1998 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles 1998 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles Martina Hingis was the defending champion but lost in the semifinals to Jana Novotná, in a rematch of the previous year's final. Novotná defeated Nathalie Tauziat in the final, 6–4, 7–6 to win the Ladies' Singles tennis title at the 1998 Wimbledon Championships. This was Novotná's first win in a Wimbledon final on her third attempt. This would be the last time a Czech player would win Wimbledon (or win a Grand Slam title) until Petra Kvitová won in 2011. The 1998 final was the first time in the Open Era since the 1980
Astrid Suurbeek and lost in straight sets, 1–6, 3–6. Australia won the final 3–0. In the same year, she reached the women's singles quarterfinals of the Australian Open which she lost to eventual champion Billie Jean King. Suurbeek played in the ladies' singles competition at Wimbledon in 1967, 1968 and 1969 but did not make it past the second round. In 1980, she was voted Female Player of the Year by the USA Tennis Florida Adult Competitive Tennis Council. In 1983 she won the USTA National Indoor Women`s 35 Championships in St. Louis and was ranked first in the USTA women`s 35s.