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Third time's a charm, third time is misery at Wimbledon

© Michael Cecilio

I don't know quite what to say. Really, I'm lost for words. I mean, who would have thought that two veterans in the form of 3rd seed Jana Novotna and 16th seed Nathalie Tauziat - the two oldest people in the Top 20 at least - would reach the final in such convincing manner? I was still stuck on a Hingis/Seles clash in the final. I'm always wrong. Why? It seemed like such a reasonable prediction in the beginning. But sometimes, things don't pan out the way you anticipate. And that has been the story of Wimbledon 1998.

Yet, the most poignant story of Wimbledon this year, perhaps for the entire Wimbledon history even, was Jana Novotna's triumph. FINALLY!!! WOW!! Didn't she have to climb over so much adversity just to attain her first Grand Slam singles title?! Well, it's about time! She definitely deserved it. Now she can erase all of those bad memories from past Wimbledon's, notably her three set choke against Steffi Graf in 1993, leading 4-1 in the third, and thence inducing some of the most painful tears in sporting history. Similarly, but not as painfully, Jana choked once more against Martina Hingis up a set and a break before losing in three. But now, she has it! And wasn't everyone happy for her. Of course, not meaning to neglect Nathalie Tauziat - she gave it her best shot and could not quite pull through against the more talented player.

There were times when we justifiably wonder whether a third choke from Jana was in the makings. But she knew this was her opportunity. It wasn't Seles or Graf or Hingis she was playing against, all #1 players at some point in their careers. It was Tauziat, an underdog who had made it to #10, her highest ranking in her 15-year career, who she was playing against and she had the best opportunity to break through her Grand Slam drought. However, serving in the middle of the second set, already up a set in the first, had served two consecutive double faults, including a serve which came off the frame and sailed past the baseline. Here we go again, everyone thought. Before a space of tension and nerves and the like crept up on Novotna, after leading 5-3 and serving for the championship, Novotna was crushed by the efficient grass court expertise by Tauziat. But only temporarily. Novotna came through to take the second set to a tiebreak. And here it was - the home stretch. With Tauziat playing an error-induced tiebreak and Novotna really lifting her level here, Novotna led 6-2 with four match points. Would she crack? Would she choke? Would she cry? No, Novotna did it on the first match point, ripping a forehand winner past Nathalie - no sense of nerves crushing her here. And, wow! She did it! I can't believe it, she certainly can't believe it either. I mean, FINALLY! It's about BLOODY TIME!! She is too good a player not to win a grand slam, let alone Wimbledon, grass being a surface well suited to her game. Aside from Nathalie Tauziat, Jana is the only natural grass courter left in the women's game. A Centre Court full of bad memories, it can now only be regarded as the place of the biggest triumph in her life. And how happy was she to receive the winner's plate! She could not let go, much to the chagrin of the officials who needed the plate back to engrave in a new champion. Kissing it, placing her head on it, caressing it - over and over and over again - she was just ecstatic and it could not have happened to a more deserving champion at such a point in her career.