Steffi Graf faced a difficult period in her career when her father, Peter Graf, was arrested for tax fraud. He was accused of evading 12.3 million Deutsche Marks in taxes, leading to a prison sentence of three years and nine months. However, he was released early in April 1998.
In a 2000 interview, Graf recalled how she learned about her father’s arrest. She had just landed from Atlanta for knee therapy when she was informed by her brother, Michael. The news came as a shock, adding to the challenges she already faced in her professional and personal life.
Despite these distractions, Graf remained one of the most accomplished women’s singles players in tennis history. She won 22 Grand Slam titles, ranking just behind Serena Williams’ 23 in the Open Era. Her resilience on and off the court cemented her legacy as one of the sport’s greatest athletes.
