JANUARY

Ford Australian Open
Melbourne, Australia

In January, Steffi Graf enters the Ford Australian Open. Steffi is a four time champion at this event. Steffi is also the No. 1 seed. Steffi has missed the event the previous two years because of injury. Steffi is the 4-6 odds on favourite. Steffi opens her 1997 campaign against Janette Husarova. This is the first meeting of the two players. Steffi quickly springs out to a 3-0 lead, and, before long, she is up 4-1. Steffi soon creates a break point opportunity. Husarova approaches the net, and falls badly. As Steffi's backhand pass sails in, Husarova screams in pain. Steffi rushes to the rescue, putting ice on her opponent's knee. Husarova is unable to continue, so Steffi's first match of 1997 is over, 5-1 retd.

In the 2nd round, Steffi faces Latvian, Larisa Neiland. Neiland is a serve/volley specialist, and her game is absolutely perfect at the start. Neiland is soon up 4-0, with Steffi struggling to keep the ball in court. However, Steffi gets it back to 2-4, before Neiland once again surges, and moves into a comanding 5-2 lead. Steffi sees this as her wake-up call, and she saves to two set points, and takes a 6-5 lead. Steffi then plays a perfect game, closing out the set on a brilliant backhand volley. In the second set, Steffi is on top of her game, and, in no time, the match is hers, 7-5, 6-2.

The 3rd round sees a match-up between Steffi and good friend, Ines Gorrochategui. Once again, Steffi gets off to a slow start, losing her serve in the 2nd game. Soon Gorrachategui finds herself at 5-2. Once again, though, Steffi finds her form when it matters most, fighting hard to grind out the first set, 7-5. In the 2nd set, Steffi is far from her best, but on good enough form to take out the Argentinian, 7-5, 6-3.

In the 4th round, Steffi, suffering from a sore foot, a sore back and a fever, takes on 12th seeded Amanda Coetzer of South Africa. As in her previous matches, Steffi soon finds herself down 0-4, and then, 2-5. This time, though, Steffi cannot come back, and Coetzer takes the first set 6-2. The day is becoming progressively hotter, reaching almost 50°C on the court, and Steffi is beginning to suffer from heat stroke. Steffi then moves to 4-0, and 5-2 in the 2nd set, but, by now, the trainer is seen at every changeover - Steffi can't keep up the pace, and Coetzer soon seals victory, 6-2, 7-5.

FINAL RESULTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

After the Australian Open, Peter Graf, Steffi's father, has his trial for tax evasion. He is sentenced to 3yrs9mnths behind bars.

PAN PACIFIC OPEN
TOKYO, JAPAN

After her defeat in Melbourne, Steffi enters the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Japan. Steffi enters the singles event as the No. 1 seed, but she also enters in the doubles event, partnering Pam Shriver. Steffi and Pam win their first match, but they then lose to Martina Hingis and her partner in their second match. In the second round of the singles, Steffi, the No.1 seed, faces American, Lisa Raymond. Steffi is in stunning form, and she puts paid to the American's hopes, 6-3, 6-2.

In the quarterfinals, Steffi faces Iva Majoli, the Croatian clay-court specialist. Steffi has no problems with Majoli, as she dismantles her 6-2, 6-3 in under an hour.

In the semifinals, Steffi faces hard-hitting Brenda Schultz-McCarthy. Brenda had taken out Conchita Martinez 6-1, 6-0 in the previous round, so she looked dangerous. However, she stood absolutely no chance against the great Graf. Steffi won the first set, 6-1. In the 2nd set, Steffi injured her left knee, and just about had to quit. But Steffi toughed it out, and won through to a final against Hingis, 6-1, 7-5.

Steffi's knee injury turns out to be worse than originally thought. She has to forfeit the final against Hingis, because her knee is not in adequate condition to play. This is an incredibly frustrating occurence for Steffi, especially because it will put her out of action until May.

FINAL RESULTS OF THE PAN PACIFIC OPEN

*Does not count as a loss in head to heads or career records.