A Look Back at the Historic 1989 Tennis Season
The year 1989 was a golden age for tennis. Tennis stars such as Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Gabriela Sabatini were all at the top of their game in 1989.
From the intense battles on the red clay of Roland Garros to the grass courts of Wimbledon, this season saw remarkable performances by legendary players who etched their names in tennis lore. Let’s take a look at each of the four Grand Slams and who ended victorious in each of them.
Australian Open:
The Australian Open kicked off the 1989 season in style and incredible heat – as always! In the men’s singles, the second seeded Ivan Lendl faced off against ninth seed Miloslav Mecir a straight forward final. Lendl showcased his dominance, clinching the championship in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
On the women’s side, the top seed Steffi Graf faced fifth seeded Helena Sukova in the final. Graf emerged victorious, capturing her second consecutive Australian Open title, defeating Sukova 6-4, 6-4.
French Open:
Roland Garros witnessed intense battles as the best players vied for glory on the clay courts. In the men’s singles, 15th seed Michael Chang stunned the tennis world with his victory against the top seed Ivan Lendl in a grueling five-set fourth round encounter, triumphing 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, and then making it all the way to the final to beat Stefan Edberg 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, the 7th seed, took the women’s singles title after a hard-fought victory over top seed Steffi Graf, prevailing 7-6(6), 3-6, 7-5.
Wimbledon:
The green grass of Wimbledon set the stage for remarkable matches and unforgettable moments. In the men’s singles, third seeded Boris Becker showcased his immense talent, winning his third Wimbledon title by defeating second seed Stefan Edberg in a beat down, 6-0, 7-6(1), 6-4.
In the women’s singles at Wimbledon, the top seed Steffi Graf reigned supreme. Graf demonstrated her unparalleled skills by claiming her second Wimbledon title, defeating second seed Martina Navratilova 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1 in a captivating final. This victory further solidified Graf’s status the best women’s player at the time.
US Open:
The final grand slam of the year, the US Open, provided a fitting finale to the 1989 season. In the men’s singles, second seed Boris Becker captured his second major title of the year. Becker showcased his power and finesse by defeating the top seed Ivan Lendl in a thrilling final, 7-6(2), 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
The women’s singles saw an extraordinary battle between two tennis icons. In an all-time classic, the top seed Steffi Graf overcame second seed Martina Navratilova in a thrilling three-set final, prevailing 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 to secure her second US Open title.
The following are the final top ten rankings for both the men and the women in 1989.
Men:
- Ivan Lendl
- Boris Becker
- Stefan Edberg
- John McEnroe
- Michael Chang
- Brad Gilbert
- Andre Agassi
- Aaron Krickstein
- Alberto Mancini
- Jay Berger
Women:
- Steffi Graf
- Martina Navratilova
- Gabriela Sabatini
- Zina Garrison
- Arantxa Sanchez
- Monica Seles
- Conchita Martinez
- Helena Sukova
- Manuela Maleeva
- Chris Evert
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