Graf shows world what it means to be a true champion

IF you ask Steffi Graf how she is holding up, her response speaks volumes - 'That's for other people to judge but I think I am holding up all right.' Few sporting identities have been through what this world number one has experienced in 1995 and it is a testament to her strength that she has been able to put to one side such distractions. Her recent life has been like a soap opera.

For the past 18 months Graf has been suffering chronic back problems and they became so bad that she was forced to withdraw from the 1995 Australian Open. Then the off-court dramas involving her father, Peter, hit the headlines and he was arrested and imprisoned for tax evasion. There was a time when it seemed that even the 26-year-old star was going to be indicted, but after a three-hour session of gruelling questions it was felt that she had no part to play in the tax scandal.

The irony of it all is that Graf was the one German tennis player who elected never to drop her German residency. Boris Becker set up a tax base in Monte Carlo, but since getting married and becoming a father he has moved back to Munich, and Michael Stich is living in Salzburg, Austria, with its liberal tax laws.

Naturally she refuses to talk about what has happened, but it certainly appears that when this whole case goes to court there will be a lot of dirty laundry aired.

Herr Graf is reportedly not a well man, but is expected to remain incarcerated in Mannheim 'for a long time'. It is alleged one person that could be named is the German finance minister Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder who was a close friend of Peter Graf, but is now denying any such association. Peter Graf has made it clear that deals were made with important authorities for privileged treatment. As an example; reports have been confirmed that in 1993 Peter Graf and tax authorities in their particular region agreed that Steffi's taxable income was US$2.5 million when in fact it was US$16 million. Also, no tax returns were filed from 1989 to 1992.

Through all this Steffi has had to put on a brave face and play tennis at the highest level. It just goes to show what a remarkable athlete and champion she is. Coming into this week's season-ending tournament for the women, the WTA Tour Championships at Madison Square Garden, she had lost just two matches - to Amanda Coetzer at the Canadian Open in August and to Mariaan de Swardt at Brighton in October.