Peter Graf Passes Away

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 2nd December 2013

Peter Graf Passes Away |

Peter Graf, the tennis father who alienated the rest of the game to ensure his daughter Steffi became the very best and ended up alienating her as well has died of pancreatic cancer in Germany aged 75.

Graf, who died in Mannheim, first identified Steffi’s talent when she was only three years-old and five years later gave up his job to become her coach and then manager.

Steffi ostracized her father for his extra-marital activities and mismanagement of her business affairs but the pair grew closer again in recent years and her hospital bedside farewell six days before he died was seen as proof of a total reconciliation.

She was back home in Las Vegas at the time of her father’s death but a statement from Steffi and her brother Michael Graf on her website said : “Our good father and grandfather, Peter Graf, has gone in peace from us. We grieve quietly and look back on many beautiful moments we spent together.

‘”We have to thank our father for a very happy childhood and a great sense of family. We wish you all a peaceful holiday season.”

Graf’s second wife and widow Britta was instructed by him during the week to request doctors to switch off machines that were keeping him alive and this was done early on Saturday. He slipped into a coma shortly afterwards and died at 1pm.

She issued a statement saying: “After a full life my beloved husband, our good father and grandfather left us peacefully.

“We remember in our sadness and with great thanks his life and please ask for understanding in our wish to say farewell privately within the family.”

Fellow German tennis star Boris Becker offered his condolences on Twitter, tweeting ‘RIP Peter Graf’.

As Steffi ascended to become the planet’s best female tennis player by the age of 18, he was billed as the most powerful man in women’s tennis and great riches followed.

She went on to win 107 singles titles, including 22 majors and is the only player, male or female to have won each of the four Grand Slams at least four times on four different surfaces. Her prize fund totaled $21,891,306 and other earnings were massive.

However the financial success came with a cost and Peter was convicted and jailed for tax evasion in 1997. He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison but served just 25 months.

When he and Steffi’s mother Heidi divorced in 1999, he went on to live a less high profile life in Germany.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Boris Becker, Peter Graf, Steffi, Tennis, Tennis News

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Alceep says:

December 2, 2013 at 11:29 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Peter Graf Passes Away: Peter Graf, the tennis father who alienated the rest of the game to ensure his… http://t.co/Ayd…