It was quite a shock when Nicole Vaidisova, once the most prospective WTA teenager, decided to quit the sport at the young age of 20 and marry fellow tennis player Radek Stepanek, 11 years her senior. Radek, who had a reputation of seducing tennis beauties, due to his previous engagement with tennis legend Martina Hingis, started dating Vaidisova in late 2007 and their relationship was crowned with marriage in July 2010 in Prague. After three years of marriage, the Czech couple is now seeking a divorce.
Unbelievably, rumors are already circulating that Stepanek is dating another fellow Czech tennis star, Petra Kvitova, who didn’t want to comment:
I am aware of the rumors, but prefer not to talk about my private life. Wimbledon is the most important tournament of the year for me and I would like to play my best tennis and focus only on winning matches. Therefore will you please try to respect my wish not to comment on my private life during the tournament.
By the way, Kvitova broke up with her long-time boyfriend Adam Pavlasek.
Vaidisova’s career slump seemed associated with her involvement with Stepanek, and ever since they got married little has been heard about her, while her husband continued his career. Will the 24-year-old Vaidisova return to the courts now? (source: Tennis.com, photos: © Neal Trousdale)
I’ve always wondered why the less-than-handsome Stepanek seemed to score so well. Anyone?
Rich, I guess it will always remain a mystery. He must be extremely charming, that’s the only thing that comes to my mind. After his tennis career he should definitely think of giving dating advice to men.
Wow, how cool it would really be if Vaidisova would make a comeback ?? 😀
Tenniz-fan, she’s still young enough, that would be possible, but who knows where her ambitions and emotions are at the moment.
oh my, so Petra is definetely dating him then. I mean, her comment says a lot. sounds just like Maria’s comments when she was being coy about Dimitrov. Would explain her dip in play lately.
And now he’s with Petra Kvitova. Insane.
There’s just something about the Worm that makes him a ladykiller.
It’s a bit disturbing that he keeps going for younger girls. He’s the Wilmer Valderrama of tennis.
It would be fantastic if Nicole returned to the top levels of tennis! I was so disappointed when she dropped out. Lets hope for a comeback!
maisee,i don’t know about that. petra has kind of been struggling to get back to wimby form since australia last year and nicole was still with radek when the czechs won the davis cup. but i do know the reputation he has for being a career-killer…..so i really hope that’s just a rumour.
I think it’s more the wish to commit to a serious relationship that is a career-killer, not Stepanek 😉 but overall I agree – he’s just so physicaly unattractive, that you can help but wonder what the girls are seeing in him 😀
Anyway, the Vaidisova case is quite sad and rather representative for many of the problems of Bollettieri-style coaching. His pupils are training too hard, they are too young and their training is too one-sided, they are forced to commit to tennis and only tennis. Results? Burnouts (Vaidisova), chronic injuries (Masha). I like Mouratoglou’s approach better 🙂
i actually don’t think he’s honestly that repulsive,i mean he does clean up rather well if you’ve ever seen him outside the courts,but certainly he’s no tommy haas either. there is something very charismatic about him though…..he’s got an interesting personality and remember women generally tend to be less visual than men are in terms of attraction.
i just hope whatever the case,as it’s not really my business,that petra has a strong enough personality and strong enough determination not to be bewitched too much that it takes away from her tennis.
I also don’t understand why is he so appealing for the likes of Vaidisova or Hingis. Kvitova, that’s a different story as she does not have model looks but the previous too are really pretty women. Anyway, I don’t find him particularly appealing and his influence over his GFs tennis results is a bit worrying. Hopefully Petra will fare better than Nicole.
I think it’s such a bummer that Vaidisova would give
up her career for any man, but especially the repulsive Stepanek. And that he would expect her to retire from the sport says alot about him as a person. Yuch.
I wish that she would also make a come-back to tennis. Is she dating Baghdattis now?
I can only think of one other thing that Stepanek has to keep the tennis beauty. It ain’t his charm. HMMM.
Tami, she’s not dating Baghdatis, he’s married: https://womenstennisblog.com/2012/07/15/karolina-sprem-marries-fellow-tennis-player-marcos-baghdatis/
Radek is supremely unattractive. He has developed a persona that makes up for that. Every time he looks in the mirror he must go out and look for new girl as he cannot overcome his hideous looks. He must have constant sex to try to forget the looks therefore goes for tour girls. They are all fairly repulsive too. Hingis was good in heyday but the rest are all a bit Czech if u know what I mean. Wormburner!!
Gross gross gross. Disappointed in kvitova
Kvitova is pretty tough….but Radek…eww he looks like a troll.
I hope Nicole comes back
How disgusting.How this ugly mouth breather gets these gorgeous girls beats me. They must suffer from very low self esteem to have to settle for someone like Radek. Poor Nicole. She could have done so much better. He is not yet divorced and he’s already womanizing another champion.
Now Rafael Nadal has the looks, the physique and is a person of integrity, moral character and tremendous talent. His humility is just so special and refreshing yet he is not a ladies man. Rafael is certainly to be admired and respected.
Women with low self esteem will basically go for any man that gives them some attention.
Stepanek is a pig but he obviously knows how to take advantage of girls like this.
Nicole had a non existent relationship with her birth father which is almost always fatal to girls that come from that type of situation. He ruined her career instead of enhancing it. So sad!
I meant Stepanek ruined her career, not her father.