Jana Novotná (Czech pronunciation:[ˈjanaˈnovotnaː]; 2 October 1968 – 19 November 2017) was a Czech professionaltennis player. She was ranked world No. 2 in women's singles by theWomen's Tennis Association (WTA) in 1997, and as theworld No. 1 in women's doubles for 67 weeks.[1] Novotná won the women's singles title atWimbledon in1998, and was runner-up in three other singlesmajors. She also won twelve major women's doubles titles (completing a doublecareer Grand Slam), four major mixed doubles titles, and threeOlympic medals. Novotná played aserve and volley game, an increasingly rare style of play among women during her career.[2][3]
Novotná turned professional in February 1987.[4] She was known primarily for her success as a doubles player in the early years of her career. Novotná began to have success in singles in the early 1990s, once four-timeGrand Slam singles championHana Mandlíková became her coach. Mandlíková coached her for nine years.[5] Her earlier coach wasMike Estep.[6]
At the 1990 French Open, Novotná, seeded 11th, achieved her best results in Grand Slam singles play up until that point. Having reached the round of 16, she faced ArgentinianGabriela Sabatini (seeded fourth). In their four previous meetings Sabatini got the better of her three times, including two straight-set wins. This time proved to be different, as Novotná turned the tables on her. Although Novotná had disposed of Sabatini, she would have to face yet another difficult opponent in the quarterfinals,Katerina Maleeva (seeded eighth) from Bulgaria. In their two previous meetings Novotná had lost both times, and after Maleeva won the opening set, it appeared Novotná was about to lose to her for a third consecutive time; however, she recovered and eventually won. Despite her success, Novotná's toughest test would be against top-seededSteffi Graf of Germany in the semifinals. When Novotná had faced her three years earlier at the 1987 French Open, Graf won in straight sets. Now, Graf again defeated her without dropping a set.[6] She qualified for the first time for the season-endingVirginia Slims Championships in which she was beaten in the first round by Sabatini.[7] She finished the year ranked No. 13.[6]
Novotná enjoyed an excellent start to the 1991 season at theAustralian Open, where she was seeded tenth and beatZina Garrison-Jackson 7–6, 6–4 in the round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinal. The path to the final became considerably more difficult, as Novotná had to contend with top-seeded Steffi Graf in the quarterfinal encounter. In their ten previous meetings, Novotná had lost each time against Graf.[8]
However, this time Novotná achieved the upset of her life by defeating Graf, the reigning champion of the last three years, 5–7, 6–4, 8–6.[9] Now just one win away from her first-ever Grand Slam final, Novotná had to stopArantxa Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals to get there; this she did, setting up a showdown againstMonica Seles in the final. Seles eventually won in three sets.[10][11] At the end of the year Novotná was ranked No. 7.[6]
Two years later, atWimbledon, Novotná's game hit full stride, as she played some of her finest tennis ever. But for Novotná (seeded eighth) to capture the title, her path would have to go through Sabatini (seeded fourth),Martina Navratilova (seeded second) and top-seeded Steffi Graf. Going into her quarterfinal against Sabatini, Novotná had lost six consecutive matches against the Argentine. This time, she took Sabatini apart in straight sets, prevailing 6–4, 6–3. Novotná then set her sights on a semifinal clash against Martina Navratilova, who had won each of their previous five matches. However, Novotná defeated Navratilova, setting up the Championship match against Graf. After losing a tight first set, Novotná took the second set and then had a game point serving at 4–1 in the third set.[12] With victory seemingly within her grasp, she lost her nerve, double-faulted, and allowed Graf to recover.[13] Graf took the next five games and the title. During the prize presentation ceremony, a distraught Novotná burst into tears and cried onthe Duchess of Kent's shoulder.[12] The Duchess comforted her.[14] Novotná achieved a year-end ranking of No. 6.[6]
She began the 1994 season by reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In her quarterfinal match, she played Gabriela Sabatini, in what turned out to be their last head-to-head encounter. In their previous meeting, on the grasscourts at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships, Novotná beat Sabatini in a straight-set quarterfinal victory. This time, on the Australian hardcourts, Sabatini defeated Novotná in straight sets. At the French Open, Novotná was beaten in the first round byAnna Smashnova in straight sets. At Wimbledon, Novotná reached the quarterfinals where she again faced Martina Navratilova in a rematch from the previous year. Novotná lost in three sets. At the season's final Grand Slam, the US Open, the seventh seeded Novotná worked her way to the semifinals where she played top-seeded Steffi Graf. Dating back to the 1992 French Open, Novotná had lost nine consecutive matches against Graf. This trend would continue as Graf defeated Novotná in straight sets.
It took four years for Novotná to reach another Wimbledon final. In 1997, she faced top-seededMartina Hingis, and lost in three sets. But to get back to the final, Novotná had to get pastMary Joe Fernández in the round of 16. She outlasted Fernandez then defeatedYayuk Basuki of Indonesia in the quarterfinals in straight sets. Now back in the semifinals of Wimbledon, her next opponent would be Arantxa Sánchez Vicario. She had prevailed against Novotná in seven of their nine previous contests, but the majority of those matches were played on clay and hard-courts, at which Sánchez Vicario excelled.[citation needed]
On grass, Novotná had a decided advantage, as she defeated Sánchez Vicario in straight sets. In the final against Hingis, she started out fast, taking the opening set 6–2.[15] But Hingis found her stroke and won the second set 6–3 to even the match at one set apiece.[15] The final set proved to be a mirror image of the second set, as Hingis prevailed 6–3, handing Novotná her second loss in a Wimbledon Championship match.[16][17]
However, Novotná won theTour Championships after a victory in the final overMary Pierce and finished the year ranked a career-high world No. 2 in singles.[18] In addition to winning the Tour Championships, Novotná captured three more WTA singles titles for the year.[19]
Her moment of Wimbledon success finally arrived in 1998. After defeatingVenus Williams in a close quarterfinal, Novotná avenged the previous year's loss by ousting Martina Hingis in the semifinal in straight sets.[20] She won the singles title by defeating veteranNathalie Tauziat in the final in two sets.[21][22] She became the oldest first-time Grand Slam singles winner in the Open Era at age 29 years and nine months.[23] This record would be eclipsed byFrancesca Schiavone in 2010 when she won theFrench Open at 29 years and eleven months and again byFlavia Pennetta when she won theUS Open in 2015 at 33 years and six months.
Novotná won 12 Grand Slam women's doubles titles[24] (four at Wimbledon, three at the French Open, three at the US Open, and two at the Australian Open) and four mixed-doubles titles (two at the Australian Open, one at Wimbledon, and one at the US Open).
Novotná was a member of the Czechoslovakian team that won theFed Cup in 1988.[25] At theOlympic Games she was a women's doubles silver medalist in 1988 and 1996, and a singles bronze medalist in 1996.[26]
She won titles on all four surfaces and crossed the $10 million mark in career prize money in 1998, the fifth player to reach the milestone. She won more than 500 career singles matches, the 15th woman in the Open Era to accomplish the feat.[27]
Novotná was named the 1998 WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year with Martina Hingis, the 1997 International Tennis Federation Doubles Team of the Year withLindsay Davenport, the 1996 WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, withGigi Fernández in 1991 and in 1989 and 1990 withHelena Suková.[28]
Novotná retired from the professional tour in 1999.[29] During her 14-year career, she won 104 titles (24 in singles, 76 in women's doubles and 4 in mixed doubles).[23] She was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.[24]
From 2000 to 2002, Novotná was a commentator for Wimbledon for theBBC.[30] From 2006 onward, Novotná played the Ladies' Invitation Doubles tournament at Wimbledon; winning it in 2006, 2007,2008,2010 and2014.[31][circular reference] In 2010, her partner wasMartina Navratilova. Also in 2010, she helped Navratilova through her treatment for breast cancer.[25] She played invitational doubles in the other Grand Slams as well and also did charity events and exhibitions.[32] She continued to coach players, includingGrand Slam championBarbora Krejčíková.[25]
Novotná lived in Florida until 2010, when she returned to her native Czech Republic. She bought a house and property in the village ofOmice, near her hometown ofBrno, where she lived with her partner, formerPolish tennis playerIwona Kuczyńska.[33][34][35] She died of cancer on 19 November 2017 at the age of 49.[36] She chose to keep her diagnosis of cancer private, only telling her closest friends and relatives.[32]
^Bricker, Charles (12 December 1999)."Changeover Shows ATP Miles Ahead".South Florida Sun Sentinel. p. 36. Retrieved20 November 2017 – via Newspapers.com.