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KREJCIKOVA Roland Garros 2021 French Open
Chris Evert, Roland Garros, Tennis News, WTA Tennis Players

‘We see Jana Novotna in her’ – Chris Evert after Krejcikova French Open win


Chris Evert has spoken of the connection between Barbora Krejcikova and the late Jana Novotna after the Czech won the 2021 French Open.

Krejcikova was coached and mentored by 1998 Wimbledon winner Novotna – who died in 2017 aged 49.

“It wasn’t until last fall that she broke into the top 100 in the world, it’s just amazing,” said 18-time Major champion and Eurosport expert Evert.

“This is a woman who always wanted to be known as a singles player. She has won multiple Grand Slam doubles titles and was known as a doubles specialist but not a singles specialist.

“But this has been her dream and her goal and she’s proving to a lot of people that she’s a force to be reckoned with in singles as well as doubles.

“We do [see Jana Novotna in her]. The ways she looks, her facial expressions, the way she moves. And what a lineage, a Czech lineage she’s followed when you look at Jana and Martina [Navratilova] and [Petra] Kvitova.

“But Jana as we knew her was a very special [person] with a big heart. Barbora knocked on her door when she was 18 and said – ‘can you coach me?’ Jana said yes and she’s thought about her everyday this tournament.”

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.