AthleteDirect_Host: Please welcome tennis star Jana Novotna to Yahoo! chat
AD_JNovotna: Hello everyone. I am excited to talk to you all from Wimbledon. Thank you all for chatting with us now.
digby_dawg asks: How difficult do you think it will be to defend your title?
AD_JNovotna: It's always difficult to repeat yout title.
AD_JNovotna: In this case I feel like because since I did so well here last year that the pressure is on someone else.
AD_JNovotna: I am not worried about it and I am looking forward to my time in England at Wimbledon.
grinalyn asks: Jana, It's great to get a chance to talk to you; I am a huge fan of yours. Congrats on your win today. Having played doubles with Martina Hingis before, is she really as immature and disrespectful as she appears on and off the court? Thanks
AD_JNovotna: I have no complaints about Martina...while I was playing with her I had no problems...
AD_JNovotna: She is opinionated but she's very good player and a nice person.
AD_JNovotna: She has made some mistakes lately but she will learn from them.
nafis121 asks: How's your ankle?
AD_JNovotna: I am icing my ankle right now.
AD_JNovotna: Hopefully my ankle will continue to get better since I am doing well so far.
Furbyisharry asks: Who do you fear most in a match, and who do you like partcipate in a match with?
AD_JNovotna: Well I think that I don't like to play against overpowering players.
AD_JNovotna: It gives me less time to be creative on the court when the players are hitting so hard.
AD_JNovotna: I think it is normal since every player has some players that they don't like to play against.
kova913 asks: How do you feel about your next round match against Sylvia Plischke, the woman who defeated you at the French Open?
AD_JNovotna: I feel pretty good about it.
AD_JNovotna: I know what to watch out for with her and playing on grass will be a completely different match.
blond_justin asks: Who do you think is the best player on tour in womens right now?
AD_JNovotna: I think it's hard to tell right now.
AD_JNovotna: There are different champions at every grand slam.
AD_JNovotna: It's hard to pick out one player who's the best.
AD_JNovotna: If you look at the Top 10 player list any player can win.
AD_JNovotna: It's exciting for the fans and players because everything is so wide open.
otter_dtx asks: Which surface is more difficult -- grass, clay or hard-court?
AD_JNovotna: Grass!
AD_JNovotna: It's unpredictable surface and the speed of the surface changes everytime.
AD_JNovotna: And also we only have like 3 tournaments that are played on grass.
AD_JNovotna: So it makes it tough.
rogerdeforest asks: What do you think are your strengths and weaknesses on a grass court?
AD_JNovotna: I think that my serve and net game, and my volley sre strong.
AD_JNovotna: My forehand gets inconsistent on grass sometimes.....you get different bounces and that makes it tough.
Jim88_98 asks: What is the most difficult Grand Slam tournament for you?
AD_JNovotna: Well I think the US Open is the toughest...
AD_JNovotna: The most prestigious to win is the Wimbledon.
blond_justin asks: Who is your current doubles partner and what do you think your chances are in singles and doubles in Wimbeldom?
AD_JNovotna: And not because I won it!
AD_JNovotna: I think my chances are good in singles and doubles....
AD_JNovotna: Focus on your next opponent only.
AD_JNovotna: I have a new doubles partner in Natasha Zvereva and we are the number one seeded team here and I like our
chances.
blond_justin asks: When did you start playing tennis?
AD_JNovotna: I started playing tennis when I was eight.
AD_JNovotna: I started to play for fun and I just picked it up as just another sport......
rogerdeforest asks: What tennis player has influenced you the most?
AD_JNovotna: I think the Czech republic is known for great tennis players.
AD_JNovotna: Ivan Lendl and Martina Navratilova are Czech.
AD_JNovotna: I did not always have an idol I just wanted to play tennis and be myself.
blond_justin asks: Who do you think is the best young player other than Hingis?
AD_JNovotna: They are all very young.
AD_JNovotna: Venus and Serena Williams
AD_JNovotna: Anna Kournikova.
AD_JNovotna: Dokic is very good as well, she just beat Hingis today!
AD_JNovotna: There are so many players that will emerge in a year or two from now.
CUJen asks: Hey Jana...What do you think of all the hype around the attractive new players(Anna)...do you feel that people are overlooking who is the best for who is the more beautiful?
AD_JNovotna: This is only been going on about one player...Anna Kournikova.
AD_JNovotna: Sometimes her looks overshadow her tennis..it's not her fault...it's the media.
bluemonday1984 asks: What was the first thing that entered your mind when you realized you had won Wimbledon?
AD_JNovotna: Well, I was extremely happy......and relived.
AD_JNovotna: I was like yippee.....
AD_JNovotna: I just wanted to run to the box and share everything with my friends and family.
Cleo_d5 asks: What has encouraged you through every tournament you play?
AD_JNovotna: I really love this game.
AD_JNovotna: I still have so much to achieve and win more tournaments....
karinlilein asks: How much a role does the crowd play?
AD_JNovotna: At all the tournaments and here if you get the crowd behind you it gets you excited.
AD_JNovotna: It can help you play better.
TennisMC3 asks: After all these years, what made you finally decide to play with Natasha.. and what's it like to play with her?
AD_JNovotna: Well.....
AD_JNovotna: I started to play doubles with Natasha at the French Open..
AD_JNovotna: She's a great tennis player and we really like one another.
AD_JNovotna: We make a good team.
jwells25 asks: How does your sucess effect your personal life?
AD_JNovotna: Fortunately I can say that my success did not affect my personal life.
AD_JNovotna: That's tough to do at times...I think because I had success at a older age.
AD_JNovotna: Just because you win does not mean you should change who you are.
PortaPak asks: Do you have any rituals before a match?
AD_JNovotna: I do.
AD_JNovotna: They are funny rituals.
AD_JNovotna: I think every player has some.
AD_JNovotna: Whether you play with the same rackets or dress at the same locker...
AD_JNovotna: whatever you can do to win..it's a winning routine.
a19m99 asks: What do you think about Serena Williams' withdrawal?
AD_JNovotna: I think it's unfortunate to miss a tournament like this....
AD_JNovotna: But I guess if she's not able enough to play...that's too bad.
AD_JNovotna: She did not seem to make the effort to play so who knows....
digby_dawg asks: Why do many tennis players have a reputation for having bad tempers?
AD_JNovotna: There are not that many players who have bad tempers.
AD_JNovotna: I think it happens in every sport.
AD_JNovotna: There are not that many who have them but there are some.
rogerdeforest asks: Do you think you'll be playing against Graf in the final, and what are your chances of beating her?
AD_JNovotna: I really don't know.
AD_JNovotna: It was be great to make it to the finals again.
AD_JNovotna: It would be great to play a champion like Steffi and it would be a good battle.
hodge301 asks: Do you feel extra pressure having to defend you title this time?
AD_JNovotna: Not really, no.
AD_JNovotna: I think coming back the pressure is on someone else and I can focus on tennis.
karinlilein asks: Jana, how much do you train?
AD_JNovotna: I train about 3-4 hours per day.
AD_JNovotna: In two sessions and do some physical fittness afterwards....
AD_JNovotna: At the tournament you practice for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours everyday.
rogerdeforest asks: What advice would you give young players who are just starting out?
AD_JNovotna: I tell them not to rush anything.
AD_JNovotna: Makes sure the kids have an education.
AD_JNovotna: There needs to be balance between tennis and education, it's really important.
Norw1ch asks: Was Wimbledon last year your greatest triumph ever?
AD_JNovotna: Yes it was.
AD_JNovotna: Simply because I had been waiting and training so hard for this.
AD_JNovotna: I won in doubles and singles so I am not sure if it can get better than that!
Jim88_98 asks: Do you enjoy any other sports when you're away from tennis?
AD_JNovotna: Yes I do.
AD_JNovotna: I love a lot of sports.
AD_JNovotna: I play golf, skiing, roller blading, and ice skating.
ramchi22 asks: dear jana, what do u think is most important for tennis - fitness or temperament ?
AD_JNovotna: There's got to be a fine combination of both.
rogerdeforest asks: Will you be playing the US Open?
AD_JNovotna: I will be playing there.
AD_JNovotna: I played well there last year and I hope to do better.
AD_JNovotna: Thank you all for chatting in Yahoo.
AD_JNovotna: I would like to say I hope you enjoyed talking to you online and I hope we can do it all again soon!
AD_JNovotna: Take care!