Jana Novotná - 2005, 2007
Novotná
turned professional in 1986. In the early years of her career,
she was known primarily for her success as a doubles player.
In the early-1990s, Novotná began to have success
in singles once four-time Grand Slam singles champion Hana
Mandlíková became her coach.
Novotná reached her first Grand
Slam singles final in 1991 at the Australian
Open, where she lost to Monica Seles 5-7,
6-3, 6-1.
Two years later, Novotná reached
her first singles final at Wimbledon, where
she faced Steffi Graf. After losing a tight
first set, Novotná took a 6-7, 6-1,
4-1, 40-15 lead. With victory seemingly
in her grasp, she lost her nerve and began
missing easy shots, sometimes hitting the
ball out by wide margins (including an infamous
overhead smash that hit the back tarp).
Graf took the next five games and the title.
During the prize presentation ceremony,
a distraught Novotná burst into tears
and cried on the Duchess of Kent's shoulder.
The Duchess comforted her by saying that
she was sure Novotná would win the
title one day. But at the time, many doubted
that this would happen given how dramatically
she had choked against Graf.
Olympic medal record Women’s Tennis
- Silver 1988 Seoul Doubles
- Silver 1996 Atlanta Doubles
- Bronze 1996 Atlanta Singles
It took four years for Novotná
to reach another Wimbledon final. In 1997,
she faced Martina Hingis. Novotná
won the first set. But she then succumbed
to the Swiss teen's accurate passing shots
and lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. However, Novotná
won the 1997 WTA Tour Championships and
finished the year ranked a career-high World
No. 2 in singles.
Novotná's moment of Wimbledon glory
finally arrived in 1998. After routing a
young Venus Williams in a quarterfinal,
Novotna avenged the previous year's loss
by ousting Hingis in a semifinal and veteran
Nathalie Tauziat in the final 6-4, 7-6.
She won 12 Grand Slam women's doubles titles
(four at Wimbledon, three at the French
Open, three at the U.S. Open, and two at
the Australian Open) and 4 Grand Slam mixed
doubles titles (two at the Australian Open,
one at Wimbledon, and one at the U.S. Open).
She was 11 times the year end top ranked
doubles player.
Novotná was a member of the Czechoslovakian
team that won the Fed Cup in 1988. At the
Olympic Games, Novotná was a women's
doubles silver medalist in 1988 and 1996
and a singles bronze medalist in 1996.
Novotná retired from the professional
tour in 1999. During her 14-year career,
she won 100 titles (24 in singles and 76
in doubles).
Novotná was inducted into the International
Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.
