Ion Țiriac
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Residence | Bucharest, Romania | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Brașov, Romania | 9 May 1939|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turned pro | 1968 (amateur tour from 1962) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 1979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Int. Tennis HoF | 2013 (member page) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 167–177[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 8 (1968, World's Top 10)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Singles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 2R (1977Jan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
French Open | QF (1968) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | 4R (1967, 1972) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Open | 3R (1973) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Doubles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career record | 294–141 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career titles | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | No. 19 (9 April 1979) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam Doubles results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Open | 2R (1977Jan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
French Open | W (1970) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wimbledon | SF (1970) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team competitions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Davis Cup | F (1969Ch, 1971Ch, 1972) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ion Țiriac (Romanian pronunciation: [iˈon t͡siriˈak]; born 9 May 1939), also known as the 'Brașov Bulldozer'[3] is a Romanian businessman and former professional tennis and ice hockey player.[4] He is the current president of the Romanian Tennis Federation.[5]
A former singles top 10 player on the ATP Tour, he is the winner of one grand slam title, the 1970 French Open in men's doubles. Țiriac was the first man to play against a woman and defeat her in one set in a sanctioned tennis tournament (against Abigail Maynard, in 1975). The highlight of his ice hockey career was participating as defenseman in the Romanian national team at the 1964 Winter Olympics.
After retirement, he became active as a tennis coach, advisor and player agent in the 1980s, taking under his wing Ilie Năstase, Manuel Orantes, Adriano Panatta, Guillermo Vilas, Henri Leconte and the young Boris Becker. Later, Țiriac developed the Mutua Madrid Open ATP masters tennis tournament, which he owns.[6] In 2013, he was elected as contributor into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.[7] He has currently been managing French tennis player Lucas Pouille since December 2016.
As a tennis player he played dramatic 5 setters against Rod Laver, Stan Smith, Jan Kodeš or Manuel Orantes. His singles record includes wins over Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Roscoe Tanner, Manuel Orantes, Andrés Gimeno, Adriano Panatta and Niki Pilić. He played 3 Davis Cup finals (in 1969, 1971 and 1972).[8]
According to Forbes magazine, in 2020 he was ranked as the third richest businessman from Romania.[9]
Sports career[]
Țiriac was born in Transylvania, which is probably the reason why he has the nickname 'Count Dracula'.[10] He first appeared on the international sports scene as a child ping pong champion, then subsequently as an ice hockey player on the Romanian national team at the 1964 Winter Olympics. Shortly after that he switched to tennis as his main sport. With fellow Romanian Ilie Năstase he won the men's doubles in the 1970 French Open and reached the Davis Cup finals several times in the 1970s.[11]
John McPhee wrote of him that his drooping mustache suggests "that this man has been to places most people do not imagine exist. He appears to be a panatela ad, a triple agent from Alexandria, a used-car salesman from central Marrakesh. Tiriac has the air of a man who is about to close a deal in a back room behind a back room."[12]
Țiriac participated in the short period during the 1970s when women dabbled as coeds in established men's tennis tournaments. In his first match he defeated Abigail Maynard 6–0, 6–0 in their round one match at USTA pro circuit's Fairfiled County International Tennis Championship. It was the first time ever a female had entered a men's tournament.[13][14]
After his retirement, he served as coach and manager for players such as Ilie Năstase, Guillermo Vilas, Mary Joe Fernández, Goran Ivanišević and Marat Safin.[15] He became the sports agent of Boris Becker and managed his career from 1984 to 1993.
Țiriac was president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee from 1998 to 2004.
Țiriac ran major men's events in Germany, including the season-ending championships in Hanover. Although tennis is now a much smaller part of his portfolio and occupies only 5 percent of his time, he has taken particular pleasure and pride in making Madrid Tennis Open a combined men's and women's event with €7.2 million in total prize money.[16] The trophy awarded to the tournament winner bears his name.
Țiriac also holds the license for the BRD Năstase Țiriac Trophy tennis tournament since 1996. It is currently a €450,000 event, part of the ATP World Tour 250 series, held annually in Bucharest, Romania, just 2 weeks before the Madrid Open.
In 2012 he was nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the contributor category.[17]
On 13 July 2013 he joined the International Tennis Hall of Fame as a successful promoter and tournament director for numerous events including the two of the largest Masters 1000 events, the Italian Open and the Madrid Masters.
Business career[]
After his retirement as a professional tennis player, Țiriac became a businessman in (then West) Germany. In 1987, he appeared in a TV commercial for Miller Lite beer with Bob Uecker, who extols Țiriac's supposed humorous qualities, laughing hysterically while Țiriac sits stone-faced.
Following the collapse of communism in Romania, he started numerous businesses and investments back home. In 1990, he founded , the first private bank in post-Communist Romania. Between that and several other enterprises (retail, insurance, auto leasing, auto dealerships, airlines, etc.), his fortune was estimated at over US$900 million in 2005.
Țiriac is an avid car collector. The Tiriac Collection represents the exhibition of cars and motorcycles under his ownership. Reopened to the public in May 2015, the collection includes historical vehicles manufactured since 1899 and also modern exotics with about 350 cars and 165 cars at full time display on a rotation basis.[19] Visitors will find the only collection in the world with 2 Rolls-Royce Phantoms IV, as well as exhibits that previously belonged to great names such as Sir Elton John, Sammy Davis Jr. or Bernie Ecclestone.
In 2006, Tiriac was selected as one of the 100 Greatest Romanians, ranking #77.
Ion Țiriac became the first Romanian to enter Forbes' List of billionaires in the 2007 Forbes rankings, ranking 840th in the world. His wealth was estimated at $1.0 billion as of 2010, according to the magazine.[20] In 2010, TOP 300 Capital declared Ion Țiriac the richest man in Romania with a wealth estimated at €1.5–€1.6 billion ($2–$2.2 billion).[21]
In 2018, Ion Tiriac ranked #1867 on the Forbes World's Billionaires list, with wealth listed at US$1.2 billion.[22]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Stamps_of_Romania%2C_2015-086.jpg/220px-Stamps_of_Romania%2C_2015-086.jpg)
Personal life[]
Țiriac was married to Erika Braedt, a handball player, between 1963 and 1965.[23]
He has a son, Ion Țiriac Jr., with Mikette von Issenberg, a fashion model; and further two children, Karim Mihai and Ioana Natalia, with Sophie Ayad, an Egyptian journalist.[24][25][26]
According to Cinemagia, he dubbed the character Kron for the Romanian version of Dinosaur.[27]
Career statistics[]
Grand Slam finals[]
Doubles 2 (1–1)[]
Outcome | Championship | Partnering | Opponents | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | Runner-up | French Championships | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 3–6, 0–6 |
1970 | Winner | French Open | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
Grand Prix and WCT Tour finals (24–25)[]
Singles (2–1)[]
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 3 August 1970 | Bavarian International Tennis Championships, Munich, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
2–6, 9–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
Winner | 2. | 9 May 1971 | Madrid, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–1, 6–0 |
Runner-up | 1. | 1 February 1972 | Omaha, Nebraska, USA | Hard (i) | ![]() |
6–2, 1–6, 1–6 |
Doubles (22–24)[]
- Key
Grand Slam tournaments |
Grand Prix Masters |
Group 1 tournaments |
Group 2 tournaments |
Team events |
Outcome | Week of | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score in the final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Winner | 1970 | Philadelphia WCT, USA | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
2. Winner | 4 May 1970 | French Open, Paris | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
3. Winner | 1970 | Rome, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
0–6, 10–8, 6–3, 6–8, 6–1 |
1. Runner-up | 13 July 1970 | Washington DC, USA | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 0–6 |
4. Winner | 20 July 1970 | Cincinnati, USA | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
2. Runner-up | 27 July 1970 | U.S. Clay Court Championships, Indianapolis | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–2, 4–6, 4–6 |
3. Runner-up | 16 November 1970 | Embassy British Indoor Championships, London | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 3–6, 2–6 |
5. Winner | 7 March 1971 | Hampton, USA | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 4–6, 7–5 |
6. Winner | 12 April 1971 | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–3, 6–3, 8–6 |
4. Runner-up | 18 April 1971 | Palermo, Sicily, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 3–6 |
5. Runner-up | 22 May 1971 | Brussels, Belgium | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
|
7. Winner | 6 February 1972 | Kansas City, USA | Indoor | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–4, 7–6 |
6. Runner-up | 14 February 1972 | Los Angeles, California, USA | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 7–5, 4–6 | |
8. Winner | 5 March 1972 | Hampton, USA | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–6 |
9. Winner | 24 April 1972 | Rome, Italy | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 5–3, RET. |
7. Runner-up | 13 May 1972 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 2–6 |
8. Runner-up | 5 June 1972 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 0–6, 6–3, 2–6, 2–6 |
10. Winner | 14 August 1972 | Montreal, Canada | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 6–3 |
9. Runner-up | 4 February 1973 | Des Moines, Iowa, USA | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–7, 1–6 |
10. Runner-up | 3 March 1973 | Hampton, Virginia, USA | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–7, 1–6 |
11. Winner | 26 March 1973 | Valencia, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 1–6, 10–8 |
11. Runner-up | 2 April 1973 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–7 |
12. Runner-up | 7 May 1973 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–8 |
13. Runner-up | 11 June 1973 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–7, 6–7 |
14. Runner-up | 23 June 1973 | Eastbourne, England | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–4, 5–7 |
12. Winner | 5 August 1973 | Louisville, Kentucky, USA | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
0–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
15. Runner-up | 13 August 1973 | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 4–6 |
13. Winner | 17 January 1977 | Baltimore, Maryland, USA | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–7, 6–4 |
16. Runner-up | 7 February 1977 | Springfield, Massachusetts | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–2 |
14. Winner | 28 March 1977 | Nice, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–1 |
17. Runner-up | 31 July 1977 | South Orange, New Jersey, US | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 5–7 |
18. Runner-up | 19 September 1977 | Paris, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
15. Winner | 26 September 1977 | Aix-en-Provence, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–5, 7–6 |
16. Winner | 3 October 1977 | Tehran, Iran | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
17. Winner | 3 October 1977 | Tehran, Iran | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
18. Winner | 21 November 1977 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–0 |
19. Winner | 23 May 1978 | BMW Open, Munich, Germany | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–4, 7–6 |
19. Runner-up | 30 July 1978 | South Orange, New Jersey, US | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 3–6 |
20. Winner | 25 September 1978 | Aix-en-Provence, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 6–1 |
20. Runner-up | 5 November 1978 | Paris Bercy, France | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 2–6 |
21. Runner-up | 1 January 1979 | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–8 |
22. Runner-up | 29 January 1979 | Richmond, Virginia, USA | Carpet | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 3–6 |
21. Winner | 19 March 1979 | San José, Costa Rica | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 6–1 |
23. Runner-up | 28 May 1979 | French Open, Paris, France | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–2, 3–6 |
24. Runner-up | 9 July 1979 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–2, 3–6 |
22. Winner | 29 July 1979 | Volvo International, North Conway, New Hampshire, USA | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–6 |
Performance timeline[]
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Tournament | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | SR | W–L | Win % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||||||||||||||
Australian Championships/Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | 1R | 0 / 2 | 1–2 | 33.33 |
French Championships/French Open | 3R | 3R | 3R | QF | 2R | 4R | 1R | 1R | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 9 | 15–9 | 62.50 | |
Wimbledon | A | 1R | 4R | 2R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 4R | A | 1R | 1R | A | A | 1R | 0 / 10 | 11–10 | 52.38 | |
US National Championships/US Open | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | 2R | 2R | 3R | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 4 | 5–4 | 55.55 | |
Win–Loss | 2–1 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 3–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | n/a | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0 / 25 | 32–25 | 56.14 |
Companies[]
- Țiriac Holdings
- ȚiriacAIR
- HVB Țiriac Bank[permanent dead link]
- Allianz-Țiriac Asigurări România
- ȚiriacAuto
- Țiriac Leasing
- Tir Travel (formerly Țiriac Travel)
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Profile at atpworldtour.com". Forbes.
- ^ Becker, Boris (2011). The Player, Transworld Digital, Kindle Edition.
- ^ "Madrid Open preview".
- ^ "#937 Ion Tiriac". Forbes. 10 March 2010.
- ^ "ALEGERI FRT // VIDEO Ion Țiriac e noul președinte al Federației Române de Tenis! Victorie categorică la alegeri + cine sunt cei 4 vicepreședinți". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Madrid Masters goes bling". tennisworldusa. 8 April 2011.
- ^ "Hingis elected to International Tennis Hall of Fame". ITF Tennis. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
- ^ "Tiriac Upsets Smith in 3 Sets; Nastase, Ashe and Richey Gain". The New York Times. 18 July 1970.
- ^ "TOP Forbes - Clasamentul celor mai bogați români în 2020. Cine sunt cei mai influenți oameni de afaceri din România?". 3 December 2020.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20150402102043/http://thebiofile.com/2010/05/biofile-with-ion-tiriac
- ^ Davis Cup Player Profile
- ^ "AT WIMBLEDON WITH: Ion Tiriac; Tennis's Grandest Bad Boy," The New York Times.
- ^ Kirkpatrick, Curry. "COUNT DRACULA". SI.com. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ "MEN'S USTA PRO CIRCUIT TENNIS TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO FAIRFIELD AFTER 24 YEARS | Cliff Drysdale Tennis". cliffdrysdale.com. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ "In praise of Safin – the head case". CNN. 2 September 2009.
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (9 May 2009). "Spain at Last Brings the World to Its Clay". New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
- ^ "Hingis, Stich, Sukova nominated for tennis hall". 9 September 2012.
- ^ [1] The Tiriac Collection
- ^ "Ion Tiriac´s Car Collection (Romania)". 4 September 2016.
- ^ "the World's Billionaires – No. 937 Ion Tiriac". Forbers. 10 March 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
- ^ "TOP 300 Capital declares Ion Tiriac the richest man in Romania followed by businessmen Dinu Patriciu and Ioan Niculae". 18 October 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Forbes Billionaires 2021: The Richest People in the World".
- ^ "Sergiu Nicolaescu: "Da, am cunoscut-o pe Erika"" (in Romanian). 27 February 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- ^ "Fetița lui Țiriac, în vacanță în România" (in Romanian). Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- ^ "Mama lui Tiriac jr., o milionara excentrica" (in Romanian). Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ "Jean Maurer dezvaluie motivul ranchiunii dintre Ion Tiriac si Sergiu Nicolaescu" (in Romanian). Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- ^ "20 de ani de magie de la primul film Disney dublat în limba română - CineMagia.ro".
External links[]
- Ion Țiriac at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Ion Țiriac at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
- Ion Țiriac at the International Tennis Federation
- Ion Țiriac at the Davis Cup
- Forbes World's Billionaires #840
- Ion Tiriac; Tennis's Grandest Bad Boy June 24, 1993 The New York Times
- 1939 births
- Living people
- Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles
- Ice hockey players at the 1964 Winter Olympics
- International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees
- Olympic ice hockey players of Romania
- Sportspeople from Brașov
- Romanian billionaires
- Romanian businesspeople
- Romanian ice hockey players
- Romanian male tennis players
- Universiade medalists in tennis
- People named in the Panama Papers
- Universiade gold medalists for Romania
- Universiade bronze medalists for Romania
- French Open champions
- Medalists at the 1961 Summer Universiade
- Medalists at the 1965 Summer Universiade