Novotna finally gets first grass win
Sanchez Vicario falls in Wimbledon warmup final
Posted: Saturday June 20, 1998 11:41 AM
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Novotna is now 2-2 in championship matches this year (AP) |
EASTBOURNE, England (AP) -- Jana Novotna completed her preperations for Wimbledon by defeating Arantxa Sanchez Vicario 6-1, 7-5 Saturday to win the Eastbourne grass-court title. It was her 21st career title, her second of the year and -- most importantly -- first on grass, meaning she has now won titles onevery surface. "If I do well at Eastbourne, I do well at Wimbledon," said the top-seeded Czech, who received $79,000 for her victory. Last year she reached the Eastbourne final, also against Sanchez Vicario, but that match was rained out. Novotna followed up by advancing to the Wimbledon final for the second time, losing to champion Martina Hingis. There were far too many unforced errors in the final -- especially for third-seeded Sanchez Vicario -- to make the match one to remember, a factor that Novotna put dow to fatigue after atesting week. The Czech broke serve in the opening game and again for 3-0 against the listless Spaniard, fresh from winning the clay-court French Open. Novotna then resisted three break points before holding for 4-0 and finished off the set in 28 minutes with her third break. Sanchez Vicario then received treatment to her right leg and continued with her thigh heavily strapped. The Spaniard began the second set in earnest fashion, rushing the net more aggressively to earn her first break of the match and lead 1-0. Novotna failed to convert two break points at 2-1 but leveled the set at 3-3 when Sanchez Vicario double-faulted. Sanchez Vicario regained the lead in the next game on her fifth break point, but Novotna took advantage of another double fault and a forehand error to pull back to 4-4. Two more errors from Sanchez Vicario, a netted forehand to give Novotna match point and a two-handed backhand that landed long, gave Novotna a break for 7-5 and the match.
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