He’s been described as the Don Juan of tennis as well as the sport’s least likeable man, but at 37 years old, Radek Stepanek is just happy to still be playing.
The colourful and controversial Czech is one of the few devil-may-care characters left in tennis even if his antics often leave opponents feeling cold.
From leaping over the net, performing his ‘worm’ dance, exaggerating celebrations or even facing down potential physical altercations with rivals, the Czech is hard to ignore – on or off the court.
Stepanek was engaged to Martina Hingis, married and then divorced fellow tour professional and top 10 player Nicole Vaidisova and more recently dated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.
But he insists his personal life is taking a different direction these days.
“It’s two people living different lives together...you can be sure that I am done dating tennis players,” said Stepanek, who was scheduled to face second seed Andy Murray at the French Open yesterday.
Having turned pro in 1996, he prefers to spend time on extending a career which is enjoying something of an Indian summer.
In 2013, he teamed up with India’s Leander Paes – who he described as a ‘brother’ – to win the US Open men’s doubles.
Since then, he has suffered a crippling back injury which sent his ranking down to its current 128 and forced him into the qualifying tournament at Roland Garros for the first time since 2002.
“It’s three generations of players I’m meeting on the courts, and I’m still able to beat them, which is giving me confidence,” the former world number eight told rolandgarros.com.
“I’m feeling 25 again and enjoying every second of my tennis.”
However, not everyone would be pleased to see Stepanek, who last year became the oldest man to win a match in Paris since 38-year-old Jimmy Connors in 1991, still playing.
In a 2012 Davis Cup tie against Serbia, he was accused by Janko Tipsarevic of giving him the finger and calling him names at the end of a five-set, five-hour duel.
“After five hours and 10 minutes instead of shaking my hand, he gave me the middle finger and told me I am stinking – something bad, it’s a swear word,” said Tipsarevic, who had to be restrained by his team captain from taking the matter further.
Even a teenage Murray took a dislike to the Czech when they met at Wimbledon in 2005 and where his opponent theatrically bent over and kissed the net and played up to the crowd.
“I was annoyed at him because he tried to put me off,” said Murray. “He knew I was young and that’s why he was trying to put me off – but I got the better of him. I don’t know if he said anything to me – I wasn’t listening. I don’t like him.”
The relationship between the two men seems to have thawed since then.
In 2008, Stepanek played as an alternate at the Shanghai ATP season-ending championships but arrived in China without his playing gear which hadn’t cleared customs. He was without his contact lenses and had to borrow tennis racquets from Novak Djokovic and socks – from Murray.