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By Chris Oddo | Tuesday May 17, 2016

Last year Radek Stepanek became the oldest ATP player to win a match at Roland Garros since 1991 (Jimmy Connors). This year the Czech is back in la Ville Lumière to top his own performance. The 37-year-old, who has dealt with severe sciatica issues since the 2014 U.S. Open, dropped far outside the Top-300 last season and has since had to scratch and claw to improve his ranking.

See the Roland Garros Qualifying Draws Here

“I’ve been struggling with my sciatica nerve, which was very difficult to get back—I lost half of my muscles in my right leg,” Stepanek told Rolandgarros.com. “I had to dig really deep to come back and to be able to compete with the best guys in the world.”

It's been a steady, though not rapid, climb for the crafty Czech in 2016. Stepanek has gone 5-4 at the tour-level this season and a few weeks ago he became the oldest player to win a Masters 1000 match since 1992 when he defeated Canada’s Vasek Pospisil in three sets in the first round after qualifying.

At Roland Garros, Stepanek is playing the qualifying for the first time since 2002.

The former world No. 8 defeated Germany’s Cedrik Marcel Stebe, 6-4, 6-4, on Monday to book his place in the second round of qualifying. He’ll face Australia’s Matthew Barton on Wednesday.

UPDATE: Stepanek defeated Barton, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

"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,” he said after beating the 25-year-old.

“I’m feeling 25 again and enjoying every second of my tennis.”

 

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