Tennis legend Steffi Graf's emotional journey to say goodbye to the dying father she was estranged from for years

  • The pair had fallen out when he was sentenced to more than three years in jail in 1997 for tax evasion
  • The fact that Steffi returned from America to say goodbye is seen as proof of a total reconciliation
  • She credited him with driving her to the top of world tennis

By Allan Hall

Published: | Updated:

Wimbledon legend Steffi Graf returned from America to say farewell her dying father days before he passed away from pancreatic cancer.

Peter Graf, 75, died in a clinic in the German city of Mannheim on Saturday.  He was 75.

Steffi and her father, her former coach and ex-manager, were once inseperable and she credited him with driving her to the top of world tennis, winning 22 world titles in a stellar career.

Close: Peter Graf (right), with Steffi, smiling at the US Open in Flushing Meadow, New York, in 1987

Close: Peter Graf (right), with Steffi, smiling at the US Open in Flushing Meadow, New York, in 1987

But the pair fell out when he was sentenced to more than three years in jail in 1997 for tax evasion.

In recent years the pair had come closer together again and her farewell six days before he died was seen as proof of a total reconciliation between them. 

Steffi, 44, is now back in the US by the side of her husband Andre Agassi and their children.

Steffi wrote on her website: ‘Our good father and grandfather, Peter Graf, has gone in peace from us. We grieve quietly and look back on many beautiful moments we spent together.

'We have to thank our father for a very happy childhood and a great sense of family. We wish you all a peaceful holiday season.’

That's my girl: Peter Graf admires one of the seven Wimbledon women's singles trophies that she won

That's my girl: Peter Graf admires one of the seven Wimbledon women's singles trophies that she won

After he died his widow Britta issued this statement on Sunday: ‘After a full life my beloved husband, our good father and grandfather left us peacefully. 

'We remember in our sadness and with great thanks his life and please ask for understanding in our wish to say farewell privately within the family.’

Fellow German tennis star Boris Becker offered his condolences on Twitter, tweeting 'RIP Peter Graf'.

Britta, his second wife, was instructed by him during the week to request doctors to switch off machines that were keeping him alive and this was done early on Saturday.

He slipped into a coma shortly afterwards and died at 1pm.

Happy family: Steffi with husband Andre Agassi (right), their daughter Jaz Elle (left) and son Jaden Gil (second right) at an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings in Miami, Florida, in 2006

Happy family: Steffi with husband Andre Agassi (right), their daughter Jaz Elle (left) and son Jaden Gil (second right) at an NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings in Miami, Florida, in 2006

Steffi was introduced to tennis by Peter when she was just three years old, in 1972. At the time Peter was an aspiring coach and made his living from car and insurance sales.

He had real expertise in tennis, though, and guided Steffi to victory in the European 12s and 18s. There was no looking back after that.

Her father imposed a strict training regime - even limiting her social life to keep her focussed. And it paid huge dividends.

Steffi, with the additional help of coach Pavel Složil, quickly became a major challenger to the dominance of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, with her breakthrough year being 1987, when she won her first grand slam - the French Open.

Her relationship with her father soured enormously in 1995, however, when she was accused of tax evasion by the German authorities.

As her father was her official financial manager, he was held responsible.

After being found guilty, he was sentenced to 45 months in jail, but was released after serving 25.

In 2001, following romances with German tennis player Alexander Mronz and race driver Michael Bartels, Steffi married fellow tennis star Andre Agassi.

They have a son, Jaden Gil, and a daughter, Jaz Elle, born in 2001 and 2003 respectively.






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