Ion Țiriac
Sports career
Ion Țiriac (Romanian pronunciation: [iˈon t͡siriˈak]; born 9 May 1939), also known as the ‘Brasov Bulldozer’ is a Romanian businessman and former professional tennis and ice hockey player. Țiriac is the developer and owner of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament. In 2013 he was elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
He was born in Transylvania, which is probably the reason why he has the nickname ‘Count Dracula’. Țiriac first appeared on the international sports scene 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.
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.
He managed Boris Becker from 1984 to 1993. In 1998 he became president of the Romanian National Olympic Committee.
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. 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 ITF Hall of Fame in the contributor category.
On 13 July 2013 he joined the ITF 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.
Summary
| Country (sports) |  Romania |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residence | Bucharest, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 9 May 1939 Brașov, Romania |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career titles | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 8 (1968, World’s Top 10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: