch the elusive calendar year Grand Slam of winning all four majors. This time though, Sabatini decided that she would try and take control early in the match and not let go.

Graf struggled with errors in the first set while Sabatini played confident tennis from both the baseline and particularly up at net with Graf having difficulty passing the long armed Argentinian.

Sabatini soon closed out the set 6-2. Continuing her momentum, Sabatini went up a break in the second set and soon served for the match up 5-4. But Graf managed to break back for 5-5, and then hold for 6-5. Was Sabatini going to let her nemesis back in and possibly find a way for a comeback win? Not at all. The second set entered a tiebreak and Sabatini never allowed Graf a chance as Sabatini raced through the tiebreak, winning six out of the seven last points, finishing the match with a forehand passing shot winner. The US Open was hers with a triumphant 6-2, 7-6(4) win.

When Sabatini raised her hands in victory, her expression was one of joy, relief, and satisfaction. Especially considering just a few weeks before, very few would have predicted the result.

It’s very hard for me to talk right now,” Sabatini said during the ceremony. “I can’t believe I won this tournament. I’ve been dreaming a lot it win it. I can’t believe it came true today.

Sabatini’s career enjoyed a boost after her US Open victory. She reached the Wimbledon final the following year in 1991 and several more major semifinals. She would also go on to win the WTA finals a few years later in 1994. Before retiring in 1996, Sabatini won 41 career titles, reached a career high No. 3 in the world, and still retains the Open Era record of having the most wins of No. 1 players, though never having reaching number one herself. Post tennis, Sabatini has kept very busy including launching and overseeing a very successful business in perfumes and cosmetics. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

Sabatini’s desire to win, and her willingness to try a new approach to her game, is something every player, at every level, can learn from. That’s why Sabatini’s exciting, surprising, and satisfying run to the US Open title will be remembered as one of the all-time great accomplishments in tennis.