Novotna Finally Gets Big Victory

Exorcising the pain of past disappointments, Jana Novotna finally put a major tournament title on her resume.

“Even if I don’t win another match, I proved I’m the player I expected to be,” Novotna said after winning the Chase Championships Sunday in New York by defeating Mary Pierce 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-3.

Novotna also teamed with Lindsay Davenport to become the first player to win the singles and doubles titles at the same championships since Martina Navratilova in 1983. She also regained the No. 2 singles ranking.

Novotna is 5-0 lifetime against Pierce, winning all 11 sets.

In Hartford, Conn., Rick Leach and Jonathan Stark won the Phoenix ATP Tour world doubles championship, beating Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in the final.