Wimbledon's former 'weeping' champion Jana Novotna dies aged 49 after a long battle with cancer

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Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna has died at the age of 49. 

The Czech player lost her long battle with cancer and died peacefully surrounded by her family, according to the WTA. 

Novotna claimed victory in the 1998 Wimbledon final having suffered defeats in 1993 and 1997.

Jana Novotna won the Wimbledon title in 1998 having twice lost in the final 

Novotna was famously consoled by the Duchess of Kent after losing the 1993 final

She was famously consoled on Centre Court by the Duchess of Kent after the 1993 disappointment, crying on the royal's shoulder.

She captured the hearts of fans at SW16 after bursting into tears following the loss to Steffi Graf.

But the Duchess told her she would go on to win the title and five years later she was proved correct.  

Novotna beat Martina Hingis in the semi-final before overcoming Frenchwoman Nathalie Tauziat to lift the crown. 

Novotna achieved a career high ranking of world No 2 and is in the tennis Hall of Fame

The Duchess of Kent was also on hand to congratulate the Czech after winning 

Novotna was known for her serve-volley prowess during her successful career

'Jana was an inspiration both on and off court to anyone who had the opportunity to know her,' said WTA chief executive Steve Simon.

'Her star will always shine brightly in the history of the WTA. Our condolences and our thoughts are with Jana's family,' he added. 

Novotna was known for her entertaining style of play and attacking serve-volley approach with supreme athleticism allowing her to compete with the greats of her generation.

She claimed 24 titles in singles and 76 in doubles during a decorated 14-year career.

Novotna was known for her aggressive play and athleticism, particularly in doubles

Novotna (left) poses with Pete Sampras at the Wimbledon champions ball in 1998

The Czech posed with her friend and tennis legend Martina Navratilova (left)

She achieved a career high ranking of world No 2, and No 1 in doubles on multiple occasions before being inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2005.

In the 1990s Novota reached the peak of her powers, reaching the final of the Australian Open once and the semi-finals of the French Open and US Open twice in addition to claiming the Wimbledon title.

She was also a key member of the Czech Fed Cup team and deeply loved the game, saying in 2015 'it would be horrible' to have life without tennis. 

'She always supported us from the stands when she could. We will miss her,' the Czech Fed Cup team said on its Facebook page on Monday. 

Whilst Wimbledon was her only major singles title, the Czech also excelled on the doubles court, claiming 12 Grand Slam doubles titles and four in mixed doubles.

Former British No 1 Jo Durie paid tribute to Novotna's spirit on court.

She said on Twitter: 'Oh no how terrible sad. All thoughts to her family and friends. So glad Jana won Wimbledon. Such a fighter on court & a wicked sense of humour.' 

The athleticism of Novotna allowed her to compete with the best players of her generation

Former American doubles star Pam Schriver added: 'Jana was as kind as she was athletic, as smart as she was competitive. 

'I can't believe she is gone this soon. Her smile lives forever young.' 

Whilst Andrew Castle, now a commentator for the BBC, said: 'What a terrible shame. She was good fun on an evening, a champion on court, so tough to play against. And her smile was wonderful.' 

Novotna poses with Prince Andrew and Anna Kournikova at a charity tournament in 2002

In 2005 Novotna was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame after her decorated career

Novotna will be remembered as a serial winner with a radiant, mischievous smile  

By Mike Dickson 

For someone who won a total of 100 professional tennis titles in her career, it seems deeply unfair that Jana Novotna should be remembered for something associated with defeat.

She was, undoubtedly, a winner, a fine singles player and truly great doubles exponent who possessed a range of skills that is increasingly hard to find in the modern women's game.

Yet the picture of her that will be etched in the minds of all who saw it will be that of her crying on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent in the midst of the Centre Court, having missed the chance to beat Steffi Graf in the 1993 Wimbledon final.

Novotna was warm with a radiant smile to go with her fierce competitiveness 

There was power to Novotna's game but she combined it with wonderfully soft hands 

It remains one of the iconic images of sport in the nineties, and no wonder.

The member of the royal family showing the basic human quality of offering comfort to someone distraught resonated way beyond competitive sport, let alone tennis. And anyone who has competed hard at anything could identify with what Novotna was going through, the regret of squandered opportunity when a chance presented itself.

Ultimately, however, there was to be a happy ending to the story, five years later, when she won the final at the third attempt. She thus fulfilled the encouraging words that the Duchess had offered to her: 'One day you will do it, I know you will,' she had told her.

Novotna and Navratilova join forces at the Wimbledon Ladies' Invitation Doubles 

Finally the ghosts of the '93 final were laid to rest, and it should not be underestimated what an achievement that was as the events of that match against Graf had followed Novotna around ever since.

Novotna had a smooth all-court game that relied not on power but her wonderfully soft hands that allowed her to attack the net with serve-and-volley tactics or to approach it after a delicate sliced backhand.

That style worked especially well on grass, and created all manner of problems for Graf, who was trailing 1-4 and 30-40 in the deciding set before Novotna buckled in sight of the winning post, her nerve punctured by a double fault.

Crowds took to Novotna for her willingness to express her emotions on court 

Coached by former Grand Slam winner Hana Mandlikova and from a country with a long history of producing a wide variety of gifted tennis players, she fought hard against the 'Czech choker' label, and in 1998 finally banished it.

In 1997 she had reached the final again, but was beaten by Martina Hingis at a time when, it turned out, the Swiss was reaching her peak. 

A year later she carved open the draw by beating Venus Williams in the quarter finals and then, labouring under the burden of being strong favourite, defeated France's overmatched Nathalie Tauziat to finally lift the Venus Rosewater Dish.

How extraordinary to think that both Hingis and Williams were both performing at the US Open this September, because Novotna had been long gone.

Fulfilled by winning Wimbledon, she retired in 1999 after collecting twelve Grand Slam doubles titles and four mixed doubles titles to go along with 24 singles trophies.

Novotna embraces her mother in the stands after her most famous triumph in 1998

Thereafter she became a popular member of the BBC's commentary team, did some coaching and played in veterans' events, a regular at the All England Club, where she had won her way to membership .

Her battle against cancer was kept private and was not common knowledge within the game.

Novotna, who attended the Laver Cup only in September, was quickly remembered not just for her supreme tennis skills but for her generous and warm disposition. While an image of her crying may live on, she was also someone with a radiant, mischievous smile.

The Czech fought hard against the 'choker' label and eventually overcame it