Ilie Năstase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ilie Năstase

Năstase at the 2025 Transylvania Open
Country (sports)	Romania
Residence	Constanța
Born	(1946-07-19) 19 July 1946 (age 79) 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 on July 19, 1946) is a famous Romanian former professional tennis player. He was the very first player to be ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). He held this top spot for 40 weeks!

Năstase is one of only ten players to have won over 100 total titles in professional tennis. He won 64 singles titles and 45 doubles titles. Among these, he won seven major championships, also known as Grand Slams. These include two in singles, three in men's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. He also won four Masters Grand Prix year-end championships. In 1972, he became the first professional athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Nike. Năstase was added to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.

Tennis Career Highlights

Ilie Năstase started his tennis journey in 1966. He often traveled and competed with his fellow Romanian player, Ion Țiriac. Together, they played for Romania in the Davis Cup competition, reaching the finals in 1969, 1971, and 1972.

Early Successes

Năstase won his first tournament in Cannes on April 16, 1967. In 1969, he started beating top players like Tony Roche and Stan Smith. By 1970, many experts considered him one of the world's best players. He had great success at the Italian Open and the U.S. Indoor Open. With Ion Țiriac, he won the men's doubles title at the French Open. In 1971, Năstase was the runner-up at the French Open, losing in the final. Later that year, he won his first Masters Grand Prix title.

Becoming World No. 1

In 1972, Năstase became the world No. 2 player. He won the US Open in a thrilling five-set final against Arthur Ashe. This was a very important tournament because all the best players competed there. A few months earlier, at Wimbledon, Năstase had a very close five-set final match, but he lost to Stan Smith. In December, Năstase won his second Masters Grand Prix title.

In 1973, Năstase had an amazing year, winning 17 tournaments! This included the French Open and a doubles title at Wimbledon. He also won his third Masters title. Because of his incredible performance, he became the world No. 1 in the ATP rankings that year. He won the French Open without losing a single set, which is a very rare achievement.

Later Career

In 1974, Năstase was the only player to qualify for both the WCT Finals and the Masters Grand Prix finals. He played very well in the Masters, but lost the final match. In 1975, he reached the Masters Grand Prix final for the fifth year in a row, where he defeated Björn Borg.

In 1976, Năstase won four tournaments in the first half of the year. He was ranked world No. 3, behind Jimmy Connors and Björn Borg. At Wimbledon, he lost to Borg in the singles final. During a match at Wimbledon in 1977, Năstase had a disagreement with the umpire. He insisted on being called "Mr. Năstase," which later became the title of his autobiography.

Năstase retired from professional tennis in October 1985 when he was 39 years old.

Playing Style and Personality

Năstase in 1973

Ilie Năstase was known as one of the most talented tennis players ever. He was famous for entertaining the crowd with his funny actions and impressions. Even during important parts of a match, he might do something surprising to make people laugh.

He was one of the fastest players on the court. People remember him for his amazing lobs (hitting the ball high over an opponent) and his ability to retrieve difficult shots. Năstase could put a lot of spin on the ball, making it hard for opponents to reach. His main challenge was sometimes getting upset during matches.

Năstase also created a unique tennis shot. It was a backward, over-the-shoulder flick of the wrist, used as a last resort to return lobs. Tennis writer Bud Collins called this shot the "Bucharest Backfire" after Năstase's hometown.

He is often remembered for being a great player who never won the singles title at Wimbledon, for his strong personality, and for his good looks.

Amazing Achievements

• Năstase has the highest winning percentage (88%) in the year-end tournaments (now called the ATP Tour Finals). 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 (64 singles and 45 doubles), according to the ATP.
• Năstase was the first professional athlete to sign an endorsement contract with Nike.

Awards and Honors

• Ilie Năstase was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.
• In March 2009, he was made a knight of France's Legion d'honneur, which is a very high award. He was honored for his "impressive sporting career" and for how he entertained people when he played.
• On his 70th birthday, July 19, 2016, Năstase received 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)

Life Outside Tennis

Political Career

Electoral posters for a local election in Romania in 1996. Ilie Năstase's poster is on the right.

Ilie Năstase holds the rank of major general in the Romanian military. He became involved in Romanian politics in 1995. He joined a political party and tried to become the mayor of Bucharest in 1996, but he was not successful.

In 2012, he was elected to the Romanian Senate, which is part of the country's government. He represented Bucharest. He was part of different political parties during his time as a senator, including the Conservative Party and the National Union for the Progress of Romania. He finished his term as a senator in 2016.

A political meeting in 2014. Ilie Năstase is on the far left.

Personal Life and Other Activities

Ilie Năstase has a background that includes Romani heritage. His mother was born in Căinari, which is now in Moldova. His parents lived in Soroca before the Soviet occupation of that area. His grandfather was sent to Siberia by the Soviet authorities.

Năstase has been married five times. His first wife was Dominique Grazia, a Belgian fashion model, and they had a daughter named Nathalie. His second wife was American actress Alexandra King, with whom he adopted two children, Nicholas and Charlotte. His third wife was Romanian fashion model Amalia Teodosescu, and they had two daughters, Alessia and Emma Alexandra. He later married Brigitte Sfăt and then Ioana Simion.

Because he played for the Army's sports club Steaua, he was an employee of 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," singing "My Way" by Frank Sinatra.

Career Statistics

Singles Performance in Major Tournaments

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

Records Achieved

These records were set during the Open Era of tennis, which is the modern professional era.

See also

In Spanish: Ilie Năstase para niños

• Tennis male players statistics

Images for kids

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

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  A 2004 Romanian stamp featuring Ilie Năstase