US OPEN

September 6, 1999

Jana Novotna

WTA: Questions for Jana.

JANA NOVOTNA: Yeah. Actually, this time I'm going to start. Actually, this time I'm here to tell you, yeah, you have all recently heard that there has been some speculation about me maybe not playing next year. I just would like to clarify everything, that that is true. I have decided to finish this year, fulfill my obligations for this fall, and then not to play anymore next year.

JANA NOVOTNA: Well, I think I have been thinking about the decision for a very long time. I just felt that the timing for it is right. Usually here at the US Open, I have to do my commitments and designations for next year. So I felt that the time is right to make this statement.

JANA NOVOTNA: I will not play in doubles and I will not play singles, no.

JANA NOVOTNA: Yes, I will no longer play next year.

JANA NOVOTNA: I think it's a combination of things. I think that's very hard to say it's one thing or another. But, as I said, I've been thinking about this for a very long time. It's really difficult to point out one thing, why am I retiring or why I won't be playing anymore next year. But I just feel that the time for it is right. Again, I'm very happy with the decision that I have made, and I'm looking forward to my future.

JANA NOVOTNA: I'm physically fine. Physically I'm fine. There is really no problem. My ankle injury really doesn't have anything to do with this decision. I think that winning Wimbledon last year made this decision much easier. I can look back and just be very thankful for the very long and healthy career that I had. Of course, I wouldn't be able to do it all on my own. I did it with the help of my family, my parents, my long-time coach Hana Mandlikova, and, of course, my business manager, Phil Depicciotto and his staff at Advantage International. This is a sport that you do individually. You are out there on your own, but around you, you have to have a group of people that can help you enormously. I'm just wanting to thank all the people that they've been helping me for many, many years, and, of course, to all my fans around the world for giving me very special moments. As I said, I'm looking forward to my future, no matter what it's going to be. I hope that I will be as successful with it as I was with when I was a tennis player.

JANA NOVOTNA: Well, for right now, I haven't made any immediate decisions, but, of course, it's too soon. As I said, this was my last Grand Slam tournament, but not the last tournament. I have some of the tournaments back in Europe that I will play. After that, I just want to take some time off and just think about what I want to do in the future.

JANA NOVOTNA: I think that's a very good question. And I think it's difficult to say really how I would feel at this moment not winning Wimbledon last year. As I said earlier, winning Wimbledon last year and having such the wonderful year that I had just made everything much easier. Let's put it that this way. Definitely I said throughout my career that winning one Grand Slam tournament would be very fulfilling and it would be a dream to come true for me. It finally did happen. As I said, I can just look back and be very happy and very thankful for the career that I have.

JANA NOVOTNA: What I would like to do in the future? I would like to do probably everything but traveling. That's the one thing that I really have struggled lately with. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time at home and do things that I didn't have a chance to do for a number of years.

JANA NOVOTNA: You know, that's really a speculation right now. It's very early for me to tell you right now. I think you all understand that this is not an easy decision; this is something that I've been thinking about for a long time. Again, I'm very happy with the decision. But for right now, I don't have any immediate plans, so I can't really tell you what I will do.

JANA NOVOTNA: Slow hard court?

JANA NOVOTNA: You're talking about the main center court, not the other one (laughter). You know what, I think it's really difficult to say or point out one player who is the best player nowadays. I think I'm leaving the Women's Tour in better shape than it ever was. I think that the younger players, the new generation knocking on the door, is ready to take over. You know what, they are all great. Anybody can win this tournament. I think that we will see. I personally think we will see one of the best US Opens ever.

JANA NOVOTNA: As I said, I don't want to be very specific because I have my commitments; I have my designations. If I do well, I will qualify, yes, probably you can say yes. But if not, then no. It's hard to tell at this point. It's still too early to determine if that would be my last tournament or no, but we'll see.

JANA NOVOTNA: Well, I will base myself -- probably divide my time between Florida and Europe. No question about it.

JANA NOVOTNA: I know. I should be like all excited (laughter). You know what, yes, it is very ironic actually. I can go back to when I was 14 years old, when I started my career, back in France when I traveled for my first international tournament, under-14. I happened to play Steffi Graf in the first round. She's been there for a very long time. It is pretty ironic and incredible that we are retiring at the same year basically.

JANA NOVOTNA: Absolutely no. Steffi's case is totally different from mine. I would never want to compare myself to Steffi. No, we didn't talk about it. It didn't really help, nothing at all.

JANA NOVOTNA: I think that, yes, it could be part of it that you will see. As I said, it's going to happen sooner or later that all the generation will leave. Yes, Steffi has retired this year. I will not be playing anything next year. As I said, I just feel that the woman's Tour nowadays is stronger than ever. I think that the younger players and the new generation is ready to take over. As we will maybe see next year or something, some of the older players will retire. But, as I said, the new generation is ready to take the step ahead and be at the top and just lead the way.

JANA NOVOTNA: No (laughter).

JANA NOVOTNA: I think that you never know. Yes, for right now, as the woman's tennis, the way it's heading right now, the new generation, everybody is pretty much playing from the baseline. But, you know, it's not only about serve and volleying. You shouldn't oversee the fact that the new generation is bringing something new for the fans. It's bringing something new to the sport, like the physical fitness. The players are fitter than they've ever been. I think that we will see something different, something that's going to be exciting and very interesting, not only for the fans, but for the players themselves. I think there will be a very healthy competition. Yes, we may not see as many serve-and-volleyers as we did in the past. But, again, they will bring something new which we all will love.

JANA NOVOTNA: I think I always will be interested and involved in tennis one way or another. But it's just very hard to say how will I be involved in tennis. But you have to understand that I've been playing tennis since I was eight years old, and tennis will always be part of my life. You know, even if I'm going to be as a spectator or as anything else, I will always be involved and enjoy it.

JANA NOVOTNA: Yes. I called her last night, actually (laughter). That's a good question, though. She said, "Don't do it." I said, "I have to. I'm still going to come because I have the little badge."

JANA NOVOTNA: Definitely, yes. Steffi was one of the greatest players ever. As I said earlier, and many times, I think she was the most complete player. I think she has brought the women's tennis to another level. She has just been a very complete, very intense player, and very consistent over the years. I just hope that she will find her happiness off the court, and she will be as happy as she was as a tennis player and that she will have a nice, fulfilling life.

JANA NOVOTNA: Besides me, right (laughter)?

JANA NOVOTNA: Thank you. You know what? It's really hard to tell. I think I had the opportunity to play with many great doubles players. I played with Helena Sukova, Martina Hingis, Sanchez-Vicario. They're all very unique in their own way. It's difficult to say that this player was the greatest. All my victories, all my Grand Slam titles, they all will be well-remembered. I had a great time playing doubles.

JANA NOVOTNA: Everything pretty much. I mean, again, it's really hard to point out one thing or one year that was the best or the most important. Of course, you all know that I always wanted to win Wimbledon. When I finally did that, that was the greatest thing I ever did in my career. Again, I mean, it's been a great long and very healthy career. It would be hard to say and not fair to say that this was the greatest thing that ever happened. Winning Wimbledon and becoming a Grand Slam champion is the greatest thing ever, but don't forget tennis pretty much gave me everything, gave me the opportunity to travel, to speak another language, just to be a different kind of person. That's the one thing that I will always appreciate and treasurer.

JANA NOVOTNA: I don't know. I haven't made a decision yet. I will just fulfill my commitments. Thank you.