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Monday, November 20, 2017
Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna dead
Jana Novotna dead: Former Wimbledon champion dies 'peacefully', aged 49, after long battle with cancer
The Czech won the title in SW19 at the third attempt
By
Martin Domin
10:40, 20 NOV 2017
Updated12:12, 20 NOV 2017
Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna has died 'peacefully', aged 49, at her home in Czech Republic following a long battle with cancer. She beat Nathalie Tauziat in the 1998 final, to then become the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion in the Open era. It was the third time she had reached the showpiece event - and she won the hearts of the nation when she cried on the Duchess of Kent's shoulder five years earlier following her defeat by Steffi Graf. The Czech player led 4-1 in the third and final set against the German before collapsing to a devastating defeat. Novotna told the Duchess that "she would do it" and was eventually true to her word, despite losing to Martina Hingis in 1997.
Jana Novotna has passed away aged 49 (Image: Getty Images)
Novotna cried after losing the Wimbledon final in 1993 (Image: Reuters)
Novotna's tears captured the hearts of the nation (Image: Daily Mirror)
Novotna with her Wimbledon trophy (Image: PA)
She also won all four Grand Slams in doubles competition. Her first was at Wimbledon in 1989 before triumphing again in 1990, 1995 and 1998, the year of her singles’ success. She also won the Australian Open doubles crown twice, as well as a hat-trick of French Open and US Open doubles titles. She was a beaten finalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1996 Atlanta Games, where she also won bronze in the singles. Novotna
also reached No.2 in the singles rankings, and No.1 in doubles and
retired in 1999 before being inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in
2005. The All England Club released a statement saying
they were "deeply saddened to hear the news of Jana Novotna’s passing.
She was a true champion in all senses of the word, and her 1998 triumph
will live long in the memory. The thoughts of all those at Wimbledon are
with her family and friends." Novotna also spent two
years working as a commentator for the BBC and continued to play in
invitational tournaments, often with Martina Navratilova. Novotna also went into coaching, working with 2013 Wimbledon winner Marion Bartoli and countrywoman Barbora Krejcikova. Steve
Simon, WTA CEO, said: "Jana was an inspiration both on and off court to
anyone who had the opportunity to know her. Her star will always shine
brightly in the history of the WTA. Our condolences and our thoughts are
with Jana’s family."
Novotna clinched the famous trophy at the third attempt (Image: PA)
The Czech's delight was obvious after two near misses (Image: AFP)
Novotna at a party in London in 2010 (Image: FilmMagic)Former British No.1 Jo Durie paid tribute to Novotna's spirit on court. She
said on Twitter: "Oh no how terrible sad. All thoughts to her family
and friends. So glad Jana won Wimbledon. Such a fighter on court & a
wicked sense of humour." Former American doubles star
Pam Schriver added: "Jana was as kind as she was athletic, as smart as
she was competive. I can't believe she is gone this soon. Her smile
lives forever young." Former British player Andrew
Castle, now a commentator for the BBC, said: "What a terrible shame. She
was good fun of an evening, a champion on court, so tough to play
against. And her smile was wonderful." Despite her collapse in 1993, Novotna later insisted it was the "best thing that happened" to her. “I think about it all the time. I love it,” Novotna told Sport360 in 2015. “It’s
really funny because a lot of people think that losing to Steffi Graf
in 1993 was a bad experience. For me, it was the best thing that
happened to my life. The next day, because of everything that happened
during the ceremony and during the match, I opened the newspapers and I
was on the front page of every newspaper, I felt like a winner.
Novotna was a serial winner in the doubles -here winning the Australian Open with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Image: AFP)
Novotna reached No.2 in the world (Image: Getty Images North America)
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