Tennis legend Steffi Graf is celebrating her 52nd birthday today.

The German retired in 1999, aged 30, having established herself as one of the best sportswomen of the 20th century. She is still considered a tennis great today.

In honour of Graf’s birthday, GiveMeSport Women picks out five things you should know about the 22-time Grand Slam winner.

Began playing tennis at three years old

Graf first picked up a tennis racket at a very young age. Her father was an aspiring tennis coach and taught her how to swing a wooden racket at just three years old. Graf began practising on a court a year later, before entering her first tournament aged five.

Such an early start paid dividends. Graf won the European Championships 12s and 18s in 1982, and had her first professional outing in the same year. This came at the Porsche Grand Prix, where she lost 6–4, 6–0 to Tracy Austin.

The loss did not dishearten Graf, who went on to become one of the most successful tennis players in the world.