Karel Nováček
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.
| Country (sports) | Czechoslovakia (1984–92) Czech Republic (1993–96) |
|---|---|
| Residence | Boca Raton, Florida |
| Born | 30 March 1965 Prostějov, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Turned pro | 1984 |
| Retired | 1996 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $3,729,540 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 299–246 (54.9%) |
| Career titles | 13 |
| Highest ranking | No. 8 (18 November 1991) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 4R (1995) |
| French Open | QF (1987, 1993) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1991) |
| US Open | SF (1994) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | RR (1991) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 168–179 |
| Career titles | 6 |
| Highest ranking | No. 25 (28 February 1994) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1994) |
| French Open | QF (1990) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (1994) |
| US Open | F (1993) |
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 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.