On October 1, 1988, Steffi Graf made sports history by completing the first and only Golden Slam in tennis. At just 19 years old, Graf achieved this extraordinary feat by winning all four Grand Slam titles—Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open—and capping off her year with the gold medal at the Seoul Summer Olympics.
The term “Golden Slam” was coined to capture the enormity of winning all four majors in a calendar year and an Olympic gold in tennis. No player, male or female, had ever accomplished this before, and none have done so since. Graf’s Golden Slam remains a unique milestone that highlights her dominance on every surface—hard court, clay, and grass—and her ability to perform under the highest pressure.
Graf began her incredible run in January at the Australian Open. There, she dismantled her opposition, eventually defeating Chris Evert in straight sets in the final, 6-1, 7-6. This set the tone for the year, showing that Graf was entering a level of dominance previously unseen in the women’s game.
The French Open in May was another platform where Graf excelled. In one of the most one-sided finals in Grand Slam history, she defeated Natasha Zvereva in a mere 32 minutes, winning 6-0, 6-0. This utter demolition underscored Graf’s form on clay and demonstrated just how far ahead of her competitors she was.
Her triumph at Wimbledon in July was equally memorable, especially because she overcame one of her fiercest rivals, Martina Navratilova, in the final. Navratilova had been the reigning queen of Wimbledon, winning six consecutive titles from 1982 to 1987. But Graf toppled her in three sets, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, proving that she could conquer the grass courts too. This victory signaled a seismic shift in women’s tennis as Graf took the reins from Navratilova.
By the time the US Open rolled around in September, Graf had already cemented her status as the best player in the world. However, the pressure of completing a calendar Grand Slam weighed heavily on her. Despite this, Graf showed no signs of nerves, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the final. With that win, she became only the third woman in history, after Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court, to achieve a calendar Grand Slam.
But Graf’s year wasn’t over yet. At the Seoul Olympics, tennis was making a return as a full medal sport for the first time since 1924. Graf entered the competition as the clear favorite, and she delivered in spectacular fashion. In the final, she again faced Gabriela Sabatini and defeated her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, to claim the gold medal.
Steffi Graf’s Golden Slam was a crowning achievement in a career that would see her win 22 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any player in the Open Era until Serena Williams matched her tally. However, no one has been able to replicate Graf’s 1988 Golden Slam, making it one of the most extraordinary accomplishments in sports history.