ATP: The Back – Radek Stepanek announces end of career

Radek Stepanek says goodbye to tennis once and for all: The Czech experienced tennis player announced his resignation due to persistent back pain.

He loved his tennis life from start to finish – which is probably a bit too much for other sportsmen, Radek Stepanek’s tennis life was just right. Even if he didn’t play, as in the individual games in the Davis Cup against Germany in Hanover in 2015. Then Stepanek has made a name for himself as a cheerleader, with the best seat, who interpreted the side gangs as a thought-provoking impulse, but by no means as an obstacle to get even closer to his Czech boys. No wonder that Tomas Berdych was one of the first colleagues to sign up for his buddy’s resignation on Twitter.

Only at two tournaments Stepanek was still active in 2017, in Doha and at the Australian Open. I don’t want to risk my health,”explained Stepanek, explaining his decision – especially as a second operation on the back would have been necessary.

Radel Stepanek has won five individual titles in his career, the last one in Washington 2011. Karvina’s routine was even more successful in doubles: he won the trophy 18 times overall, most recently in 2015 in Bogota alongside Edouard Roger-Vasselin. In the Davis Cup, perhaps his greatest sporting passion, Stepanek secured his team the title in the decisive singles match against Nicolas Almagro in 2012. And he repeated this feat a year later against the Serbian team when he left Dusan Lajovic no chance in the last singles match in three sets.