"Since Princess Diana was killed...'Let photographers take your picture'" - When Steffi Graf pinpointed why she stopped 'high-risk' escapes from media

Steffi Graf once explained how the tragic death of Princess Diana changed the way she dealt with the paparazzi. The former World No. 1, who never enjoyed being famous, adjusted her approach to allow photographers to take pictures of her to stay safe.

As one of the greatest players in history and being among the most recognizable faces in the sporting world, Graf was a popular draw for the media. However, the German had never been one to court attention, preferring her privacy and avoiding excessive public scrutiny.

While competing at the 1993 US Open, Steffi Graf opened up about her frustrating experience in New York, as she had to take measures to avoid photographers who had camped outside her apartment and followed her relentlessly.

"I wish. But it is difficult to -- actually didn't have a very good time this year here in New York, because I had a lot of photographers sitting outside my apartment, and they have been following me everywhere I was going. So, tell you the truth, I didn't have a very good time," Steffi Graf said.

However, the 22-time Grand Slam champion's attitude towards the media attention changed after Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash while fleeing the paparazzi in Paris.

In a 1999 interview with Ace magazine, Graf disclosed that she previously treated evading the paparazzi as a "game," often resorting to "high-risk" maneuvers to escape before adopting a more cautious approach.

"I used to treat it as a game and laughed about it, hiding in the back of cars and staging high-risk escapes. Since Princess Diana was killed, I have taken the view 'Just let the photographer take your picture,'" she said.

Princess Diana's demise likely struck such a deep chord for Steffi Graf due to her past association with the British royal. During the 1991 Wimbledon Championships, the former World No. 1 disclosed that she had previously played tennis with Princess Diana and had even agreed to give her son Prince Williams lessons.

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"I can go about my life without a problem; I never liked being famous" - Steffi Graf on why she and Andre Agassi lived in Las Vegas with their children

Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and their son Jaden - Source: Getty

Steffi Graf's dislike of the intrusive media scrutiny influenced her decision to reside in her husband and fellow tennis legend Andre Agassi's hometown of Las Vegas with their children.

In a 2009 interview with the Daily Mail, the 22-time Grand Slam champion disclosed that they were able to enjoy a "normal" life, which appealed to her, as she never liked being famous.

"People wonder why I live in Las Vegas, but it's somewhere we can be very normal. Our life is about friends and family, my brother and his four children live there and so does my Mum," Graf said.

"I can go about my life without a problem. I never liked being famous - I always said that and I meant it," she added.

Even so, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf would occasionally be approached by people in places like grocery stores, which confused their children Jaden and Jaz, as they didn't understand the extent of their parents' fame. However, Agassi shared that their kids eventually struck a "healthy balance" with how they viewed the celebrity world.