The player involvedHana Mandlikova and Helena Sukova
Hana Mandlikova was born in 1962. He was a great mover and his style of play was full of variety. With her one-handed backhand, she won her first title in Barcelona in 1979, defeating Sabina Simmonds (6-1, 5-7, 6-3) in the final. She had her first major Grand Slam results in 1980, finishing runner-up to Chris Evert (5-7, 6-1, 6-1) at the US Open, before winning the Australian Open in December, defeating Wendy Turnbull in the final (6-0, 7-5). The following year, he won his second major crown at Roland Garros. On her way, she defeated Evert, who had won her last 72 matches on clay, in the semifinals (7-5, 6-4), and in the final she defeated Silvia Hanika, 6-2, 6-4. After reaching another US Open final and losing to Evert (6-3, 6-1) in 1982, the Czechoslovakian did not play at the same level in 1983, even dropping out of the top 10, but by the end of 1984 she was back in the top five. In September 1985 in New York, he won Navcutively Consultation and Martinat. Her third Grand Slam title after winning a close final against Navratilova (7-6, 1-6, 7-6).
Helena Sukova was born in 1965. Her mother, Vera, was runner-up at Wimbledon in 1962, and Helena followed in her footsteps, winning her first title in 1982 in Newport News, defeating Pat Medrado (6-2, 6-7, 6-0) in the final, but her first memorable results came after the US Open quarterfinals. (Navratilova eliminated: 6-3, 6-3) she accomplished the feat by preventing Navratilova from winning a Grand Slamdefeating him in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open (1-6, 6-3, 7-5). In the final, he won the first set but eventually lost to Chris Evert 6-7, 6-1, 6-3. After reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 1985, he was ranked No. 8 in the world.
Location: Nagoya, Japan
In 1985, the Fed Cup was still being held in its original format, with 40 teams competing at one venue over the course of a week. This year the competition was held in Nagoya, Japan.
Facts: The semi-final was the final
In 1985, Czechoslovakia became the two-time defending champion of the Federation Cup. Three-time Grand Slam champion Hana Mandlikova and rising star Helena Sukova had already led the team to success in 1983 and 1984. In 1985, with top American players, World No. 1 and World No. 2 Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert absent, the Czechoslovakian team was again the favorite.
At the Nagoya Green Tennis Club, Mandlikova, who had just managed to defeat two of the world’s top players to win at Flushing Meadows, did not drop a set before the semifinals, sweeping her first three opponents. Apart from a slight scare in the second round against Canada, where Sukova lost to Lilian Drescher, the defending champions had little trouble setting up a semi-final clash with another Eastern European nation, Bulgaria. While Mandlikova was able to beat world number 7 Manuela Maleeva (3-6, 6-2, 6-1), Sukova lost to Maleeva’s younger sister, Katerina, who is 16 years old and already ranked 28th in the world. In the decisive doubles match, Mandlikova and Sukova won 6-3, 7-6.
The semi-final with Bulgaria turned out to be more difficult than the final. Against an American team that was bereft of its top two players, Mandlikova and Sukova both won their singles matches against Katie Jordan (World No. 19) and World No. 27 Elise Burgin. After sealing the win, they allowed Andrea Holikova and Regina Marsikova to play doubles (which they lost 6-2, 6-3). Czechoslovakia won the Federation Cup title for the third time in a row.
What next??
Hana Mandlikova would reach two more Grand Slam finals, losing to Martina Navratilova (7-6, 6-3) at Wimbledon in 1986, before getting her revenge on the left-handed legend at the 1987 Australian Open (7-5, 7-6). Mandlikova won her last tournament in Washington in March 1987 before injuries plagued her career. He will retire in 1990.
During her career, Helena Sukova will reach four Grand Slam finals without taking the trophy. Having already lost to Evert in the 1984 Australian Open, she would lose to Navratilova in the US Open final in 1986 (6-3, 6-2). The third player to stop him from realizing his dream would be Steffi Graf, who would beat him in the final in 1989 in Melbourne (6-4, 6-4) and then in the 1993 US Open (6-3, 6-2). Sukova will retire in 1998.
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