Radek Štěpánek facts for kids
Štěpánek in 2009
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| Country (sports) |  Czech Republic |
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| Residence | Monte Carlo, Monaco | ||||||||||
| Born | 27 November 1978 Karviná, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) |
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| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1996 | ||||||||||
| Retired | 2017 | ||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) | ||||||||||
| Prize money | US$11,343,464 | ||||||||||
| Singles | |||||||||||
| Career record | 384–302 (55.98%) (ATP and Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) | ||||||||||
| Career titles | 5 | ||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 8 (10 July 2006) | ||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | |||||||||||
| Australian Open | 3R (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013) | ||||||||||
| French Open | 4R (2008) | ||||||||||
| Wimbledon | QF (2006) | ||||||||||
| US Open | 4R (2009) | ||||||||||
| Other tournaments | |||||||||||
| Tour Finals | RR (2008) | ||||||||||
| Olympic Games | 1R (2008, 2012) | ||||||||||
| Doubles | |||||||||||
| Career record | 313–197 (61.37%) (ATP and Grand Slam level, and in Davis Cup) | ||||||||||
| Career titles | 18 | ||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (12 November 2012) | ||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | |||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (2012) | ||||||||||
| French Open | SF (2007) | ||||||||||
| Wimbledon | SF (2013, 2014) | ||||||||||
| US Open | W (2013) | ||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | |||||||||||
| Tour Finals | SF (2012) | ||||||||||
| Mixed doubles | |||||||||||
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |||||||||||
| Australian Open | 1R (2017) | ||||||||||
| Wimbledon | 3R (2016) | ||||||||||
| Team competitions | |||||||||||
| Davis Cup | W (2012, 2013) | ||||||||||
| Coaching career (2018–) | |||||||||||
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Medal record
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Radek Štěpánek is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. He was born on November 27, 1978. He reached a high ranking of world No. 8 in singles and world No. 4 in doubles.
Štěpánek's biggest achievements include reaching two major finals in the Masters 1000 series. He also made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2006. He was a key player for the Czech Republic, helping them win the Davis Cup in both 2012 and 2013.
In doubles, Štěpánek won two Grand Slam titles. He won the 2012 Australian Open with his partner Leander Paes. They beat the famous Bryan Brothers in the final. They also won the men's doubles title at the 2013 US Open. After retiring from playing, Štěpánek became a coach for top players like Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov.
Contents
Early Life and Tennis Beginnings
Radek Štěpánek was born in Karviná, a city in what is now the Czech Republic. He started playing tennis when he was just three years old. His father, Vlastimil, was a tennis coach and taught him the game.
Radek's brother is a policeman, and his mother works as a librarian. His cousin, Jaromír Blažek, was a professional football goalkeeper for the Czech Republic. Growing up, Štěpánek looked up to Czech tennis legend Ivan Lendl. He admired how Lendl brought a very professional approach to the sport, especially with his fitness training.
Tennis Career Highlights
Štěpánek became a professional tennis player in 1996. He first focused on doubles, winning 12 titles in that category. From 2002 onwards, he worked on improving his singles game while still playing high-level doubles. He was known for his loud grunts during matches, his exciting celebrations, and his many relationships with other tennis players.
He first gained attention in 2003 when he beat former world No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten at the 2003 Australian Open.
2006: First Big Wins
The year 2006 was one of Štěpánek's best. He almost reached the top ten in the world rankings. He made it to the final of a big tournament in Hamburg, Germany, but lost to Tommy Robredo. Still, this helped him reach his highest singles ranking of No. 11.
Earlier in 2006, he won his first singles title in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He then had a great run at Wimbledon, reaching the quarterfinals. This was his best performance at a Grand Slam event at that time. After Wimbledon, he reached his career-high ranking of world No. 8. However, a neck injury kept him from playing for the rest of that year.
2007: Another Title
In 2007, Štěpánek won his second singles title in Los Angeles, beating James Blake. At the US Open, he played a very long match against Novak Djokovic, which lasted almost five hours. He eventually lost that tough match.
2008: Playing with Borrowed Gear
In 2008, Štěpánek reached the final in San Jose but lost to Andy Roddick. He also made it to the semifinals in Rome. He played in the 2008 Summer Olympics but lost in the first round.
At the end of 2008, he was an alternate player for the year-end Masters Cup. He had to borrow a racquet from Novak Djokovic and socks from Andy Murray because his own gear was stuck in customs! He played against top players like Roger Federer and Gilles Simon.
2009: Two More Titles
Štěpánek started 2009 by winning his third singles title at the Brisbane International in Australia. He then won his fourth singles title at the SAP Open in San Jose, beating Mardy Fish. He also won the doubles title at the same tournament, which was a special achievement.
He played a big role in the Davis Cup for the Czech Republic. He won important matches to help his country reach the semifinals and then the final. In the semifinals, he played a marathon match that lasted almost six hours, one of the longest in Davis Cup history. The Czech Republic lost to Spain in the final that year.
2011: Fifth Singles Title
In 2011, Štěpánek won his fifth and final singles title at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. He defeated Gaël Monfils in the final.
2012: Australian Open Doubles Champion
A major highlight for Štěpánek came in January 2012 when he won the men's doubles title at the 2012 Australian Open. Partnering with Leander Paes, they defeated the top-ranked Bryan Brothers in the final.
He also played a very long and intense match in the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Janko Tipsarević. Later that year, Štěpánek and Paes reached the doubles final at the US Open but lost to the Bryan Brothers.
In November 2012, Štěpánek helped the Czech Republic win the Davis Cup against Spain. He won the final match, becoming one of the oldest players to win a deciding match in the Davis Cup final.
2013: US Open Doubles Champion
After having neck surgery in January 2013, Štěpánek recovered well. He and Leander Paes continued their success by winning the men's doubles title at the 2013 US Open. They beat the Bryan Brothers in the semifinals and then won the final against Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares.
Štěpánek again played a crucial role in the Davis Cup, helping the Czech Republic win the title for the second year in a row. He became the first player in Davis Cup history to win the deciding singles match in consecutive finals.
2014: Back in the Top 40
In 2014, Štěpánek had a good run at the AEGON Championships in London, beating the defending champion Andy Murray. He also reached the semifinals in Bogota, Colombia. In doubles, he made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon with Leander Paes.
2016: Olympic Bronze Medal
In January 2016, Štěpánek and his doubles partner, Daniel Nestor, reached the final of the 2016 Australian Open but lost in a close match.
A big moment for Štěpánek came at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He won a bronze medal in mixed doubles with his partner Lucie Hradecká. They won their bronze medal match against an Indian team.
2017: Retirement
After having back surgery in 2017, Radek Štěpánek decided to retire from professional tennis in November of that year.
Playing Style
Radek Štěpánek was known for his unique playing style, especially for being one of the few players who used the "serve and volley" tactic. This means he would serve the ball and then immediately run to the net to hit the next shot. He was very good at playing close to the net.
He had a strong and accurate first serve. His second serve had a lot of spin, which gave him time to get to the net. Once at the net, he was excellent at hitting volleys and finishing points quickly. People thought his net play was among the best in tennis. He was good at reaching difficult shots and anticipating where his opponents would hit the ball.
Unlike many serve and volley players, Štěpánek also played well from the back of the court. His groundstrokes (shots hit from the baseline) were not super powerful but were very consistent and accurate. If a rally from the baseline went on for too long, he would often hit a deep shot or a drop-shot and then rush to the net to finish the point. He often used a slice shot more than his two-handed backhand.
Štěpánek was also known for his fun and entertaining style on the court. Because he spent a lot of time at the net, he often hit unusual shots and even some trick shots that made matches exciting to watch.
Personal Life
Radek Štěpánek was once engaged to Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis, but they broke up in 2007. He later married former top-ten Czech tennis player Nicole Vaidišová in 2010. They separated in 2013. For a while, he dated Czech Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová. They broke up in 2014. In 2018, he married Nicole Vaidišová again, and they now have a daughter named Stella.
Štěpánek was coached by Petr Korda, who was also a famous tennis player. He used ALEA clothing and Nike shoes. He was sponsored by Bosworth racquets and later used Head racquets.
His cousin is the Czech football goalkeeper Jaromír Blažek. His brother-in-law is American tennis player Toby Kodat.
Grand Slam Doubles Finals
Radek Štěpánek played in five Grand Slam doubles finals, winning two of them.
- 2002 US Open: Lost with Jiří Novák.
- 2012 Australian Open: Won with Leander Paes.
- 2012 US Open: Lost with Leander Paes.
- 2013 US Open: Won with Leander Paes.
- 2016 Australian Open: Lost with Daniel Nestor.
Masters 1000 Finals
Štěpánek reached two singles finals and won two doubles finals in the Masters 1000 series, which are very important tournaments.
- Singles: He lost finals in Paris (2004) and Hamburg (2006).
- Doubles: He won titles in Miami (2012) and Shanghai (2012) with Leander Paes.
Olympic Medal
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Štěpánek won a bronze medal in mixed doubles with his partner Lucie Hradecká.
Images for kids
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Štěpánek in 2009
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Štěpánek having fun at Wimbledon in the Invitational Doubles tournament in 2023.
See also
In Spanish: Radek Štěpánek para niños
