Former top-10 tennis player Radek Stepanek, who defeated Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer during his career, has been eliminated from the Czech dancing show StarDance... kdyz hvezdy tanci, the Czech equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.
Career highlights on the ATP Tour
Stepanek turned professional in 1996 and played until late 2017. He won five singles titles and 18 doubles titles, including two doubles Grand Slams - the 2012 Australian Open and the 2013 US Open. He was also part of the Czech team that won back-to-back Davis Cup titles in 2012 and 2013.
He achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 8 in 2006, and his doubles ranking reached world No. 4 in 2012. He beat some of the sport's biggest names, including Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, and even coached the Serb for a brief period.
Dancing with the stars
This year, the 47-year-old joined the 14th season of StarDance. He was partnered with professional dancer Vanda Bartosova Detinska and performed the cha-cha-cha in the first non-elimination showcase round.
Stepanek told Czech outlet iGlanc: "The beginning is painful and difficult. Memorising the steps, toe, heel, in, out... There were so many instructions. My biggest problem is my backside. I spent my whole career moving it and now I have to keep it hidden the entire time!"
He admitted he sought guidance from his dance partner: "Even when I played tennis, I never received excessive praise. I always called it constructive criticism, because I know it helps you improve."
Elimination from the show
Bartosova Detinska noticed a shift in Stepanek, saying: "He's starting to enjoy it now, and it shows in his dancing and his movements."
The judges gave the pair 20 points to open the season. The dramatic tango they performed on night two, the season's first elimination round, earned them 25 points. After their first two scores were combined, they sat in fourth place out of nine couples, but the public vote dragged them down and they became the first duo sent packing.
Stepanek said as he left: "I'd like to thank everyone for the opportunity to learn something new. I want to thank Vanda. She was very patient with me." His partner concluded: "You're leaving as a dancer."
