Tributes paid to former Wimbledon champion Novotna after death at 49
● Czech is fondly remembered as a fierce competitor
Former British No 1 Jo Durie paid tribute to Jana Novotna’s competitive streak following the Czech’s death from cancer.
Novotna, who won the 1998 Wimbledon singles title, lost her battle with the disease on Sunday aged 49.
She came to the attention of the British public in 1993 when she featured in one of the most enduring images in the long history of Wimbledon as she was famously consoled by the Duchess of Kent after losing the final to Steffi Graf, having led the final set 4- 1.
She was known for her batt ling qualities, though, and overcame another final defeat in 1997, this time to Mar tina Hingis, to finally get her hands on the trophy in 1998, beating Nathalie Tauziat in the final.
Durie, who expressed her shock at Novotna’ s death, said her SW19 success show- cased her fighting spirit. “I am shocked, as many other peo - ple are, because I really didn’t know she was so ill,” she said. “It’s very sad.
“She was a lovely person, quite quiet and quite private. She was knowledgeable about the game and friendly. She had a good sense of humour. On court, she could be a very fierce competitor. She really was so tough. She was a wonderful player.
“I think everyone had at ear in their eye when she didn’t win that first final against Steffi. It was horrible to watch, but what nerve to actually win it five years later, and I think all of us in the tennis world were joyful and glad that she did it.
“That took some courage to get through that match after everything she had been through at Wimbledon. She was so happy after wards and it was great to see. The crowd love a story like that and she came across so well.”
That ended up being her only grand slam title in singles, though she was prolific in the doubles, winning 12 slams in the women’s doubles and ticking off the full set of Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open and the US Open. She also won mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Novot na also represented her country with success, claiming silver medals at the 1988 and 1996 Olympics as well as a bronze in Atlanta.
She was the world No 1 one ranked player in double sin 1990 and got as high as No 2 in singles in 1997. Her countrywoman Mar tina Nav ra ti lova described her friend as an “amazing woman”.
She posted on Twitter: “The tennis world is so sad about the passing of Jana Novotna… I am gutted and beyond wordsJana was a true friend and an amazing woman...”
Novotna was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005 and WTA chief execu - tive Steve Simon says that her legacy is set in stone.
“Jan a was an inspiration both on and off court to anyone who had the opportunity to know her ,” he said .“Her star will always shine brightly in the history of the WTA.”