Former tennis professional Radek Stepánek has transitioned from the ATP circuit to the ballroom floor as a competitor on the fourteenth season of StarDance, the Czech Republic adaptation of the television format Dancing With the Stars, Infobae reported.
Stepping Off the ATP Tour and Onto the Ballroom Floor
At 47 years of age, Stepánek takes on the reality television dance competition following a professional tennis career that yielded five singles titles, 18 doubles titles, and a career-high singles ranking of world number eight in 2006. He also reached number four in the doubles rankings in 2012 and secured an Olympic bronze medal in mixed doubles alongside Lucie Hradecká at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
In StarDance, Stepánek is partnered with professional dancer Vanda Bartosová Detínská. The transition from elite sports to ballroom choreography has required an entirely different style of physical mechanics compared to his decades on the international tennis tour, according to statements reported by the Czech outlet Iglanc.
Physical Adjustments and Memorization Challenges
The former athlete noted that the adaptation period presented immediate physical hurdles. “The beginnings hurt and are difficult. But I can say that I am a little calmer and I think that the last week, ten days, has absorbed me completely,” Stepánek stated in interviews covered by Iglanc.
Unlike tennis matches—which rely on spontaneous reactions, high-speed lateral sprints, and explosive court coverage—ballroom dancing demands strict adherence to posture, pre-planned spatial sequences, and continuous synchronization with a partner. Stepánek highlighted the difficulty of re-training muscle memory built over a lifetime of competitive play.
“Sure, memorizing the steps, toe, heel, inside, outside… There were a lot of instructions. Now my biggest problem is with my backside, because I have been moving it throughout my career and now I have to hide it all the time,” Stepánek said with a laugh.
Professional Rigor and Constructive Feedback
Bartosová Detínská observed that while early rehearsals exposed the initial friction between tennis footwork and ballroom technique, Stepánek has shown steady progression during practice sessions. “Now he is starting to enjoy it and it shows in his dancing and his movements,” the professional dancer noted.
Rather than resisting correction, Stepánek actively seeks out rigorous evaluations from his partner. Having spent decades under the strict evaluation coaches and tour conditions provide without receiving excessive praise, he views technical critiques as a necessary training tool.
“In fact, I ask Vanda for criticism. Even when I played tennis, I never received excessive praise. I always called it constructive criticism because I know it helps to improve,” Stepánek explained.
Personal History and Media Attention
Stepánek’s return to prime-time television has also redirected media attention toward his high-profile personal history within the tennis community. During his playing years, his relationships with several prominent WTA players drew extensive coverage across international sports journalism. He was previously engaged to former world number one Martina Hingis of Switzerland and later married Czech tennis player Nicole Vaidisová in 2010.
Following their divorce in 2013, Stepánek maintained a high-profile relationship with two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová until 2014. After stating in subsequent interviews that he would not enter another relationship with a professional tennis player, Stepánek eventually reconciled with Vaidisová. The couple held a second wedding ceremony in May 2018 and shares two daughters: Stella, born in July 2018, and a second daughter born in late December 2021.
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