前溫網冠軍Jana Novotna離世 - 網球 Tennis

天阿！！我實在無法相信這則新聞是真的...
剛才在臉書看到WTA專頁貼了她當年贏得溫網的照片時，
還在想怎麼是現在回顧溫網冠軍呢，結果...
没想到原來她近年與癌魔搏鬥，最終今天在捷克家裡離世，得年49歲。

她職網生涯共贏得24座女單冠軍，最重要的一座當然是1998年溫網，
她最有名一役(也是被衛視重播到爛)的是1993年溫網女單決賽，
在第三盤領先Graf 4-1 40-30時崩盤連輸五局，
結局在頒獎禮上哭倒在頒獎人肯特公爵夫人的肩膀，
而終於在她第三次闖進溫網決賽後，從肯特公爵夫人手上拿下獎盆，
成為當年首次拿下大滿貫年紀最大的女球員，
並在同年上升至生涯排名新高第二位。

另外以發球上網打法知名的她在雙打也表現出色，
摘下過12座女雙和4座混雙大滿貫冠軍，位居過女雙球后67週。

她在2005年入圍名人堂。

她退役後頗活躍參加大滿貫元老賽雙打，也曾經多次贏得溫網元老賽冠軍，
另外後來亦轉投教練工作，在2013年曾執教天才莉莉，
最後一次在網球場出現是在2016年溫網的雙打元老賽。

願她一路好走。

Tennis world mourns the passing of Jana Novotna

It is with deep sadness that the WTA announces the passing on Sunday, November
19, of Jana Novotna, the former WTA World No.1 doubles and No.2 singles
champion. After a long battle with cancer, Jana died peacefully, surrounded
by her family in her native Czech Republic, aged 49.

Known for her brilliant, athletic game, Novotna won 24 WTA singles titles in
14 years on the professional women’s circuit, along with 76 doubles titles.
Having reached the Wimbledon singles final twice previously, she famously
defeated the Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat to win the title in 1998.
Altogether, she won 17 Grand Slam titles, including 12 in doubles and four in
mixed doubles. She was a three-time Olympic medalist and a member of her
country’s victorious Fed Cup championship team in 1988.

Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005, her career
successes made Jana Novotna an inspiration to those who knew her and to many
up and coming WTA players on the professional women’s tennis circuit. In
more recent years, she made the transition into professional coaching.

Steve Simon, WTA CEO, said: "Jana was an inspiration both on and off court to
anyone who had the opportunity to know her. Her star will always shine
brightly in the history of the WTA. Our condolences and our thoughts are with
Jana’s family."

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