Former Australian Open Quarter-Finalist Sabine Appelmans names toughest opponents: "She was so complete, she was like an icon"

Sabine Appelmans won seven titles during her career and reached the Quarter-Finals of the Australian Open in 1997 as a prominent star on the WTA circuit in the 1990's.

Applemans spoke to Betway ahead of the tournament and revealed her three toughest opponents and why it was so difficult to take them down.

"For the third one, Dominique Monami, who was also Belgian and we were very close in the rankings and we were good friends," she said.

"But we also had to play each other on the court and it was not always easy playing somebody else from Belgium and also somebody who you're very close with. The second one would have to be Monica Seles, she was such a fighter on the court."

"Playing everything with two hands, getting to all the balls, bring everything back. I enjoyed playing her but I never beat her so that was a tough opponent. First Steffi Graf because she was so complete, she was like an icon to me. I looked up to her, she had an unbelievable forehand. She had unbelievable footwork as well.

"I remember playing her for the first time and only winning one game so that was very tough."