Former Women’s Doubles Team Sukova, Novotna Still Feuding

BRISBANE, Australia —  Six weeks after they acrimoniously broke up the most successful partnership in women’s tennis, Helena Sukova and Jana Novotna still are feuding.

Sukova and Novotna won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon doubles titles last year and lost in the final of the U.S. Open. The pair were named Women’s Tennis Assn. Doubles Team of the Year in both 1989 and 1990, but severed their relationship in November.

The Czech pair both are competing in this week’s Danone Open, but playing with different doubles partners.

Sukova said Wednesday that Novotna’s behavior on and off court had made it impossible for her to continue to play with her compatriot, who now is coached by another former Czech star--Hana Mandlikova.

“After Wimbledon, Jana started acting and playing like Hana used to, like she was the most important player on the team,” Sukova said. “You can’t think and play like that in doubles.”

Novotna said today she was disappointed Sukova had made public the reasons surrounding their split.