An interview excerpt from last week but somehow missed it in my last post.
Here is a rough English translation:
"Motherhood is my most important job"Saturday, 1 October 2011 02:42
Only a few times a year at most, is the seven-time Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf (42) in Germany. In the adopted home of Las Vegas, she takes care of her children Jaden Gil (9) and Jaz Elle (7) along with her husband,Andre Agassi. This week, Graf, who has finished her career in 1999, opened the first German Tea Lounge at the Friedrichstrasse in Q110. She has talked to Kati Degenhardt in a relaxed atmosphere at the opening.
Berliner Morgenpost: Ms. Graf, how and where you usually relax?
Stefanie Graf: I'll relax when I'm with my family and we can spend time together. But when I have the feeling I need some time for me, I do sports. They still play an important role in my life. Not quite so often as I used to, but still a couple of times per week. And I can gather myself and physically and mentally recharge.
Berliner Morgenpost: What does pleasure mean for you?
Stefanie Graf: There is pleasure on many levels, such as eating or drinking or to be in an environment in which we feel comfortable.
Berliner Morgenpost: Has your perception changed over the years of enjoyment? Did you have to learn to enjoy?
Stefanie Graf: I already got a better understanding of time: how important it is to have time, and how quickly it passes. I live my life now more aware of that. Especially with children, we learn to appreciate more the time that one has.
Berliner Morgenpost: Speaking of time. There are several anniversaries in October in the family Graf / Agassi.
Stefanie Graf: We really have a great month before us, that's right.
Stefanie Graf: My husband and I do not put so much emphasis on special days or anniversaries - every single day is important to us. For the children it is of course something else, they enjoy especially on their birthdays. Our ten year old (anniversary) is certainly a beautiful day but nothing special is planned.
Stefanie Graf: We often start with tea in the day, even the children. For me this has a certain tradition as even my parents were drinking tea at home, and so I grew up with mint tea - I still remain faithful to the herbal teas. The children also love mint tea - not that I've influenced them.
Stefanie Graf: Of course, if the children once a pancake supper wish, that's okay too. Both children are very active and like healthy eating, because we have to worry about.
Berliner Morgenpost: Bake in Las Vegas to the old recipes from the homeland?
Stefanie Graf: From time to time. When is our first cake on the table, it is eaten immediately. We cook generally very happy with the whole family, even with the kids, and enjoy it, all to be together in the kitchen. Our children have their own cookbooks, and then there's still the old German recipe book that my mother has recovered recently.
Stefanie Graf ... a fireplace, we actually have a fireplace that burns with real wood.
Berliner Morgenpost: Will there also once drank a whiskey?
Stefanie Graf: No, I have tasted alcohol before. It is rare than a glass of wine on the table. Maximum when we go eat. Actually, we enjoy the comfort of your home. For us to play the most from in a room, the kitchen is large and goes into the living room over, which often turns into a game room. What we do is to completely loose.
Berliner Morgenpost: They open up a tea lounge in Berlin. How does that feel they can make your own with a name advertising?
Stefanie Graf: The name alone is not decisive. Product quality must fit with me, otherwise lacks any credibility. And how does it feel? In public appearances I'm often nervous and have a stomach flutter. I am not used to such scenes, because I'm so rarely in public.
Berliner Morgenpost: The performances will take your promotional as long as your job. But that's your job?
Stefanie Graf: My job is primarily to be a mother. That's my biggest role. In addition, my Children for Tomorrow Foundation at heart and several business engagements, for example, with my fitness chain. This work is fun to me and calls me.
Berliner Morgenpost: Nevertheless, you rarely visit to Germany and Europe. Have you traveled enough?Stefanie Graf: I'm still curious about the world. This curiosity can probably never be silent. I'm still happy to go, but ultimately it is important to me to be with the family and children. Because of my sports career I'm lucky to be able me to organize my time off today and to be there for my family. This is the most important thing for me.
http://www.morgenpost.de/printarchiv/berlin/article1781201/Muttersein-ist-mein-wichtigster-Job.html
Michael Schumacher and Steffi Graf selected as the best male and female German atheletes of all time. Katarina Witt and Becker stand second.
http://www.bild.de/sport/2011/michael-schumacher/und-steffi-graf-sind-die-groessten-aller-zeiten-20312446.bild.html
Varvara Lapchenko and her mother with Steffi Graf as tweeted by Lapchenko. Lapchenko played at the Las Vegas Open, held in mid-September, along with Oudin and lost in the doubles final.
An archive from the past: Loved this comment from Reene Richards and this was way back in 1987 when Steffi has one only one slam to her name. And coincidentally, there was the ESPN documentary on Reene Richards last weekend.
"Steffi Graf's the kind of uinque player who comes along once in a decade. She could have been born on the moon, and she still would be Steffi Graf".
Reading this article from 1987 and amazed how things haven't changed much in 24 yrs despite wild success, fame and popularity and how she could have her priorities set straight from such an young age.
" She is mored awed by Evert's and Navratilova's public speaking than by their tennis games".
"And she hasn't focussed on the money at all. And she's turned down a number of products and deals as unsuitable, including a 500,000 dollar offer to pose nude for a men's magazine".
"I never think about the money she says, my father handles that. I have a credit card; if I see something I can buy it. Besides, the way I live, I don't need much".
"And I like to read. Through the whole tournament, I read Stephen King and I also like Hemingway". Hemingway? " He sees things in a different way".
Hemingway and Steffi Graf, now that is a pleasant surprise.
Just wondering how Andre got introduced to books as he mentioned in 'OPEN' that he got late into reading books and that it will be the top priority for his kids.
http://books.google.com/books?id=neUCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48&dq=steffi+graf&hl=en#v=onepage&q=steffi%20graf&f=true
And generally, don't like Douglas Perry's posts, too opiniated for me but couldn't resist this one as it is on Gaby, some nice pictures in there.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/tennis/2011/10/from_the_archives_gabriela_sab.html
