"1 o'clock in the morning, I am on this small plane, crying & going crazy" - When Steffi Graf was rushed for emergency treatment after Wimbledon loss

Steffi Graf once detailed her harrowing experience of being aboard a small plane headed to Germany to receive emergency treatment. The ordeal took place after her shock exit from the 1990 Wimbledon Championships.

Amid the turmoil of her 1990 season due to her father Peter's paternity scandal and its seemingly negative impact on her on-court performance, Graf suffered a 7-6(6), 6-4 loss to Monica Seles in the French Open final.

She licked her wounds by traveling home to Germany and seeking solace behind the wheel of a Formula 3 racing car. Despite her initial reluctance, the German found that her time on the racing track provided a much-needed shift in perspective, allowing her to head to Wimbledon with renewed determination.

"I didn't even feel like going, but once I was there, it helped me. And I went over to Wimbledon feeling like I was ready to play again," Steffi Graf told The New York Times.

Graf entered Wimbledon as the top seed and two-time defending champion, appearing to be in fine form as she eased through to the semifinals with wins over the likes of Meredith McGrath, Jennifer Capriati and Jana Novotna.

However, she faltered in the semifinals, suffering a shock 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 loss to Zina Garrison. The defeat marked the end of the German's remarkable streak of 13 consecutive appearances in Major finals.

The challenges didn't end there, as Steffi Graf was struck by a respiratory illness after her loss, leading her to be rushed to Heidelberg for a transfusion and emergency treatment.

Recounting her ordeal, the German opened up about "crying and going crazy" while on the small plane at 1:00 am because the pressure caused intense pain in her ears.

"It was 1 o'clock in the morning, and there I am on this small plane, crying, and going crazy because the pressure made my ears hurt so much," she said.

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Steffi Graf: "I didn't want to spend my vacation in a hospital, but I actually enjoyed it"

Steffi Graf

After receiving emergency treatment following her semifinal exit at the 1990 Wimbledon Championships, Steffi Graf was advised by her physician and coach to prioritize her health by undergoing a sinus operation.

The German acquiesced to their request, admitting that she hadn't wanted to spend her vacation time in the hospital but "enjoyed" her stay, as she was free from all distractions.

Graf also expressed her determination to be back on court at the Canadian Open, aiming to leave behind her struggles.

"I didn't want to spend my vacation in a hospital, but once I got there, I actually enjoyed it. There was no phone, no television, and I didn't even read," Steffi Graf said in the same interview.

"I just lay there and thought about things, and on the very first day, before I went in for the surgery, I told myself that I was going to be ready to play again by the Canadian Open, and that I was gong to go on court and be free of everything. That's when I decided I could be crazy about playing again," she added.

True to her word, Steffi Graf made a triumphant return to the tour at the Canadian Open, beating Katerina Maleeva 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-3 in the final to clinch her 58th career title.