"Michael Jackson is quiet and shy but fairly normal, not bizarre" - When Steffi Graf shed light on her insightful conversation with the King of Pop

Steffi Graf once opened up about her experience of meeting the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson. The German also shed light on an enlightening conversation she had with the singer, where he revealed his mindset when stepping out on stage.

Graf was catapulted to fame after she won her maiden Major title at the 1987 French Open. Subsequently, she solidified her place in history by achieving the rare calendar year Grand Slam, winning all four Majors and the Olympic singles gold medal, in 1988.

While competing in tennis tournaments around the world, the German indulged her passion for music by attending concerts by icons like Michael Jackson, George Michael, Tina Turner, and Stevie Wonder and even got the chance to meet some of these legendary performers.

In a 1989 interview with Sports Illustrated, Steffi Graf discussed her love for music and described meeting renowned singers as a surreal experience. The German highlighted how different the musicians were from what she read about them in the press, which reminded her of her own misrepresentation in the media.

"I am such a fan of music. Meeting these people is interesting because they are never as you expect after reading about them. It's like my own stories. If I believed everything I read about myself, I wouldn't know me," Steffi Graf said.

One such memorable meeting occurred after Graf attended Michael Jackson's concert in Marbella, Spain. She disclosed that the King of Pop came across as shy, reserved, and normal, contrary to his "bizarre" public image.

Steffi Graf also disclosed that she had inquired how Jackson managed to meet people backstage and still focus on putting on a show in front of massive audiences. However, the pop icon explained that his love for performing allowed him to block out everything else once he was on stage.

"I met Michael Jackson in Marbella, Spain. Sure, he is quiet and shy but fairly normal, not bizarre. He took pictures with me just before his show, and I asked him how he can do all this and then concentrate to go out onstage. He just seemed to get very loose, or something. He said, 'I love what I do. Everything else gets blanked out,'" she added.

Steffi Graf: "I met Princess Diana several times, we even played tennis together once; I remember the meeting fondly"

Steffi Graf - Source: Getty

In addition to getting the chance to meet Michael Jackson, Steffi Graf's rise to fame also led to her playing tennis with Princess Diana while inaugurating the Vanderbilt Racquet Club in London in 1988.

Graf disclosed that she had fond memories of the meeting during a 2021 interview with Gala magazine, recounting that she arrived late to the inauguration due to a traffic jam.

"I met Prince Harry when he was a child and I met his mother, Princess Diana, several times. We even played tennis together once. I was late that day because of a traffic jam. I remember the meeting fondly," Graf said.

Princess Diana's tragic death in a car crash while fleeing the paparazzi left a lasting impact on Steffi Graf. The German disclosed that it prompted her to change her approach of "staging high-risk escapes" from the press and instead allowing them to take her picture.