Jana Novotna: From choker to champion
In 1993, Jana Novotna threw away a huge lead in the Wimbledon final but won the hearts of tennis fans by crying on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent, the tournament's patron.
In 1993, the Czech player Jana Novotna threw away a huge lead in the ladies' final at Wimbledon but captured the hearts of tennis fans by breaking down in tears on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent, the tournament's patron. Five years later, Novotna was back on Centre Court and this time she won. She tells her story to Kirsty McQuire. Jana Novotna died of ovarian cancer in 2017. The programme is a Sparklab Production for the ±«Óãtv World Service and was first broadcast in 2015.
(Photo: Czech tennis player Jana Novotna is consoled by the Duchess of Kent after losing the women's singles final at the 1993 Wimbledon Championships, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, 3 July 1993. Credit: Getty Images)
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