Peter Graf Says That Steffi Won Wimbledon Playing With Injuries

Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf played the tournament with shoulder, wrist and arm injuries and would have pulled out of any lesser event, her father said Monday.

“She was hurt before the tournament started,” Peter Graf said. “If it had been any other event, there is no way she would have played.”

Peter Graf said his daughter turned down a painkilling injection before beating Gabriela Sabatini, 6-4, 3-6, 8-6, in Saturday’s championship match.

It was Graf’s first Grand Slam title in 18 months. During that time, she was troubled by injuries, illness and publicity over a paternity suit against her father.

Graf’s coach, Pavel Slozil, said Graf was so depressed early this year that she thought about quitting the sport.

“The first--and only time, I hope--that she thought seriously about it was after the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in February,” Slozil said. “She lost to Sabatini after a bad Australian Open and wasn’t happy about the future.”

Slozil said he told Graf to be patient, that her play would improve.

“We told her that she was playing well in practice and that it would come,” Slozil said. “You have to be very patient. Some people panic too easily.”