@LDVTennis seems to me the match changed when steffi hit that deadly topspin back hand. It was like she just stood and watched it go buy and the next points where all errors.
Mental toughness is at least as important as physical gifts. Novotna deserved nothing. You earn everything you get. Closing out a wounded opponent is the mark of true champions. Steffi did what the best do - hung in there on a day when things weren't going well, and gave herself a chance. Steffi is the best ever for a reason.
the commentator announcing he didnt think she'd choke-the double fault-the woeful volley afterwards-then the smash into the net-classic 2 mins in wimbledon history..aftereach shot novotna had "oh god here we go again" look about her-the writing was on the wall after that..as a graf fan i was so pleased, but novotna was a great player and i was thilled when she got her win in 1998 (even though steffi was in the draw and i was rooting for her)
BJK once said that when it gets close or you get nervous all the quirks and technical flaws in your game become exposed. So, while it not wrong to say that Jana choked, it is probably more correct to say that her game became harder to execute because of those quirks. Someone mentioned the serve at 1:50. The root cause of that error is her deep knee bend. On the forehand volley that follows, well, there was a quirk in that shot too, her tendency to catch the ball too low on her racquet face.
novotna really did deserve to win this one. i was a huge steffi fan but i must say that she really didnt deserve this one. novotnas nerves just couldnt hold up. im happy that novotna won it at least once.
described in the book Malcolm Gladwell: "what the dog saw"
yFrankkk 5 months ago
@LDVTennis seems to me the match changed when steffi hit that deadly topspin back hand. It was like she just stood and watched it go buy and the next points where all errors.
cphipps79 7 months ago
Mental toughness is at least as important as physical gifts. Novotna deserved nothing. You earn everything you get. Closing out a wounded opponent is the mark of true champions. Steffi did what the best do - hung in there on a day when things weren't going well, and gave herself a chance. Steffi is the best ever for a reason.
Crabitat 8 months ago
the commentator announcing he didnt think she'd choke-the double fault-the woeful volley afterwards-then the smash into the net-classic 2 mins in wimbledon history..aftereach shot novotna had "oh god here we go again" look about her-the writing was on the wall after that..as a graf fan i was so pleased, but novotna was a great player and i was thilled when she got her win in 1998 (even though steffi was in the draw and i was rooting for her)
lollipopdouche 10 months ago
LOL @ THE ANNOUNCER AT 1:34-136
QuantumMaths 11 months ago
BJK once said that when it gets close or you get nervous all the quirks and technical flaws in your game become exposed. So, while it not wrong to say that Jana choked, it is probably more correct to say that her game became harder to execute because of those quirks. Someone mentioned the serve at 1:50. The root cause of that error is her deep knee bend. On the forehand volley that follows, well, there was a quirk in that shot too, her tendency to catch the ball too low on her racquet face.
LDVTennis 11 months ago
At 0:30, Steffi hits one of the best topspin backhands of her career.
LDVTennis 11 months ago
novotna really did deserve to win this one. i was a huge steffi fan but i must say that she really didnt deserve this one. novotnas nerves just couldnt hold up. im happy that novotna won it at least once.
ETELVINOify 1 year ago
most painful lose ever. i loved novotna and it still hurts to watch this one.
househeadericmd 1 year ago
that 2nd serve @ 1:50 is where all went wrong for novotna.
i'm glad graf won this match, but i fealt so bad for novotna for losing it.
really happy that she got another chance and took it.
saar144 1 year ago