Яна Новотна: Путь к триумфу и трагедии в большом теннисе

Czech tennis player

Jana Novotná (; 2 October 1968 – 19 November 2017) was a Czech professional tennis player. She played a serve and volley game, an increasingly rare style of play among women during her career. Novotná won the women's singles title at Wimbledon in 1998, and was runner up in three other majors. Novotná also won 12 major women's doubles titles (completing a double career Grand Slam), four major mixed doubles titles, and three Olympic medals. She reached a career high singles ranking of world No. 2 in 1997, and held the No. 1 ranking in doubles for 67 weeks.

Novotná turned professional in February 1987. 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 time Grand Slam singles champion Hana Mandlíková became her coach. Mandlíková coached her for nine years. Her earlier coach was Mike Estep.

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 Argentinian Gabriela 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 seeded Steffi 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. She finished the year ranked No. 13. 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. Now just one win away from her first ever Grand Slam final, Novotná had to stop Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in the semifinals to get there; this she did, setting up a showdown against Monica Seles in the final. Seles eventually won in three sets. At the end of the year Novotná was ranked No. 7. With victory seemingly within her grasp, she lost her nerve, double faulted, and allowed Graf to recover. 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. Novotná achieved a year end ranking of No. 6. But Hingis found her stroke and won the second set 6–3 to even the match at one set apiece. However, Novotná won the Tour Championships after a victory in the final over Mary Pierce and finished the year ranked a career high world No. 2 in singles. In addition to winning the Tour Championships, Novotná captured three more WTA singles titles for the year.

Her moment of Wimbledon success finally arrived in 1998. After defeating Venus Williams in a close quarterfinal, Novotná avenged the previous year's loss by ousting Martina Hingis in the semifinal in straight sets. She won the singles title by defeating veteran Nathalie Tauziat in the final in two sets. She became the oldest first time Grand Slam singles winner in the Open Era at age 29 years and nine months. This record would be eclipsed by Francesca Schiavone in 2010 when she won the French Open at 29 years and eleven months and again by Flavia Pennetta when she won the US Open in 2015 at 33 years and six months. Novotná won 12 Grand Slam women's doubles titles (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 the Fed Cup in 1988. 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. 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 with Lindsay Davenport, the 1996 WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, with Gigi Fernández in 1991 and in 1989 and 1990 with Helena Suková.

Novotná retired from the professional tour in 1999. During her 14 year career, she won 104 titles (24 in singles, 76 in women's doubles and 4 in mixed doubles). From 2006 onward, Novotná played the Ladies' Invitation Doubles tournament at Wimbledon; winning it in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2014. In 2010, her partner was Martina Navratilova. Also in 2010, she helped Navratilova through her treatment for breast cancer. She played invitational doubles in the other Grand Slams as well and also did charity events and exhibitions. She continued to coach players, including Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejčíková. She died of cancer on 19 November 2017 at the age of 49. She chose to keep her diagnosis of cancer private, only telling her closest friends and relatives.