Durie pays tribute to ‘lovely’ Novotna

FORMER British number one Jo Durie has 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 1993 final to Steffi Graf, having led the final set 4-1.

Novotna was known for her battling qualities, though, and overcame another final defeat in 1997, this time to Martina Hingis, to finally get her hands on the trophy in 1998, beating Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat.

Durie, who expressed her shock at Novotna’s death, said her SW19 success showcased her fighting spirit.

“I am shocked, as many other people are, because I really didn’t know she was so ill,” she told Press Association Sport. “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, she was so good on faster courts, she would serve and volley and chip and charge and she was great around the net.

“I think everyone had a tear 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 afterwards 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 grand 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.