Have you considered a coming back like Kim Clijsters or Justine Henin?

I think their comebacks are truly amazing. One can see how much fun they are having and how at ease they are when playing. And women’s tennis will be more exciting because of what they have done. Personally, I have never thought about coming back to professional tennis and do not see it any differently today. By now, 11 years have passed since my retirement. I have achieved in tennis more than I ever dared to dream of and like looking back. But I am also very happy with the life after my tennis career and have closed the chapter of being tennis pro in my life. Tennis does not have the same priority for me anymore. I rarely play and if I happen to play, then it is mostly combined with the work for my foundation. Today, my family and parenting are the focus of my life, and with my foundation and many other projects I have found new challenges in life.

When will you play your next exhibition in Germany? Will you play mixed doubles with your husband?

Andre will play several exhibitions this year, at the end of April in Bogotá and Sao Paulo, for instance. There have been a couple of requests for exhibitions, but I have not made any specific decision yet. There are a number of other projects we are sorting through and prioritizing this year. But when we know something for sure, you can definitely read about it here on the site.

I have heard about your photo spread for National Geographic in Eritrea. How did that happen?

Photography has always been a great hobby of mine. As a teenager I even had the wish to become a photo reporter. The magazine National Geographic has often served as my favorite reading on tour and travels. After I have talked about this passion in a Stern-interview, National Geographic offered me to produce my own photo spread with the help of Gerd Ludwig. The photos were taken in a quarter of Asmara in Eritrea, in which my foundation Children for Tomorrow opened a kindergarten. It was a great experience to work together with Gerd Ludwig. During the preparation for the photo production he made helpful suggestions and taught me in photographic technique. The visits and talks with the residents of Abashawl, a poor district in Asmara, were very moving and not always very easy. It was a whole new experience for me standing behind the lens myself. Sometimes I even felt like an intruder, who took photos of the people and the living conditions in the huts of the families. The photo spread in Eritrea was very exciting and educative. I was happy and even a bit proud how authentic the photos came out, especially since I was pretty nervous about my first professional photo project. I hope through my photos I can bring the reality in war-torn Eritrea closer to National Geographic readers and sharpen the consciousness about the many children in need.

How often do you talk about tennis at home?

If we do not happen to be watching a Grand Slam on TV, we only rarely talk about tennis at home. In both of our lives we have a number of other priorities now. Today, our talks evolve more around our children, foundations and other projects.

Do you really have your own Facebook page and do you read the posts?

No, although I heard about a couple of Facebook pages running under my name, none of them is officially mine and I am not responsible for the content. My only authorized internet presence is this one, www.stefaniegraf.de.

When was the last time you stood on the tennis court? How often do you still play tennis?

Myself, I only play tennis very rarely, and in the winter time, weeks can pass without holding a racquet in my hand. From time to time I participate in the Adidas training camp, for which players come to Las Vegas regularly to get prepared for important tournaments by Gil Reyes and Darren Cahill with a fitness program and technical advice. Such was the case this past December, when Andre and I trained with Daniela Hantuchová and Fernando Verdasco, who were in Las Vegas to get in shape for the Australian Open.

Then, at the beginning of February, I was on the court for Head to shoot photos for a new racquet series. We look forward to new raquet developments coming soon.

Do you like going to concerts? If yes, who would you like to see on stage?

Carlos Santana is performing in Las Vegas these days and so we did not miss the opportunity to visit one of his concerts. During his concert series here, he is active with his own Milagro Foundation to serve youth in Las Vegas, but he also supports my husband’s foundation, e.g. by asking for donations for the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education during his concert. A day before going to his show, Santana made a visit to Andre’s school and invited some students to a rehearsal to join him for the first song of his concert. Thus, students of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy had the opportunity to show their drum skills on stage. So Santana not only proved to be an outstanding musician, but also showed his big heart for children.

Is it possible to sponsor a child through Children for Tomorrow?

Direct sponsorships are not possible through Children for Tomorrow. We concentrate our efforts on therapeutical help and emotional redevelopment. All donations will be directed to benefit children traumatized by violence. This year we will be taking a big step with the construction of several care facilities, like the trauma center in Hamburg and traditional round huts in Uganda, in which therapy lessons with children will take place. With these establishments we can significantly increase the scope and quality of therapeutic care of the children in a familiar and safe environment. You can find information with respect to donations at www.childrenfortomorrow.com. Thank you very much for your support.

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