The first Steffi Graf vs Venus Williams match was in the third round of the Acura Classic in Manhattan Beach, California in 1996 with Steffi winning the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
In total, they played each other five times on the WTA Tour with Graf leading their head-to-head 3-2.
The last time they played each other was in the quarterfinals of the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, with Graf winning the match in three sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-4).
Steffi Graf vs Venus Williams
| S.Graf | vs | V.Williams |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Year born | 1980 |
| German | Nationality | American |
| 3 | Matches won | 2 |
| 60% (3/5) | Winning Percentage | 40% (2/5) |
| 2 | Hard courts | 1 |
| 0 | Carpet | 1 |
| 0 | Clay | 0 |
| 1 | Grass | 0 |
| 0 | Finals | 0 |
| 1 | Grand Slams | 0 |
Grand Slams
Steffi and Venus only played each other once in a grand slam tournament (Quarterfinals of the 1999 Wimbledon Championships), with Graf winning their only grand slam match in three sets (6-2 3-6 6-4).
Steffi would go on to lose to Lindsay Davenport in the 1999 Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles final (4-6, 5-7).
Head to Head by Court Surface
Three of their matches were played on hard courts, one was on grass, and one was on carpet.
They never played each other in a clay court tournament.
Hard Courts
They played each other a total of three times on hard courts with Steffi leading their H2H on this court surface 2-1.
| Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Miami Open | Semifinals | V.Williams | 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1999 | Sydney International | Quarterfinals | S.Graf | 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 |
| 1996 | Acura Classic | 3rd Round | S.Graf | 6-4, 6-4 |
Grass Courts
Their match in the quarterfinals of the 1999 Wimbledon Championships was their only meeting on grass.
Steffi won their only grass court match in three sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-4) to lead their grass court H2H 1-0.
Carpet Courts
Their only match on a carpet court was in the semifinals of the Faber Grand Prix in Hanover in 1999. Venus won the match in three sets 6-3 3-6 6-3.
Matches Played per Year
Below is a summary of the matches between Steffi and Venus in their tennis careers.
As Steffi was coming to the end of her career when Venus was just starting hers, they only ended up playing each other a total of five times, over a four year period (once in 1996 and four times in 1999).
| Year | Matches | Graf Wins | V.Williams Wins | H2H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | – | 1-0 |
| 1997 | – | – | – | 1-0 |
| 1998 | – | – | – | 1-0 |
| 1999 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3-2 |
1999 Wimbledon Quarterfinals (Highlights)
Below is a highlights video from the official Wimbledon YouTube channel of their classic match in the quarterfinals of the 1999 Wimbledon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times did they play each other?
They played each other a total of five times (1996 Acura Classic, 1999 Sydney International, 1999 Faber Grand Prix, 1999 Miami Masters, and 1999 Wimbledon).
When did they first play each other?
Their first match was at the Acura Classic in 1996, with Steffi winning the match in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Did they ever play each other on grass?
Yes, they played each other once on grass (1999 Wimbledon Quarterfinals), with Steffi winning in three sets 6-2 3-6 6-4.