Friday, July 18, 2025
Home Tenis "I was never a tennis mother, tennis was never my world" -...

“I was never a tennis mother, tennis was never my world” – When Steffi Graf’s mother Heidi opened up about her surprisingly unambitious nature

Steffi Graf needs no introduction in the tennis world, and neither does her father, Peter, who, despite being caught up in several scandals, always stood by her publicly. But it was her mother, Heidi, who, while supportive of her daughter, once admitted that she found tennis incredibly boring.

Ad

Heidi Graf was a tennis player herself in her younger days and had shown promise at the club level. However, she had to give up the sport after developing severe back problems following the birth of her younger child, Michael. The condition got so serious that she once underwent a risky surgery with just a 50% chance of avoiding paralysis.

Unlike her husband, who introduced their daughter Steffi to tennis, Heidi chose to remain in the background. Though she occasionally watched her daughter play from the stands, such appearances were rare.

Ad

In a 2000 interview with Talk Tennis, she candidly revealed the reason: she found tennis boring, despite being supportive of Steffi Graf’s success. She said:

“I was never a tennis mother. Tennis was never my world. It wasn’t always very exciting to watch a ball being hit back and forth for hours on end. I was able to tell the score, but that was it. The reason I went to the tournaments was that I wanted to be with Steffi.”

Ad

“The nicest success for me is not Steff’s fame, but how in the past three years she has become a woman. The way she has overcome all of the pressure makes me incredibly proud of my daughter,” she added.

Heidi also made it clear just how much she despised the spotlight, revealing that she often went to great lengths to avoid being seen by paparazzi, doing everything she could to stay unnoticed and protect her privacy.

Ad

Steffi Graf's mother Heidi: “The paparazzi pursued us so much that I let myself be smuggled into the boot of the car”

Steffi Graf | Image Source: Getty
Steffi Graf | Image Source: Getty

Steffi Graf's mother, Heidi, in her 2000 interview with Talk Tennis, openly expressed her discomfort with fame and the constant attention that came with her daughter’s success. Reflecting on the media frenzy, she said:

Ad

“It was very, very difficult for me to be in the public eye. I never got used to that. I’m not the sort of person who likes to be in the foreground. The constant click-click-click of the cameras. I hated that noise. It was always as if you were under a microscope. The headlines, the fans in front of the house. The paparazzi.”

Ad

She went on to reveal the extreme lengths she took to avoid being seen, including hiding in the boot of her car to sneak out of the house and even driving at night with her headlights off.

“The paparazzi. They pursued us so much that sometimes I let myself be smuggled into the boot of the car in our driveway, or, if I was driving out at night, I wouldn’t put the headlights on so that no one saw me. Then they shone huge spotlights on me in the car! I wouldn’t wish that whole business on my worst enemy,” she said.

While Peter Graf passed away in 2013, Heidi Graf is still alive and doing well. She currently resides in Summerlin, Las Vegas, where Steffi lives with her husband, Andre Agassi. The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s brother, Michael, also lives there.

What are Andre Agassi-Steffi Graf’s children doing now? Everything to know about Jaz & Jaden Agassi

Quick Links

Edited by Pritha Ghosh
RELATED ARTICLES

Serena Williams flexes abs in mirror selfie moments after posting vacation photos with her squad

Even after retirement, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is working on her body, maintaining herself in top shape. Williams retired from tennis in Aug. 2022. She's currently in the middle of a vacation with her girl gang. Ad On Thursday, Williams poses in front of a mirror, flexing her abs in a white overall

“They play slower”-Patrick Mouratoglou & Nick Kyrgios weigh in comparisons between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s game with Sinner and Alcaraz

Coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Australian player Nick Kyrgios discussed Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz's tennis with the prime Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. While Mouratoglou sided with the new generation players for their speed, Kyrgios backed the luminaries. Ad Patrick Mouratoglou, who has been coaching Naomi Osaka since 2024 and served as the legendary Serena

PICTURES: Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend Ayan Broomfield rocks one-piece outfit in highlights with Sephora make-up artist Patrick

Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend, Ayna Broomfield, recently wore a trendy outfit in a shoot with Sephora's make-up artist, Patrick TA, one of the co-founders of Sephora. However, he has recently launched another brand, Patrick TA Beauty. Ad Tiafoe was last seen in action at Wimbledon, which did not pan out as expected. The American fell short

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Portland Trail Blazers depth chart after Damian Lillard reunion in blockbuster move

It's a day for Portland Trail Blazers fans to celebrate. Damian Lillard will return to the Blazers after signing a three-year, $42 million contract, Shams Charania of ESPN reported. At the beginning of NBA free agency, the Milwaukee Bucks released Lillard to make room for center Myles Turner. Ad Charania revealed that other teams in

Cooper Flagg thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo has reached “unc” status

In a few months, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg will be walking into a league filled with veterans with 10 or more years of pro experience. It was only fitting, then, that Flagg would consider one of the NBA's best players to be a certified "unc." Ad Appearing in a video montage posted by Bleacher

Giannis Antetokounmpo jokingly threatens his wife with divorce after she goes live on Instagram following Damian Lillard’s Portland move

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo jokingly threatened to divorce his wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger, on Thursday. The funny incident happened after she had gone live on Instagram, following Damian Lillard's move to Portland. Ad The hilarious moment between the couple had unfolded after a disagreement about a cockroach in the closet. Riddlesprigger grabbed her husband’s phone

Serena Williams flexes abs in mirror selfie moments after posting vacation photos with her squad

Even after retirement, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is working on her body, maintaining herself in top shape. Williams retired from tennis in Aug. 2022. She's currently in the middle of a vacation with her girl gang. Ad On Thursday, Williams poses in front of a mirror, flexing her abs in a white overall

Recent Comments