Jana Novotna, the tennis star who has died of cancer aged 49, won the hearts of the Wimbledon crowds in her 1993 final against Steffi Graf, when she snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, then shed tears on the Duchess of Kent's shoulder.
The tall, blonde Czech was easy-going and likeable - and with her serve-and-volley aggression, her energy in running down every ball and her mastery of the backhand smash, one of the most watchable players on the circuit.
But she suffered from bouts of nerves, and it appeared for a time that she was destined to be remembered as one of the finest women's players, particularly on grass, never to win a Grand Slam title.
It took her four years to reach another Wimbledon final, in 1997, when despite the cheers of a partisan crowd, she lost in three sets to 16-year-old Martina Hingis.
In 1993 she had cried because Wimbledon was hers to win. This time, she had given of her best but had been outplayed, so, instead of tears, she masked her disappointment with laughter as she snatched the silver trophy from her opponent and made as if to run off with it.
In 1997 Novotna had been told by her royal comforter: "Don't worry. I am sure it will be third time lucky." So it proved in 1998 when, after beating Venus Williams in a quarterfinal, and exacting revenge on Hingis in the semifinal, the 29-year-old Czech defeated France's 30-year-old Nathalie Tauziat in the final in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. The players were the oldest in a Wimbledon final since 1977.
"What's all the fuss about?" said the duchess as Novotna received her trophy. "I told you last year you would come back and win." It was her first, and last, Grand Slam singles title in 45 attempts.
Novotna was born on October 2 1968 in Brno, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). She began as a gymnast, until the age of eight when her coach told her she would be too tall. Her mother, Liba, a teacher, suggested she concentrate on tennis, a game she played for fun. What began as a hobby soon became an obsession. She turned professional in 1987.
At first Novotna was known for her success on the doubles court. In the early 1990s, after Hana Mandlikova became her coach, she began to succeed in singles too.
In 1991, on the run to her first Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, she had beaten No1 seed Graf and, two years later, in her first Wimbledon final, it seemed she would repeat that feat. Leading 4-1 in the third set she stood on the point of going 5-1 ahead. Four double faults and several wild errors later, her advantage had gone. She went down to defeat 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4.
"Steffi Graf didn't exactly grab her fifth Wimbledon championship," observed one commentator. "Jana Novotna handed her the silver platter as a gift with one of the worst chokes in Grand Slam history." 
1968-2017..