Appelmans Admits Seles and Graf Were a Cut Above

Sabine Appelmans says she has no regrets about failing to reach the same heights as Steffi Graff and Monica Seles.

09:17 19 January 2022

Sabine Appelmans says she has no regrets about failing to reach the same heights as Steffi Graff and Monica Seles.

 

The former Belgian tennis star enjoyed a 13-year career in the professional ranks, winning seven WTA titles between 1988 and 2001.

 

However, success at Grand Slam level eluded Appelmans, with her run to the quarter-finals of the 1997 Australian Open the furthest she managed to progress.

 

Her experience in the sport is mirrored by many of today’s top players, with only a select handful able to break the glass ceiling in Grand Slam events.

 

That point is perfectly highlighted by the latest Australian Open odds on betting sites for the women’s singles tournament, with Ashleigh Barty and Naomi Osaka dominating proceedings. 

 

This has been a feature of women’s tennis for the past few decades, with a small number of players enjoying periods of dominance at Grand Slam level.

 

The Williams sisters were the dominant force during the early part of the 21st century, replacing Steffi Graf and Monica Seles at the pinnacle of the sport and driving up popularity of women’s tennis in the era of tennis streaming and video highlights easily available on YouTube.

 

Graf (22) and Seles (9) won 31 Grand Slam singles titles between them during an era where Appelmans struggled desperately to keep pace.

 

Her failure to beat Seles during her career demonstrated how difficult it was for the former world number 16 to compete at the top level. However, Appelmans has nothing but admiration for Seles.

 

“She was such a fighter on the court,” said Appelmans. “She played everything with two hands and got to all the balls, bringing everything back.

 

“I enjoyed playing her but I never beat her, so that was a tough opponent.”

 

While Appelmans was unable to get the better of Seles, she did have the honour of recording a notable victory over Graf in Hanover in 1998.

 

That was the only time Appelmans beat Graf in four attempts, and she rates the German as the toughest opponent she ever faced.

 

“Steffi was so complete, she was like an icon to me,” she added. “I looked up to her. She had an unbelievable forehand and unbelievable footwork as well.

 

“I remember playing her for the first time and only winning one game, so that was very tough.”

 

While Appelmans’ run to the last eight in Melbourne in 1997 was her standout performance in Grand Slams, she probably should have progressed further.

 

She breezed through the first set against Mary Pierce, before being reeled in by the French player who sealed a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

 

Her compatriot Dominique Monami also progressed to the quarter-finals that year, thus laying the foundations for other Belgian players to shine.

 

Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin subsequently showed that pair how it should be done by winning 11 Grand Slam women’s singles titles between them.

 

While Appelmans looks back fondly on her rivalry with Monami, she admits that she found it tough whenever they met in tournaments.

 

“We were very close in the rankings and we were good friends, but we also had to play each other on the court,” she said.

 

“It was not always easy playing someone else from Belgium and also with somebody you’re very close with.”