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NEWPORT, R.I. — The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) are pleased to announce that Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic is the recipient of the 2012 Fed Cup Award of Excellence. The award was presented by ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti and Jane Brown Grimes, president emerita of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, on Saturday, November 3 in Prague, during the 2012 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Final between Czech Republic and Serbia.

“In addition to being a talented and successful player, Jana Novotna was a leader and role model on and off the court during a pivotal time in her nation’s history. She demonstrated great commitment and was an integral member of the Czech Fed Cup team for more than a decade. In appreciation of her contributions to tennis and to Fed Cup, we are proud to present her with the Fed Cup Award of Excellence,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti.

Each year since 2001, the ITF and the Hall of Fame have presented the Fed Cup Award of Excellence to a person who represents the ideals and spirit of the Fed Cup competition. It is presented to a person who has been an active member of a past or present Fed Cup team.

Novotna contested 33 Fed Cup ties over the course of 12 years and she played a key role in the team’s success. She was a member of the championship Czechoslovakian team in 1988 and helped lead the team to three other semifinal finishes. Overall, Novotna compiled a winning record of 22-7 in singles and 11-5 in doubles.

In 2005, Novotna was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in recognition of her tremendous career success. She achieved a career high ranking of No. 2 in singles and No. 1 in doubles, and was the year-end No. 1 in doubles 11 times over the course of her career. Novotna was the Wimbledon champion in 1998, and she was a three-time Grand Slam singles finalist. In addition to her Wimbledon trophy, Novotna won 12 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles (four at Wimbledon, three at the French Open, three at the US Open, and two at the Australian Open) and four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles (two at the Australian Open, one at Wimbledon, and one at the US Open). Known for her dramatic serve and volley game, Novotna won 100 titles (24 in singles and 76 in doubles) during her 14-year career.

Past recipients of the Fed Cup Award of Excellence have been Anastasia Myskina of Russia in 2011; Billie Jean King of the United States in 2010; Mary Joe Fernandez of the United States and Silvia Farina of Italy in 2009; Miguel Margets of Spain in 2008; Lea Pericoli of Italy in 2007; Sabine Appelmans of Belgium in 2006; Françoise “Frankie” Dürr of France in 2005; Olga Morozova of Russia in 2004; Larisa Savchenko of Latvia in 2003; Virginia Wade of Great Britain in 2002; and Spain’s Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez in 2001.