Ilie Năstase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ilie Năstase

Ilie Năstase at the 2009 US Open
Country (sports)	Romania
Residence	Constanța
Born	(1946-07-19) 19 July 1946 (age 78) Bucharest, Romania
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 12 in)
Turned pro	1969 (amateur tour from 1966)
Retired	1985
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	$2,076,761
Int. Tennis HoF	1991 (member page)
Singles
Career record	1144–490 (70.01%) in pre Open-Era & Open Era
Career titles	64 (9th in the Open Era)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (23 August 1973)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	1R (1981)
French Open	W (1973)
Wimbledon	F (1972, 1976)
US Open	W (1972)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	W (1971, 1972, 1973, 1975)
WCT Finals	QF (1974, 1977, 1978)
Doubles
Career record	512–218 (ATP)
Career titles	45 (ATP)
Highest ranking	No. 9 (1 March 1976)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	W (1970)
Wimbledon	W (1973)
US Open	W (1975)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	W (1970, 1972)
US Open	F (1972)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	F (1969Ch, 1971Ch, 1972)
Senator of Romania
In office 14 June 2014 – 19 December 2016
Personal details
Political party	Social Democracy Party of Romania (1995–1997) Conservative Party (2014–2015) National Union for the Progress of Romania (2015–2016)

Ilie Năstase (born 19 July 1946) is a famous former tennis player from Romania. He was the very first player to be ranked No. 1 in the world when the computer rankings started. This was on 23 August 1973, and he held the top spot until 2 June 1974.

Năstase is one of only ten players in history to win more than 100 professional tennis titles. He won 64 singles titles and 45 doubles titles. He also won seven major championships, known as Grand Slams. These included two singles titles, three men's doubles titles, and two mixed doubles titles. He also won the important Masters Grand Prix four times. In 1972, Năstase became the first professional athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Nike. He was added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.

Ilie Năstase's Amazing Tennis Career

Ilie Năstase started his tennis journey in 1966. He often played with his friend Ion Țiriac. Together, they played for Romania in the Davis Cup, a big team tennis competition. They reached the finals three times, in 1969, 1971, and 1972.

Early Wins and Rise to Fame

Năstase won his first singles tournament in Cannes in 1967. By 1969, he was beating top players like Tony Roche and Stan Smith. In 1970, many experts thought he was one of the top six players in the world. He won the Italian Open and the U.S. Indoor Open. That same year, he and Ion Țiriac won the men's doubles title at the French Open.

In 1971, Năstase almost won the French Open singles title, but he lost in the final. Later that year, he won his first Masters Grand Prix title. This was a special tournament for the best players of the year.

Becoming a World Champion

Playing a Davis Cup match against the Netherlands in The Hague (1973)

In 1972, Năstase became the world's No. 2 player. He won the US Open in a thrilling five-set final against Arthur Ashe. This was a huge win because all the best players were there. Earlier that year, he played in an exciting five-set final at Wimbledon, but he lost to Stan Smith. In December, he won his second Masters Grand Prix title.

The year 1973 was incredible for Năstase. He won 17 tournaments! This included the French Open, where he didn't lose a single set, which is very rare. He also won a doubles title at Wimbledon and his third Masters title. Because of all these wins, he became the world No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

During Wimbledon in 1973, there was a player boycott. Many players decided not to play because of a disagreement. However, Năstase played because he was ordered to by his country's army and government.

Later Career Highlights

In 1974, Năstase continued to play well. He reached the final of the Masters Grand Prix but lost to Guillermo Vilas. The next year, in 1975, he won his fifth Masters Grand Prix final, beating Björn Borg in three sets.

In 1976, Năstase won four more tournaments. He reached the singles final at Wimbledon again but lost to Björn Borg. He finished the year as the world No. 3 player.

By 1977, Năstase was still a top player, ranking No. 9. He reached the quarterfinals at the French Open and Wimbledon. During a match at Wimbledon, he had a disagreement with the umpire. After this, umpires started using "Mr." when speaking directly to players. Năstase retired from professional tennis in October 1985 when he was 39 years old.

Ilie Năstase's Unique Playing Style

Năstase in 1973

Ilie Năstase was known for being a very talented and entertaining tennis player. He loved to amuse the crowd with his funny actions and impressions. Even during important parts of a match, he might do something silly to make people laugh.

He was also one of the fastest players on the court. He was famous for his amazing lobs (hitting the ball high over an opponent) and his ability to get to almost any shot. Năstase could put a lot of spin on the ball, making it hard for opponents to reach. His main weakness was sometimes getting upset during matches.

Năstase also invented a special tennis shot. It was a backward, over-the-shoulder flick of the wrist. This shot was useful when he needed to return a high lob. Tennis writer Bud Collins called this shot the "Bucharest Backfire".

Achievements and Awards

• Năstase has the highest winning percentage (88%) in the year-end Masters tournaments. He won four times: in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1975.
• He is one of only five tennis players in the world to win more than 100 professional titles.
• He was the first professional athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Nike.

Recognitions and Honors

• Ilie Năstase was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.
• In March 2009, France honored him by making him a knight of the Legion d'honneur. This award recognized his "impressive sporting career" and how he made tennis exciting to watch.
• On his 70th birthday, 19 July 2016, Năstase received the Order of the Star of Romania. This is his country's highest civilian award, given for his great contributions to sports.

Books Written by Ilie Năstase

Năstase has written two novels and an autobiography:

• Tie-Break (1985)
• The Net (1986)
• Mr Nastase: The Autobiography (2004)

Ilie Năstase's Political Life

Electoral posters of Anton Vătășescu (left) and Ilie Năstase (right) during the 1996 Romanian local election.

Ilie Năstase holds the rank of major general in the Romanian military. He entered Romanian politics in 1995. He joined the Social Democracy Party of Romania and tried to become the mayor of Bucharest in 1996, but he was not successful.

In 2012, he was elected to the Romanian Senate (a part of the Romanian government) for a seat in Bucharest. He first belonged to the Conservative Party. Later, he switched to the National Union for the Progress of Romania in 2015. He left this party in 2016.

Personal Life and Other Activities

Ilie Năstase has been married five times. He has a daughter, Nathalie, with his first wife, Dominique Grazia. He adopted two children, Nicholas and Charlotte, with his second wife, Alexandra King. He has two more children, Alessia and Emma Alexandra, with his third wife, Amalia Teodosescu. He was also married to Brigitte Sfăt and later to Ioana Simion.

Because he played for the Army's sports club, Steaua, he worked for the Ministry of Defence.

In 2010, he appeared in a music video for the band Radio Killer. He also provided the Romanian voice for a character in the Disney movie "G-Force". In 2021, he appeared on "Masked Singer România" as "Bufnița" (the Owl).

Career Statistics

Singles Performance in Major Tournaments

This table shows how Ilie Năstase performed in the four biggest tennis tournaments, called Grand Slams, and other important events.

Records Set by Ilie Năstase

These are some of the records Ilie Năstase achieved during the Open Era of tennis:

Images for kids

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  2004 Romanian stamp