The day Ilie Năstase gave a lesson to Ion Țiriac. He returned the coin after the billionaire pulled the strings: “What did I do to him. He's stuck!”
In a recent appearance on a podcast, Ilie Năstase, who has reached 79 years and remains the most titled Romanian tennis player, recalled an older episode of his relationship with his good friend Ion Țiriac, which happened on the day of the latter's birthday.
Ilie Năstase and Ion Țiriac Photo/Facebook
Although linked by a friendship that spans over five decades, the two have also had tense moments over time. One of them was consumed in 1971, at the tournament in Madrid. According to Năstase, Țiriac would then have asked him to play more relaxed. He accepted the request, but ended up losing the game.
“Hello, how was our deal?”
Later, feeling that his gesture of fair play was interpreted to the advantage of Țiriac, Năstase made a radical decision: he did not enter the field for the doubles final, where he should have paired with his good companion.
“In '70 I won the tournament in Rome. And in '71 he had already started to become an impresario, Vilas' trainer. And he says: «Nasa, where do you play? You're going to Rome, aren't you?' / «Yes, I'm going.» / «You don't have to go.» / «Well why?» / «If you want to go, I negotiate for you to give you some money.» He negotiated and they didn't give me money. After that, he negotiated with the people from Madrid and I went to Madrid.
“It was supposed to be the doubles final… I kissed you!”
He was playing pretty well then. Who will I play in the semi-final? With Tiriac. He comes to the hotel, we ate together, and he says: «Nasa, if tomorrow you beat me 6-0, 6-1, don't pass me by. You go around me on the other street. Be careful, tomorrow is my birthday, May 9, please, play nice with me, you know I don't kill myself too much in singles.» I was also in doubles with him. I went after him, 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0 for him. “Hello!” He nothing… He beats me 6-0 in the first set.
I go to change the field: «Hello, how was our understanding? Not to beat you 6-0.” Don't talk to me, sir. He beats me 6-3 in the 2nd set. We enter the dressing room, side by side: «Hello, how was it? Are you beating me 6-0, 6-3?” “Well, you fool, be careful”, he stood up: “Remember what I'm saying now: don't promise him, neither lu' ma-ta, nor lu' tac-tu, nor lu' brother…” “How??? Well, you asked me.» What I did to him, we were supposed to play the doubles final… «I kissed you!» That he was focused on the double. I left, it got stuck!“said Ilie Năstase at Fain&Simplu with Mihai Morar.
