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She completed one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history when she beat Steffi Graf in the first round

21 JUN 1994:  STEFFI GRAF OF GERMANY EN ROUTE TO A TWO SET LOSS TO LORI MCNEIL OF THE USA ON DAY 2 OF THE 1994 WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIP. Mandatory Cr...
21 JUN 1994: STEFFI GRAF OF GERMANY EN ROUTE TO A TWO SET LOSS TO LORI MCNEIL OF THE USA ON DAY 2 OF THE 1994 WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONSHIP. Mandatory Cr...
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Steffi Graf is one of the most dominant players in the history of tennis.

Graf is one of the greatest of all time, winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles in her career.

She is also the last player to have achieved the Calendar Grand Slam, and did so in the same year as winning Olympic gold.

The German superstar headed into Wimbledon in 1994 as the big favourite once again, but was stunned in the first round.

LORI MCNEIL OF THE UNITED STATES PLAYS A FOREHAND SHOT DURING HER FIRST ROUND MATCH AGAINST STEFFI GRAF OF GERMANY AT THE 1994 WIMBLEDON TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS.
21 JUN 1994: LORI MCNEIL OF THE UNITED STATES PLAYS A FOREHAND SHOT DURING HER FIRST ROUND MATCH AGAINST STEFFI GRAF OF GERMANY AT THE 1994 WIMBLEDON TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS. MCNEIL DEFEATED THE NUMBER 1 SEED GRAF.

Lori McNeil completed one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history when she beat Steffi Graf

Graf came into the 1994 edition of Wimbledon as the top seed and three-time defending champion, making her the big favourite to win the title once again.

She would be drawn to face world number 22 American Lori McNeil, who Graf had beaten in eight of their nine previous matches.

However, McNeil had won their most recent meeting in New York and appeared to carry that momentum forward into Wimbledon.

This enabled her to produce one of the biggest shocks in Wimbledon history, as McNeil beat Graf 7-5 7-6(5) to bring an end to her dominance at the grass court major.

McNeil’s victory is still looked back on to this day, and in 2014 she spoke to the Wimbledon Championships about that match.

Despite being the heavy underdog, McNeil actually went on to reveal that she had a good feeling about her chances going into that match.

“I felt comfortable playing her,” said McNeil. “She was an aggressive baseline player but I knew I couldn’t beat her from there. I enjoyed coming to the net and our games matched up well.

“I had good feelings that day. I had a bunch of friends from home in town, like ten of them so we had a pretty full house.

“I’m not much of a cook so after we had breakfast I remember doing a lot of washing up! Wimbledon starts late for a Slam so the mornings are more relaxed. I felt good. And then we just walked down from the house near Wimbledon Park, in Southfields.”

How far did Lori McNeil go at Wimbledon in 1994?

While McNeil’s victory over Graf felt like the big talking point of her tournament, it was only the start for her.

She would go on to beat the likes of Yone Kamio, Kristie Boogert, Florencia Labat and Larisa Neiland to reach just her second Grand Slam semi-final.

McNeil would win the first set of her semi-final match against Conchita Martinez, and was only two points away from reaching the Wimbledon final.

Wimbledon 1994Lori McNeil’s Result
First RoundMcNeil beat Steffi Graf (1), 7-5 7-6(5)
Second RoundMcNeil beat Yone Kamio, 6-3 6(5)-7 6-3
Third RoundMcNeil beat Kristie Boogert, 6-2 6-4
Fourth RoundMcNeil beat Florencia Labat, 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Quarter-final McNeil beat Larisa Neiland, 6-3 6-4
Semi-finalConchita Martinez (3) beat McNeil, 3-6 6-2 10-8

Unfortunately for McNeil she would eventually lose to Martinez, who would go on to win the Wimbledon title that year.

While this was a hugely shocking defeat for Graf, she would return to regain the Wimbledon title just a year later.