Steffi Graf made a Grand Slam prediction about Serena and Venus Williams back in 2004.
The German brought her illustrious tennis career to an end in 1999, with 22 Grand Slam tiles to her name.
She surpassed the likes of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who have 18 majors each, and only Margaret Court had more at the time of Graf’s retirement.
But Graf went down to third on the all-time list when Serena won her 23rd and final Grand Slam after capturing the 2017 Australian Open.
Steffi Graf made a 2004 prediction about Venus and Serena Williams with contrasting results
In 2004, five years after the retirement of Steffi Graf, Venus and Serena Williams were already multiple-time Grand Slam champions.
Serena, 43, had six majors to her name, while elder sister Venus, 44, had lifted four Grand Slam titles.
Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004, and while there she predicted that the Williams sisters were the players most likely to catch her haul of 22 majors.
“There’s certainly so much talent out there. You can see it probably with Serena and Venus Williams,” Graf said. “They have got incredible talent. They are physically so strong.
“You know, it’s a matter of, also, the desire and there’s a lot of options for young girls, you know, if it’s attractive enough to stay around tennis as long.
“But I think that the talent is out there. It’s a question of desire, as well as physically how they are able to keep up.”
Graf was half correct, as Williams went on to win 23 Grand Slams, while Venus sits on seven majors, which is still the highest from all active players on the WTA Tour.
Did Steffi Graf beat Serena and Venus Williams during her career?
Graf managed to share the court with both Venus and Serena before she retired from tennis.
She played Serena on two occasions in 1999, and the two tennis icons claimed one victory each. Graf won their Sydney last 16 encounter, while Serena won the Indian Wells Masters final.
Graf played Venus five times, and she emerged victorious on three occasions. Their first encounter came in 1996, which Graf won 6-4, 6-4 in Manhattan beach.
She also won their match in Sydney, and won their last meetup at the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, the last major of Graf’s career.
Venus meanwhile, claimed two wins over Graf that season, at the Hanover and the Lipton Championships in Florida.
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