(1968 Peter Graf married Heidi Schalk.)
1969 Stefanie Maria Graf was born at 4:40 in the early morning of June 14, 1969, in the Neckarau, one of the poorer districts of Mannheim, the second largest city in the Baden-Wurttemberg region of southern Germany, to Peter & Heidi Graf. Peter was supporting the family back then by selling cars and insurance. He would take up playing tennis at around this time at the age of 27 and would later be giving tennis instruction to earn extra cash for his family.
1971 Steffi's only sibling, Michael Graf, was born September 4, 1971. Two years younger than Steffi, Michael is a Formula 3 race car driver.
1973 Steffi was given a wooden racquet with the handle partly sawed-off when she was 3 years and 9 months. Steffi would hit with her dad first in the living room, using a string tied to chairs as a net, then in the basement using a sofa as a net. Peter encouraged the talented toddler by rewarding her with sweets and toys.
Soon her game became too big for inside the house and was moved to a real tennis court.
 |
| Steffi as a baby on the beach. (Person behind her is her dad.) |
 |
| Showing off a trick shot. |
1974 Steffi plays in her first tournament. At five years of age, she had to be given special permission to compete in an under-sevens event in Munich. Steffi lost her first match and left the court in tears. But in the following years Steffi would win her age group, sometimes an age group above her own even
1975 Peter Graf contacts Boris Breskvar, the head coach of the region's national tennis federation program situated in Leimen, a regional facility which was part of a German Tennis Federation program called the Baden Tennis Center. Peter asks him to hit with Steffi. Breskvar was very impressed with the six-year old and granted her and her father access to use the facilities whenever she needed. Steffi would continue to use the Leimen facilities as well as get instruction there until she was 12 or 13. Peter would usually drive Steffi early in the morning so she could practice between 7 and 8, then drive her to school.
In Munich, Steffi wins her first event.
 |
| Boris Breskvar coached young Steffi at The Baden Center in Leimen. |
 |
| Steffi in 1975 with some of her very first trophies (Werek). |
