![]() ![]() ![]() In 2005, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 2 singles ranking in 1997 and reached No. She was a three-time medalist in the Olympics, earning a silver in doubles 1988, and a bronze in singles and a silver in doubles in 1996. Novotna also won mixed doubles titles at the 1998 Australian and US Opens and the 1989 Australian Open and Wimbledon, all with American partner Jim Pugh. Through hard work she exceeded everybody’s expectations.” She had a big forehand, a nice slice backhand and she could serve and volley. “But she worked hard on her game and played differently than most of the girls. “Jana was a decent player,” said eight-time major champion Ivan Lendl, who last saw Novotna a few years ago during an exhibition in Prostejov. Twice, in 1990 with Sukova and 1998 with Hingis, she captured three of the four doubles majors in one season. In all, Novotna captured 12 Grand Slam doubles titles, including four Wimbledons, three French Opens, three US Opens and two Australian Opens. I was so happy to see that.”ĭuring a 12-year pro career, from 1987-1999, Novotna won 24 WTA singles titles and 76 more in doubles with 17 different partners-with everyone from Navratilova and Sukova to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Mary Joe Fernandez, Lindsay Davenport, Gigi Fernandez and Martina Hingis. She had put on weight and her hair had grown back. “I saw her interviewed on television in Prague this summer and she looked great. “I’m totally shocked and devastated,” said Mandlikova, who called Liba Novotna, Jana’s mother, shortly after she heard the news. On neither occasion, did Novotna give any indication of how ill she was. Mandlikova, 55, last spoke with Novotna two months ago and texted with her on her birthday on October 2. Though she was diagnosed more than two years ago, Novotna had undergone treatment in her hometown of Brno and seemed to be doing well. ![]() It ended prematurely on Sunday, with Novotna’s death from ovarian cancer at age 49. Thus began a lifelong friendship-one that included a nine-year stint, from 1989 to 1998, in which Mandlikova would served as Novotna’s coach. ![]() She was pretty mad, but she got the point about being a team player.” She had all her clothes on and she was even holding her camera. So, I just got up and pushed her into the pool. “Then, one day we were at lunch by the pool and she was complaining about something else. “I didn’t really know then, but we all went running in the morning and she was whining about it so I said, ‘Get your ass up and let’s go.’ “I remember that we were preparing at Saddlebrook in Florida,” reminisced Mandlikova. Now, Mandlikova and Sukova were back representing their country, but they were joined by newcomers Regina Rajchrtova (who later married 1998 Australian Open champ Petr Korda) and an 18-year-old, newly minted pro, Jana Novotna. It was Navratilova’s first trip home since her defection 12 years earlier, and a raucous crowd bellowed as she, Chris Evert and Pam Shriver beat the Czechs in the final to claim the Cup. Mandlikova and Helena Sukova were the backbone of the team, having led their nation to a final-round finish the previous year before falling to a Martina Navratilova-led U.S. It was 1987, during a practice week just before the former Czechoslovakian Fed Cup team was scheduled to play their quarterfinal tie in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hana Mandlikova knows the exact moment when she realized that she and Jana Novotna would become lifelong friends. ![]()
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