Status: 1970 French Open doubles champ (with Nastase). Promoter of ATP Madrid Masters Series 1000 event. Former coach/manager of Boris Becker, Ilie Nastase, Guillermo Vilas. Member of Romania’s 1964 Olympic hockey team. Started an orphanage and first private bank in Romania. Worth a net $1.1 billion according to Forbes Magazine in 2007.
DOB: May 9, 1939 In: Brasov, Romania
Childhood Hero: “Not particular.”
Favorite Movies: “Citizen Kane, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Jack Nicholson movies.”
Musical Tastes: “Classical, Jennifer Rush, Barbra Streisand.”
Hobbies/Interests: “Hunting, fishing.”
Favorite Books: “Victor Huge, Les Miserables.”
Favorite TV Show: “60 Minutes.”
Childhood Dream: “Succeed.”
Early Tennis Memory: “I took a racquet one day and I beat a guy who played for 10 years. I was 15, he was 30.”
First Car: “Red Skoda.
First Job: “Truck industry. In factory, counting ball bearings after they come out of the fire (age 14).”
Nickname: “Count Dracula. I don’t know why. Probably because I come from Transylvania.”
Favorite Meal: “I can’t pinpoint it.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “I don’t eat.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Olympic Games 1964. We lost to United States 5-2 to go into the A group. We won the B group. In
Innsbruck.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “The people I work with.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Nastase.”
Toughest Competitors: “Jimmy Connors. He always gave everything he had, and more.”
Favorite Tennis Players To Watch: “Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, Graf, Monica Seles – for different reasons.”
Favorite Sports To Watch Outside Tennis: “Football, basketball, swimming, anything at a high level. I’m a sports person. I like sports.”
Favorite Athletes To Watch Outside Tennis: “Daley Thompson, Michael Jordan, Steffi Graf.”
Most Treasured Possession: “I’m not a possessive guy.”
Future Ambition: “To diversify. To go in other directions – finance, business, industry.”
People Most Admired: “Ethel Kennedy. She raised 11 children.”
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