Ion Țiriac

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Ion Țiriac[1] (Script error: No such module "IPA".; born 9 May 1939), also known as the "Brașov Bulldozer",[2] is a Romanian businessman and former professional tennis and ice hockey player.[3] He has been president of the Romanian Tennis Federation.[4]

A former singles top 10 player on the ATP Tour, he was active from 1958 to 1979 and won 34 career singles titles.[5] Tiriac was 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 a sanctioned tennis tournament (against Abigail Maynard, in 1975). The highlight of his ice hockey career was participating as a defenseman in the Romanian national team at the 1964 Winter Olympics.

After retirement, Tiriac 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 has owned from 2009 to 2021.[6] In 2013, he was elected as contributor into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.[7] He has been managing French tennis player Lucas Pouille since December 2016.

As a tennis player, Tiriac played dramatic five-setters against Rod Laver, Stan Smith, Jan Kodeš and 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 three Davis Cup finals (in 1969, 1971 and 1972).[8]

As of April 2022, Forbes ranked him as the third-richest person in Romania with a net worth of $1.6 billion.[9]

Sports career

Țiriac was born in Transylvania, which is probably the reason why he has the nickname 'Count Dracula'.[10] The first sport he practiced, as a child was table tennis.[11][12]

Afterwards he played ice hockey as a defenceman, winning a Romanian Hockey League title with CCA București in 1961, he also played for Știința București.[13][14] Țiriac represented Romania's ice hockey team at the 1961 Ice Hockey World Championships where he was used by player-coach Zoltan Czaka in five games in which he scored five goals as the team finished on the 15th place.[13][15][16] He was called up by coach Mihai Flamaropol to be in Romania's squad at the 1964 Winter Olympics.[13][17]

File:Ion Țiriac 1965.jpg
Țiriac in 1965
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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.[18]

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."[19]

Țiriac participated in the short period during the 1970s when women participated 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 Fairfield County International Tennis Championship. It was the first time ever a female had entered a men's tournament.[20][21]

Executive roles

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.[22] 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.[23] The trophy awarded to the tournament winner bears his name.

Țiriac also held the license for the BRD Năstase Țiriac Trophy tennis tournament since 1996, until its last edition in 2016, before the tournament being relocated to Budapest.

In 2012, Țiriac was nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the contributor category.[24]

On 13 July 2013, Țiriac joined the International Tennis Hall of Fame as a successful promoter and tournament director for numerous events including two of the largest Masters 1000 events, the Italian Open and the Madrid Masters.

Business career

File:Rolls Royce Phantom IV 1952.JPG
One of two Rolls-Royce Phantom IV owned by Țiriac, part of his car collection.[25]

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.[26] In reality, Țiriac was popular and outgoing, especially when he served as player/coach of the Boston Lobsters of World Team Tennis in the 1970s.[27]

In Germany, Țiriac met another Romanian businessman, Dan Petrescu. Țiriac and Petrescu became economic partners and collaborated in the development of several companies in the following years.[28][29]

Following the collapse of communism in Romania, Țiriac started numerous businesses and investments back home. In 1990, he founded Ion Țiriac Bank, 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.[30] 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, Țiriac 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.[31] 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).[32]

In 2018, Ion Țiriac ranked #1867 on the Forbes World's Billionaires list, with wealth listed at US$1.2 billion.[33]

File:Stamps of Romania, 2015-086.jpg
Țiriac on a Romanian postage stamp

Personal life

Țiriac was married to Erika Braedt, a handball player, between 1963 and 1965.[34]

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.[35][36][37]

According to Cinemagia, he dubbed the character Kron for the Romanian version of Dinosaur.[38]

Career statistics

Grand Slam finals

Doubles 2 (1–1)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1966 French Championships Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Dennis Ralston
Template:Flagicon Clark Graebner		 3–6, 3–6, 0–6
Win 1970 French Open Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Arthur Ashe
Template:Flagicon Charlie Pasarell		 6–2, 6–4, 6–3

Grand Prix and WCT Tour finals

Singles (2–1)

Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1–0 Aug 1970 Munich, Germany Clay Template:Flagicon Nikola Pilić 2–6, 9–7, 6–3, 6–4
Win 2–0 May 1971 Madrid, Spain Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase 7–5, 6–1, 6–0
Loss 2–1 Feb 1972 Omaha, Nebraska, US Hard (i) Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase 6–2, 0–6, 1–6

Doubles (23–24)

Key
Grand Slam tournaments
Grand Prix Masters
Group 1 tournaments
Group 2 tournaments
Team events
Result W–L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 Feb 1970 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Arthur Ashe
Template:Flagicon Dennis Ralston 		6–4, 6–3
Win 2–0 May 1970 French Open, Paris Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Arthur Ashe
Template:Flagicon Charlie Pasarell 		6–2, 6–4, 6–3
Win 3–0 Apr 1970 Rome, Italy Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon William Bowrey
Template:Flagicon Owen Davidson 		0–6, 10–8, 6–3, 6–8, 6–1
Loss 3–1 Jul 1970 Washington, D.C., US Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt
Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan 		5–7, 0–6
Win 4–1 Jul 1970 Cincinnati, US Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt
Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan 		6–3, 6–4
Loss 4–2 Jul 1970 Indianapolis, US Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Arthur Ashe
Template:Flagicon Clark Graebner 		6–2, 4–6, 4–6
Loss 4–3 Nov 1970 London, UK Carpet Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Ken Rosewall
Template:Flagicon Stan Smith 		4–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win 5–3 Mar 1971 Hampton, US Hard (i) Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Clark Graebner
Template:Flagicon Thomaz Koch 		6–4, 4–6, 7–5
Win 6–3 Apr 1971 Monte-Carlo, Monaco Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Tom Okker
Template:Flagicon Roger Taylor 		1–6, 6–3, 6–3, 8–6
Loss 6–4 Apr 1971 Palermo, Sicily, Italy Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Georges Goven
Template:Flagicon Pierre Barthès 		2–6, 3–6
Loss 6–5 May 1971 Brussels, Belgium Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Marty Riessen
Template:Flagicon Tom Okker
Win 7–5 Feb 1972 Kansas City, US Indoor Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Andrés Gimeno
Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes 		6–7, 6–4, 7–6
Loss 7–6 Feb 1972 Los Angeles, California, US Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Jim Osborne
Template:Flagicon Jim McManus 		2–6, 7–5, 4–6
Win 8–6 Mar 1972 Hampton, US Hard (i) Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Andrés Gimeno
Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes 		6–4, 7–6
Win 9–6 Apr 1972 Rome, Italy Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Lew Hoad
Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan 		3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 5–3, RET.
Loss 9–7 May 1972 Bournemouth, England Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan
Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt 		5–7, 2–6
Loss 9–8 Jun 1972 Hamburg, Germany Clay Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase
Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš 		6–4, 0–6, 6–3, 2–6, 2–6
Win 10–8 Aug 1972 Montreal, Canada Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš
Template:Flagicon Jan Kukal 		7–6, 6–3
Loss 10–9 Feb 1973 Des Moines, Iowa, US Hard Template:Flagicon Juan Gisbert Template:Flagicon Jan Kukal
Template:Flagicon Jiří Hřebec 		6–4, 6–7, 1–6
Loss 10–10 Mar 1973 Hampton, Virginia, US Hard Template:Flagicon Jimmy Connors Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase
Template:Flagicon Clark Graebner 		6–4, 6–7, 1–6
Win 11–10 Mar 1973 Valencia, Spain Clay Template:Flagicon Mike Estep Template:Flagicon Patrick Hombergen
Template:Flagicon Bernard Mignot 		6–4, 1–6, 10–8
Loss 11–11 Apr 1973 Barcelona, Spain Clay Template:Flagicon Mike Estep Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes
Template:Flagicon Juan Gisbert 		4–6, 6–7
Loss 11–12 May 1973 Bournemouth, England Clay Template:Flagicon Adriano Panatta Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase
Template:Flagicon Juan Gisbert 		4–6, 6–8
Loss 11–13 Jun 1973 Hamburg, Germany Clay Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes Template:Flagicon Hans-Jürgen Pohmann
Template:Flagicon Jürgen Fassbender 		6–7, 6–7, 6–7
Loss 11–14 Jun 1973 Eastbourne, England Grass Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes Template:Flagicon Jim McManus
Template:Flagicon Ove Nils Bengtson 		4–6, 6–4, 5–7
Win 12–14 Aug 1973 Louisville, Kentucky, US Clay Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes Template:Flagicon Clark Graebner
Template:Flagicon John Newcombe 		0–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 12–15 Aug 1973 Indianapolis, Indiana, US Clay Template:Flagicon Manuel Orantes Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan
Template:Flagicon Bob Carmichael 		3–6, 4–6
Win 13–15 Mar 1974 São Paulo WCT, Brazil Carpet (i) Template:Flagicon Adriano Panatta Template:Flagicon Ove Nils Bengtson
Template:Flagicon Björn Borg 		7-5, 3-6, 6-3
Win 14–15 Jan 1977 Baltimore, Maryland, US Carpet Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Ross Case
Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš 		6–3, 6–7, 6–4
Loss 14–16 Feb 1977 Springfield, Massachusetts Carpet Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan
Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt 		6–7, 6–2
Loss 15–16 Mar 1977 Nice, France Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Chris Kachel
Template:Flagicon Chris Lewis 		6–4, 6–1
Loss 15–17 Jul 1977 South Orange, New Jersey, US Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Colin Dibley
Template:Flagicon Wojciech Fibak 		1–6, 5–7
Loss 15–18 Sep 1977 Paris, France Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Jacques Thamin
Template:Flagicon Christophe Roger-Vasselin 		2–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win 16–18 Sep 1977 Aix-en-Provence, France Clay Template:Flagicon Ilie Năstase Template:Flagicon Patrice Dominguez
Template:Flagicon Rolf Norberg 		7–5, 7–6
Win 17–18 Oct 1977 Tehran, Iran Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt
Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan 		1–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win 18–18 Oct 1977 Tehran, Iran Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt
Template:Flagicon Frew McMillan 		1–6, 6–1, 6–4
Win 19–18 Nov 1977 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Ricardo Cano
Template:Flagicon Antonio Muñoz 		6–4, 6–0
Win 20–18 May 1978 Munich, Germany Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Jürgen Fassbender
Template:Flagicon Tom Okker 		3–6, 6–4, 7–6
Loss 20–19 Jul 1978 South Orange, New Jersey, US Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon John McEnroe
Template:Flagicon Peter Fleming 		3–6, 3–6
Win 21–19 Sep 1978 Aix-en-Provence, France Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Jan Kodeš
Template:Flagicon Tomáš Šmíd 		7–6, 6–1
Loss 21–20 Nov 1978 Paris Bercy, France Hard Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Andrew Pattison
Template:Flagicon Bruce Manson 		6–7, 2–6
Loss 21–21 Jan 1979 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Grass Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Bob Giltinan
Template:Flagicon Phil Dent 		6–8
Loss 21–22 Jan 1979 Richmond, Virginia, US Carpet Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon John McEnroe
Template:Flagicon Brian Gottfried 		4–6, 3–6
Win 22–22 Mar 1979 San José, Costa Rica Hard Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon Anand Amritraj
Template:Flagicon Colin Dibley 		7–6, 6–1
Loss 22–23 May 1979 French Open, Paris, France Clay Template:Flagicon Virginia Ruzici Template:Flagicon Wendy Turnbull
Template:Flagicon Bob Hewitt 		3–6, 6–2, 3–6
Loss 22–24 Jul 1979 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon John Marks
Template:Flagicon Mark Edmondson 		3–6, 6–2, 3–6
Win 23–24 Jul 1979 North Conway, US Clay Template:Flagicon Guillermo Vilas Template:Flagicon John Sadri
Template:Flagicon Tim Wilkison 		6–4, 7–6

Performance timeline

Template:Performance key

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

See also

References

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  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Davis Cup Player Profile
  19. ↑ "AT WIMBLEDON WITH: Ion Tiriac; Tennis's Grandest Bad Boy," The New York Times.
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "Unsubst".Template:Cbignore
  25. ↑ [1] The Tiriac Collection
  26. ↑ Ion Țiriac, Class of 2013 (biography) – International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  27. ↑ Mayeron, Candace N. "Țiriac: Part Gypsy, All Heart," The New York Times, Friday, July 9, 1976. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Selected publications

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External links

Template:Sister project

Template:French Open men's doubles champions Template:International Tennis Hall of Fame members Template:Authority control

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