Players Photos Biography Videos: Radek Stepanek

Thursday, 7 July 2011

Radek Stepanek

Radek Stepanek Biography
Currently ranked No. 29 in the world, the Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek has 17 career ATP Tour titles – 13 as a doubles player.
He has been ranked as high as No. 8 in the world, first achieving that rank on July 10, 2006. His highest doubles ranking is No. 13, reached on Sept. 16, 2002.
After finishing 165th in 1998-99, he dropped to 542nd in 2001 as he focused on doubles’ play.
He jumped into the Top 100 in 2002, finishing 63rd as he qualified nine times for the ATP and posted two semifinal appearances.
He made the Top 50 in 2003, making two semifinals and two quarterfinals. He reached his first ATP final in Paris in 2004, falling to Martin Safin.
He moved up to 20th in 2005, finishing as the Czech Republic’s No. 1 player and reaching two finals.
He breached the Top 20 (No. 19) in 2006, briefly appearing in the Top 10 after reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He won his first ATP title at Rotterdam, defeating Novak Djokovic.
He slipped back to 30th in 2007, starting slowly (10-14), then finishing the year 17-8 and winning the title at Los Angeles, defeating James Blake. At the US Open, he fell in a five-set, 4-hour, 41-minute marathon to Djokovic.
He moved up slightly (27th) in 2008, his fourth straight season in the Top 30. He reached just one final, losing to Andy Roddick in San Jose, but reached four other semifinals.
His best finish came in 2009 as he finished No. 12 and won two titles, defeating Fernando Verdasco at Brisbane, and Mardy Fish at San Jose. In the Davis Cup semifinals, he defeated Ivo Karlovic in a 5 hour, 59 minute match that featured a 16-14 fifth set and 78 aces by Karlovic. The ace total was the ATP record until John Isner and Nicolas Mahut each broke it in their marathon first-round match at Wimbledon in 2010.
Stepanek finished the year with two quarterfinals and two semifinals and earned $1.1 million.
He started 2010 by reaching the finals at Brisbane, losing to Roddick in the final. He reached a second final at Prostejov in May, retiring in the final.
Year-End Singles Rankings: 1995 – 1,065th; 1996 – 484th; 1997 – 401st; 1998 – 165th; 1999 – 165th; 2000 – 277th; 2001 – 542nd; 2002 – 63rd; 2003 – 46th; 2004 – 33rd; 2005 – 20th; 2006 – 19th; 2007 – 30th; 2008 – 27th; 2009 – 12th.
Personal
Began playing tennis at age 3 with his father Vlastimil, a tennis coach. Wanted to be a hockey goalie as a child and roots for NHL countrymen Jaromir Jagr and Dominik Hasek. Married former WTA player Nicole Vaidisova in a castle in Prague on July 17, 2010.

Radek Stepanek