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 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 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)
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Sat 15 Jul 2023 04:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
- Sat 15 Jul 2023 17:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sat 15 Jul 2023 18:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service West and Central Africa
- Sat 15 Jul 2023 23:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Afghan Radio
- Sun 16 Jul 2023 03:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 16 Jul 2023 23:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service West and Central Africa
- Mon 17 Jul 2023 02:50GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa
Olympic history
The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history
Sporting Witness Films
Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement
Podcast
-
![]()
Sporting Witness
Personal stories of amazing moments from sporting history told by people who were there
