Ion Țiriac Jr. expressed his admiration for Simona Halep after she attended the royal box at Wimbledon, to which the two-time Grand Slam champion responded on Instagram.
On Saturday, Halep was seen in the royal box of Wimbledon alongside businessman Dorin Mateiu, as they watched the women’s final, which Linda Noskova won against Karolina Muchova with a score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
They were joined by Catherine, Princess of Wales, and tennis legends like Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, Maria Sharapova, and Petra Kvitova, drawing significant photo attention.
Photo Gallery: Halep and Mateiu at the 2026 Wimbledon Women’s Final
The viral photographs were noticed by Ion Țiriac Jr., who congratulated Halep with the comment: “So cool, so classy. Two rivals and a Queen in the most special setting in the world. Simona Halep, you’ve nailed it!”
Halep’s public reply came via her Instagram, stating, “And I couldn’t be prouder of that.”
Ion Țiriac Jr. is a well-known tennis enthusiast, being the son of Ion Țiriac, a former top Romanian player and head of the Romanian Tennis Federation, who also organizes various ATP and WTA events.
He previously had a long-term relationship with Sorana Cîrstea, another prominent Romanian player over the last two decades.
In 2023, He Supported Halep
Over the years, Țiriac Jr. has made several strong statements against Serena Williams, especially regarding the doping scandal surrounding Halep.
The businessman defended Halep in September 2023, referencing a controversial list published years ago by Russian hackers, which included substances that Williams received exemptions for from WADA. The list was originally leaked in 2016.
To be clear, all are “special exemptions” granted for decades to the same individual. These include steroids and other banned hormonal supplements! What do they do for an athlete? I will translate their medical effects: anti-inflammatory, performance enhancement, reduces fatigue, rapid recovery, increases strength and endurance, alleviates pain, – Ion Țiriac Jr.’s message from 2023.
