Steffi Graf and Monica Seles locked horns in the 1992 French Open final, which is regarded as one of the greatest matches in the history of the claycourt Major. However, the two rivals walked away from the epic match with starkly contrasting emotions.
There was a lot on the line as the top two seeds battled it out in the blockbuster Roland Garros final. Then-World No. 1 Seles was looking to clinch her third consecutive title at the claycourt Major, while Graf attempted to triumph at the event for the first time since 1988.
Monica Seles made a strong start to the final by clinching the opening set 6-2, but Steffi Graf fought back to win the second set and forced a decider. In the riveting 91-minute third set, Graf fended off five match points before the then-18-year-old Seles held her nerve to claim a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 victory.
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Speaking to the press after her impressive triumph, Monica Seles described the intense two-hour and 43-minute contest as the "most emotional" match of her entire career.
"It’s the most emotional match I ever played, not just in a Grand Slam, but in any tournament...It couldn’t have been a better final," Seles said.
Meanwhile, Steffi Graf made it clear that she found no satisfaction in her tremendous effort after ending up on the losing side. Nevertheless, she made sure to give credit to her rival and acknowledged that Seles was a very tough opponent.
"There is no satisfaction," Graf said. "She is definitely a tough one."
Monica Seles also expressed her appreciation for Graf's performance in the final, admitting that they "both deserved to win."
Steffi Graf called out Monica Seles' 'loud' grunt in French Open 1992 final
Following their blockbuster showdown in the 1992 French Open final, Steffi Graf got the opportunity to avenge her loss to Monica Seles in the Wimbledon Championships final just a month later.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated ahead of the title clash, the German called Seles out for being "really loud" with her grunt at Roland Garros and hinted that she might complain to the chair umpire if the situation repeated itself.
"In Paris, Monica [Seles] was really loud. Will I complain here? We will see," Graf said.
As the defending champion, Graf had the edge going into the final against Seles, who was aiming to win her maiden title at SW19. The German likely did not have any cause to complain since she dominated the match, securing a 6-2, 6-1 victory and handing Seles her first loss in a Grand Slam final.
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