Radek Stepanek, sidelined for six months last year with a neck
injury, set his sights on regaining a top-10 ranking after winning
the Los Angeles Classic on Sunday.
The former world No 8 overturned the formbook with a 7-6 5-7 6-2
victory against tournament favorite James Blake of the US to clinch
his second ATP title.
"I am feeling with every match better and better," Stepanek, 28,
told reporters after upsetting the second seed at the Los Angeles
Tennis Center.
"I know I can still improve my game and I am getting stronger
mentally which is for me very important.
"I am on my way back there (to the top 10) but I know that it
will take time, patience and hard work."
Stepanek's ATP ranking has plummeted to 101st following his
nightmare finish to the 2006 season. He suffered a neck injury
while practising in Toronto in August. For a while, he feared his
professional career might be over.
"I didn't play tennis for six months and, at one point, I was
scared I was not going to play tennis any more," he said.
Because of a dislocated disc in his neck, he lost touch, feel
and power in his right hand.
Tough moment
"It was like the hand was not mine - I felt paralysed," he said.
"It was a very tough moment for me but the doctor gave me hope
while I was injured.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to come back or not. But I came
back and I can't complain today."
Stepanek, whose fiancee is former world No 1 Martina Hingis, had
a brief health scare playing in the cold temperatures of Gstaad
last week.
"It was nine degrees and I called my doctor and I was nearly
crying because I was not able to change the grip in my hand during
the rally," the Czech recalled.
"I said to him: 'Don't tell me the injury is coming again.' Then
suddenly I am coming here to LA and it is 30 degrees, the heat is
great and I am feeling the hand completely different.
"Maybe I should move to the States," he added with a smile.
Stepanek celebrated his second ATP hardcourt title with a short
breakdance before hurling his racket into the stands and falling
flat on his back.
"I'm the kind of person who shows emotions because once I tried
to play and show zero emotion on the court and I lost the match 6-0
6-1," he said.
"I was counting points, not the games. So that match told me
that I can't play with a poker face."
High praise
Blake paid tribute to Stepanek's serving after being upset by
the unseeded Czech in the final on Sunday.
"He served great today, especially in the third set," the
second-seeded American told reporters after losing 7-6 5-7 6-2. "It
seemed like he wasn't missing first serves at all. Every time I had
a look, it was on a first serve.
"Today I just couldn't quite come up with the shots at the right
times. He came up with great shots in that tiebreaker to save set
points and he served great in the third set. So I can't hang my
head too low about that."
Stepanek breezed through the final set in just 30 minutes after
twice breaking Blake, winning 92 percent of his first serve.
Stepanek was ranked 101st at the start of this week, having been
sidelined for six months last year because of a neck injury.
Blake, who ended 2006 as the American No 1 and ranked in the
world's top five, expects the Czech to continue his rise back up
the ATP pecking order.
"If he keeps playing like this he has a chance to get back there
but it's a question of doing it consistently," the American said.
"The top guys play that extra high level the whole time."
(China Daily via Agencies July 24, 2007)