Karel Nováček (born 30 March 1965) is a retired Czech former top ten tennis player born in Prostějov, Czechoslovakia (Czech Republic). In his career, Nováček won 13 singles titles and six doubles titles. His highest singles ranking was World No. 8, which he achieved on 18 November 1991.

His best performance at a Grand Slam came at the 1994 US Open where he defeated Alexander Vladimirovich Volkov, Andriy Medvedev, Todd Woodbridge, Javier Frana and Jaime Yzaga before losing to Michael Stich in the semifinal. In 1997, Novacek was suspended for three months for failing a drug test at the 1995 French Open; he forfeited $185,765, but denied taking cocaine knowingly.

Nováček lived in Boca Raton, Florida, United States for 20 years, and then moved back to the Czech Republic. Karel and Maya Nováček married in 1990; as of 2002, they had three children. In 2002, the Boca Raton News reported that their ten-year-old daughter Anika was a promising tennis player, winning several tournaments.

Career finals

Singles (13 titles, 7 runners-up) Legend (singles) Grand Slam (0–0) Tennis Masters Cup (0–0) ATP Masters Series (1–0) ATP Tour (12–7) ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWin1–0Aug 1986Washington, U.S.Clay Thierry Tulasne6–1, 7–6(7–4)Loss1–1Oct 1986Vienna, AustriaHard (i) Brad Gilbert6–3, 3–6, 5–7, 0–6Loss1–2Oct 1987Palermo, ItalyClay Martín Jaite6–7(5–7), 7–6(9–7), 4–6Win2–2Jul 1989Hilversum, NetherlandsClay Emilio Sánchez6–2, 6–4Win3–2May 1990Munich, West GermanyClay Thomas Muster6–4, 6–2Loss3–3Aug 1990Kitzbühel, AustriaClay Horacio de la Peña4–6, 6–7(4–7), 6–2, 2–6Win4–3Jan 1991Auckland, New ZealandHard Jean-Philippe Fleurian7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–4)Loss4–4Apr 1991Estoril, PortugalClay Sergi Bruguera6–7(7–9), 1–6Win5–4May 1991Hamburg, GermanyClay Magnus Gustafsson6–3, 6–3, 5–7, 0–6, 6–1Win6–4Aug 1991Kitzbühel, AustriaClay Magnus Gustafsson7–6(7–2), 7–6(7–4), 6–2Win7–4Aug 1991Prague, CzechoslovakiaClay Magnus Gustafsson7–6(7–5), 6–2Win8–4Jul 1992Hilversum, NetherlandsClay Jordi Arrese6–2, 6–3, 2–6, 7–5Win9–4Aug 1992San Marino, San MarinoClay Francisco Clavet7–5, 6–2Win10–4Aug 1992Prague, CzechoslovakiaClay Franco Davín6–1, 6–1Win11–4Feb 1993Dubai, U.A.E.Hard Fabrice Santoro6–4, 7–5Loss11–5Feb 1993Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet Anders Järryd3–6, 5–7Win12–5Mar 1993Zaragoza, SpainClay Jonas Svensson3–6, 6–2, 6–1Loss12–6Apr 1993Estoril, PortugalClay Andriy Medvedev4–6, 2–6Loss12–7Jul 1993Gstaad, SwitzerlandClay Sergi Bruguera3–6, 4–6Win13–7Aug 1994Hilversum, NetherlandsClay Richard Fromberg7–5, 6–4, 7–6(9–7)

Doubles (6 titles, 10 runners-up) ResultW-L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 0–1 Jun 1988 Athens, Greece Clay Pablo Arraya Rikard Bergh Per Henricsson 4–6, 5–7Loss 0–2 Aug 1989 Båstad, Swedish Clay Josef Čihák Per Henricsson Nicklas Utgren 5–7, 2–6Win 1–2 Oct 1991 Berlin, Germany Carpet Petr Korda Jan Siemerink Daniel Vacek 3–6, 7–5, 7–5Loss 1–3 Apr 1992Barcelona, Spain Clay Ivan Lendl Andrés Gómez Javier Sánchez 4–6, 4–6Loss 1–4 Apr 1992Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Petr Korda Boris Becker Michael Stich 4–6, 4–6Win 2–4 Aug 1992 Prague, Czechoslovakia Clay Branislav Stankovič Jonas Björkman Jon Ireland 7–5, 6–1Loss 2–5 Oct 1992 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) David Rikl Tom Nijssen Cyril Suk 3–6, 4–6Win 3–5 Mar 1993 Zaragoza, Spain Carpet Martin Damm Mike Bauer David Rikl 2–6, 6–4, 7–5Loss 3–6 May 1993 Munich, Germany Clay Carl-Uwe Steeb Martin Damm Henrik Holm 0–6, 6–3, 5–7Loss 3–7 Sep 1993U.S. Open, New York Hard Martin Damm Ken Flach Rick Leach 7–6, 4–6, 2–6Loss 3–8 Mar 1994 Zaragoza, Spain Carpet Martin Damm Henrik Holm Anders Järryd 5–7, 2–6Win 4–8 Aug 1994 Prague, Czech Republic Clay Mats Wilander Tomáš Krupa Pavel Vízner W/OWin 5–8 Oct 1994 Ostrava, Czech Republic Carpet Martin Damm Gary Muller Piet Norval 6–4, 1–6, 6–3Win 6–8 Oct 1994 Santiago, Chile Clay Mats Wilander Tomás Carbonell Francisco Roig 4–6, 7–6, 7–6Loss 6–9 Feb 1995Milan, Italy Carpet Petr Korda Boris Becker Guy Forget 2–6, 4–6Loss 6–10 Feb 1996 Dubai, UAE Hard Jiří Novák Byron Black Grant Connell 0–6, 1–6

Singles performance timeline

Tournament 1984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996 Career SR Grand Slam tournamentsAustralian OpenAANHAAA3R1R2RA3R4RA0 / 5French Open3R1R1RQF1R3R4R1R1RQF1R1RA0 / 12WimbledonAA1R1R2R2R3R4R1R1R1R1RA0 / 10US OpenAA1R1RAA1R3RA3RSF1RA0 / 7Grand Slam SR0 / 10 / 10 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 30 / 30 / 40 / 40 / 00 / 34 ATP Masters Series Indian WellsNot MS1Before 19901RA3RAA1RA0 / 3 Key Biscayne2R2R2RAA2R1R0 / 5Monte Carlo2R1R3R1R1R2RA0 / 6 Rome2R1R1R3R1R1RA0 / 6Hamburg1RWQF3R1RAA1 / 5CanadaAAAAAAA0 / 0Cincinnati1RAAA1RAA0 / 2Stuttgart (Stockholm)2R3R3RAAAA0 / 3Paris1RQF1R3RAAA0 / 4Masters Series SRN/A0 / 81 / 60 / 70 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 11 / 34 Year-end ranking138159337612774348231728121409N/A

Records

Time spanOther selected recordsPlayers matched1987Triple bagel win (6–0, 6–0, 6–0)Nikola ŠpearStefan EdbergIvan LendlSergi Bruguera

See also List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links