Graf Reminds Novotna Exactly Who’s the Boss

As in most workplaces, women’s professional tennis has a glass ceiling: It lies beneath the feet of Steffi Graf.

Many a pretender has careened up the rankings, gathering points and expectations, only to slam into the barrier--the No. 1-ranked Graf.

Jana Novotna had every reason to picture herself behind the desk in her sport’s executive suite. Her ranking had gone from a low of No. 14 in April, to its current No. 3 with a bullet. She had won her last three tournaments. She adopted an upbeat outlook and, as she is now eager to point out, her game has never been better.

Others on the tour have learned to consult with Graf before they go for a mental twirl in the big chair. Graf once again proved her resiliency and blunted Novotna’s furious serve-and-volley attack Saturday. She won, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, and advanced to the final of the Chase Championships, the WTA Tour’s season-ending championship.

Graf will defend her title against 16-year-old Martina Hingis, the equivalent of a kid from the mail room. Hingis defeated Iva Majoli, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, in Saturday’s other semifinal at Madison Square Garden.

Novotna had an inkling her gravy train would be derailed by Graf, since the German has been a stumbling block to success for Novotna’s entire career, beginning with Novotna’s first junior tournament at 14.

“Steffi is my destiny,” Novotna said, laughing ruefully. “That first tournament, there was nobody I knew. The only player I knew or heard about was Steffi Graf. I played her in the first round and I lost to her in three sets. From then on, we have played so many times. I just have to wait until Steffi retires, then I can go ahead for my Grand Slam [title].”

Theirs is one of the longest rivalries on the tour. The two have met every year for 10 years and Graf holds a 26-4 advantage as professionals. Their memorable Wimbledon final in 1993 was the second-longest in the tournament’s history and provided a typically hard-fought result: Graf hung on to win and an emotional Novotna burst into tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent.

Novotna was the last player to beat Graf. Novotna was leading in the final at Philadelphia a week ago when Graf retired with a back injury. Whatever hope Novotna gained from that victory was dashed Saturday as Graf, who started slowly, grew stronger as the match progressed.

Novotna had been crowing in victory Friday night but she was gracious in defeat Saturday.

“I thought it was a spectacular match,” Novotna said. The match was so tight that Novotna actually won more points than Graf, 101-100.

“I gave everything I had, she was just too good at the end. I had my chances in the second and beginning of the third set. There was nothing I could do--in the end she was a better player than I was.”

Although most observers would remark that the match provided thrilling, seldom-seen play at net and pitted two of the most fit and athletic players on tour, Graf was unimpressed.

“I though it was a good match,” she said. “I don’t think it was a great match.”

Graf will take a 4-1 career advantage against Hingis into today’s best-of-five-set match. It was the Swiss teenager who handed Graf a rare defeat this year, on clay at the Italian Open. Graf said she was disgusted with her play there and extracted revenge with a straight-set victory in the semifinals of the U.S. Open.

The ever-cheerful Hingis understood that the loss to Graf in a Grand Slam event was no shame and claims to have learned lessons from it. Call it on-the-job training.