Between Ion Țiriac (86 years old) and Ilie Năstase (79 years old), a solid friendship, more than 60 years old. Even if the friendship between the two is a completely different one, the Romanian billionaire did not speak to his slag comrade for about five years.
Ilie Năstase and Ion Tiriac, the most famous couple of Romanians in the ATP photo circuit/Arh. truth
It all started in 1973, when Ilie Nastase vehemently refused to accompany her circuit colleagues in a strike and participated, despite the tense situation at Wimbledon. Ion Tiriac did not accept the “betrayal” of his friend and chose to put an end to the connection for almost half a decade.
More than 50 years have passed since the episode, and Ion Țiriac provided all the details about the “cold” that occurred between it and the great Ilie Nastase.
“The cold came from 1973, when the players’ union, which I had set up a year ago, made a strike. I had founded the union with Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Llie’s generation players, that my generation had been with Laver, with Rosewell, the players from the beginning of the 60’s.
I made a strike, I didn’t play at Wimbledon. And Llie played! He said that Ceausescu forced him to play, which was a lie, that Ceausescu had no idea what it was. We did not talk to Ceausescu, nor with the lady (no Elena Ceausescu) and left us alone! ”, said Ion Țiriac, for I have sports shops.
Ion Tiriac and Ilie Nastase obtained the double title in the Roland Garros tournament in 1970, forming the most successful Romanian couple in the history of ATP. They conquered no less than 11 trophies.
Ion Țiriac upset his own daughter, but he received huge amounts
The tycoon set out to put up for sale the tournament in Madrid and started the commercial transaction process.
At that time, the proposed amount was between 200 and 250 million, but during a single year, the price almost doubled. The transaction was subsequently approved by WTA and ATP and was completed in 2022.
The American company IMG, part of the Endeavour group, has announced that it has completed the transaction for the amount of 360 million euros, to which are added another 30 million to be paid in the next two years.
In total, Ion Tiriac received a total amount of 400 million euros following the sale of the Madrid tour.
“Ioana said: ‘Not to sell Madrid (no tournament in Madrid, sold by Tiriac in 2021). That is our erytal, we have to keep it!’.
This sport has no future unless the patrons go here, the players go out of school. They beat every five years until they break their heads. I make a hill (no an understanding) for five years, I go on! ”, Ion Tiriac revealed, according to As.ro.
