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Virginia Ruzici

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Virginia Ruzici
Virginia Ruzici at the 1981 Summer Universiade
Country (sports) Romania
Born (1955-01-31) 31 January 1955 (age 69)
Câmpia Turzii, Socialist Republic of Romania
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Turned pro1975
Retired1987
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$1,183,728
Singles
Career record377–221
Career titles12
Highest rankingNo. 8 (21 May 1979)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenQF (1980)
French OpenW (1978)
WimbledonQF (1978, 1981)
US OpenQF (1976, 1978)
Doubles
Career record285–181
Career titles16
Highest rankingNo. 70 (12 October 1987)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open2R (1980)
French OpenW (1978)
WimbledonF (1978)
US OpenSF (1976)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenF (1978, 1979)
Wimbledon3R (1979)
US OpenQF (1981)
Team competitions
Fed Cup25–13
Medal record
Representing  Romania
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1977 Sofia Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1979 Mexico City Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1979 Mexico City Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Bucharest Singles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Bucharest Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Bucharest Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 1977 Sofia Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Mexico City Singles

Virginia Ruzici (born 31 January 1955) is a former professional tennis player from Romania. She won the 1978 French Open singles championship.

Career

Ruzici became a professional tennis player in 1975. One of her main assets on court was her powerful forehand. In a career spanning 12 years, Ruzici won 12 career singles titles, including one Grand Slam title, the 1978 French Open. In the final, she beat 1977 French Open champion Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–2. Ruzici also won the French Open doubles event with Jaušovec in 1978 and reached the mixed doubles final in 1978. She appeared in the French Open singles final in 1980, but lost in straight sets to Chris Evert.[1]

Ruzici remained in the world's top 20 from 1977 to 1983.[2] She regularly featured in the Romania Fed Cup team throughout her career, and began playing for them in 1973, two years before turning professional.

At Wimbledon 1978, Ruzici lost a notable match in the quarterfinal to the Australian Evonne Goolagong who was playing with an injured ankle. Goolagong's injury led to her collapsing on court and her husband, Roger Cawley, came on to the court to aid his wife, technically defaulting the Australian from the match. When Goolagong recovered, Ruzici agreed to continue the match, but lost 7–5, 6–3 and was praised for her sportsmanship.[3] It has been stated during TV commentaries that Ruzici's victory in 1980 at a tournament in Salt Lake City was watched by Richard Williams who was inspired by her triumph and prize money to teach his daughters Venus and Serena Williams to play tennis.[4][5][6]

Ruzici was the manager of Romanian tennis player Simona Halep until 2022.[7]

Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win 1978 French Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–2
Loss 1980 French Open Clay United States Chris Evert 0–6, 3–6

Women's doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1978 French Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec France Gail Sherriff Lovera
Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey
6–4, 6–3
Loss 1978 Wimbledon Grass Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Australia Kerry Melville Reid
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 8–9(8), 3–6

Mixed doubles: 2 (2 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1978 French Open Clay France Patrice Dominguez Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová
Czechoslovakia Pavel Složil
6–4, 6–7, ret.
Loss 1979 French Open Clay Romania Ion Țiriac Australia Wendy Turnbull
South Africa Bob Hewitt
3–6, 6–2, 3–6

WTA career finals

Singles: 27 (12–15)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–1)
WTA Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (11–14)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (9–10)
Carpet (2–2)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. 18 August 1975 South Orange, Canada Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu 6–1, 6–1
Loss 1. 12 July 1976 Austrian Open Clay Australia Wendy Turnbull 4–6, 7–5, 3–6
Loss 2. 18 October 1976 Spanish Open Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 4–6, 2–6
Win 2. 26 September 1977 Eckerd Open, U.S. Clay United States Laura duPont 6–4, 4–6, 6–2
Loss 3. 15 May 1978 German Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec 2–6, 3–6
Loss 4. 22 May 1978 Italian Open Clay Czechoslovakia Regina Maršíková 5–7, 5–7
Win 3. 29 May 1978 French Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–2
Win 4. 24 July 1978 Austrian Open Clay West Germany Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 6–3
Loss 5. 14 August 1978 Canadian Open Hard Czechoslovakia Regina Maršíková 5–7, 7–6, 2–6
Win 5. 16 October 1978 Brighton Challenge, UK Carpet (i) Netherlands Betty Stöve 5–7, 6–2, 7–5
Loss 6. 19 February 1979 VS Detroit Carpet (i) Australia Wendy Turnbull 5–7, 6–1, 6–7(4)
Loss 7. 10 December 1979 Adelaide, Australia Grass Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 5–7, 2–2 ret.
Loss 8. 5 May 1980 Italian Open Clay United States Chris Evert 7–5, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 9. 26 May 1980 French Open Clay United States Chris Evert 0–6, 3–6
Win 6. 21 July 1980 Austrian Open Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 3–6, 6–1, ret.
Loss 10. 11 August 1980 Canadian Open Hard United States Chris Evert 3–6, 1–6
Win 7. 8 September 1980 VS Salt Lake City, U.S. Hard Argentina Ivanna Madruga 6–1, 6–3
Loss 11. 10 November 1980 Amsterdam, Netherlands Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 7–5, 2–6, 5–7
Loss 12. 4 May 1981 Italian Open Clay United States Chris Evert 1–6, 2–6
Loss 13. 11 May 1981 European Open Clay United States Chris Evert 1–6, 1–6
Loss 14. 3 August 1981 U.S. Clay Courts Clay United States Andrea Jaeger 1–6, 0–6
Win 8. 12 July 1982 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay United States Bonnie Gadusek 6–2, 7–6
Win 9. 19 July 1982 Austrian Open Clay Czechoslovakia Lea Plchová 6–2, 6–2
Win 10. 2 August 1982 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková 6–2, 6–0
Win 11. 3 October 1983 VS Detroit, U.S. Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 15. 1 April 1985 Seabrook Island, U.S. Clay Bulgaria Katerina Maleeva 3–6, 3–6
Win 12. 15 July 1985 Austrian Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–3

Doubles: 35 (16–19)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–1)
WTA Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (15–18)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–1)
Grass (1–1)
Clay (10–11)
Carpet (3–6)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. 11 November 1973 London, UK Carpet (i) Romania Mariana Simionescu United Kingdom Lesley Charles
United Kingdom Glynis Coles
3–6, 5–7
Win 1. 4 November 1974 Edinburgh Cup, UK Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Colombia María-Isabel Fernández
Argentina Raquel Giscafré
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Loss 2. 8 March 1976 Tallahassee, U.S. Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu United States Julie Anthony
Australia Dianne Fromholtz
2–6, 5–7
Loss 3. 23 May 1976 Italian Open Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu South Africa Linky Boshoff
South Africa Ilana Kloss
1–6, 2–6
Win 2. 18 October 1976 Spanish Open Clay Romania Florența Mihai France Nathalie Fuchs
Belgium Michele Gurdal
6–2, 6–4
Loss 4. 24 January 1977 Minneapolis Indoors, U.S. Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec United States Rosie Casals
Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova
2–6, 1–6
Win 3. 15 May 1978 German Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec West Germany Katja Ebbinghaus
West Germany Helga Niessen Masthoff
6–4, 5–7, 6–0
Win 4. 22 May 1978 Italian Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Romania Florența Mihai
United States Betsy Nagelsen
6–2, 2–6, 7–6
Win 5. 29 May 1978 French Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec France Gail Sherriff Lovera
Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey
5–7, 6–4, 8–6
Loss 5. 26 June 1978 Wimbledon, UK Grass Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Australia Kerry Melville Reid
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 8–9(8), 3–6
Win 6. 24 July 1978 Austrian Open Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová Czechoslovakia Regina Maršíková
Romania Florența Mihai
7–5, 6–2
Loss 6. 23 October 1978 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix,
Germany
Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec United States Tracy Austin
Netherlands Betty Stöve
3–6, 3–6
Win 7. 1 January 1979 VS Washington, U.S. Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec United States Renée Richards
United States Sharon Walsh
4–6, 6–2, 6–4
Loss 7. 18 July 1979 Austrian Open Clay Netherlands Elly Appel-Vessies Sweden Helena Anliot
Australia Dianne Evers
0–6, 4–6
Win 8. 22 October 1979 Tampa Open, U.S. Hard United States Anne Smith South Africa Ilana Kloss
United States Betty Ann Stuart
7–5, 4–6, 7–5
Win 9. 10 December 1979 Adelaide, Australia Grass Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United Kingdom Sue Barker
United States Pam Shriver
6–1, 3–6, 6–2
Loss 8. 4 August 1980 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová United States Anne Smith
United States Paula Smith
4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win 10. 8 September 1980 VS Salt Lake City, U.S. Hard United States Pam Teeguarden United States Barbara Jordan
United States JoAnne Russell
6–4, 7–5
Win 11. 27 October 1980 Stockholm Open, Sweden Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Netherlands Betty Stöve
6–2, 6–1
Loss 9. 16 March 1981 VS Boston, U.S. Carpet (i) United States JoAnne Russell United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
7–6, 4–6, 3–6
Loss 10. 4 May 1981 Italian Open Clay United States Chris Evert United States Candy Reynolds
United States Paula Smith
5–7, 1–6
Win 12. 3 August 1981 U.S. Clay Courts Clay United States JoAnne Russell United Kingdom Sue Barker
United States Paula Smith
6–2, 6–2
Loss 11. 5 April 1982 Hilton Head Island, U.S. Clay United States JoAnne Russell United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
1–6, 2–6
Loss 12. 10 May 1982 European Open Clay United States JoAnne Russell United States Candy Reynolds
United States Paula Smith
2–6, 4–6
Win 13. 12 July 1982 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay France Catherine Tanvier Brazil Patricia Medrado
Brazil Cláudia Monteiro
7–6, 6–2
Loss 13. 2 August 1982 U.S. Clay Courts Clay United States JoAnne Russell Argentina Ivanna Madruga
France Catherine Tanvier
5–7, 6–7(3)
Loss 14. 6 December 1982 European Open Carpet (i) United States JoAnne Russell United States Rosie Casals
United States Candy Reynolds
3–6, 3–6
Loss 15. 11 April 1983 Amelia Island Championships, U.S. Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
United States Candy Reynolds
4–6, 2–6
Win 14. 2 May 1983 Italian Open Clay United Kingdom Virginia Wade Argentina Ivanna Madruga
France Catherine Tanvier
6–3, 2–6, 6–1
Win 15. 1 August 1983 U.S. Clay Courts Clay United States Kathy Horvath United States Gigi Fernández
United States Beth Herr
4–6, 7–6(6), 6–2
Loss 16. 8 August 1983 LA Championships, U.S. Hard United States Betsy Nagelsen United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
1–6, 0–6
Loss 17. 24 October 1983 Porsche Grand Prix, Germany Carpet (i) France Catherine Tanvier United States Martina Navratilova
United States Candy Reynolds
2–6, 1–6
Loss 18. 14 May 1984 German Open Clay United States Kathy Horvath United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
United States Candy Reynolds
3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11)
Loss 19. 21 May 1984 Italian Open Clay United States Kathy Horvath Czechoslovakia Iva Budařová
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–7(5), 6–1, 4–6
Win 16. 15 July 1985 Austrian Open Clay Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec Czechoslovakia Andrea Holíková
Czechoslovakia Kateřina Skronská
6–2, 6–3

Other finals

Singles (8–4)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 1 October 1972 Cluj, Romania Clay Romania Judith Gohn 2–6, 4–6
Winner 2. 12 May 1974 Stuttgart, West Germany Clay Czechoslovakia Alena Palmeová-West 3–6, 6–4, 7–5
Winner 3. 23 September 1974 Bucharest, Romania Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu 6–3, 6–2
Winner 4. 16 July 1978 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Switzerland Petra Jauch-Delhees 6–2, 6–2
Winner 5. 6 August 1978 Brașov, Romania Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová 6–4, 6–2
Winner 6. 13 July 1980 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay West Germany Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 6–3
Winner 7. 20 July 1980 Båstad, Sweden Clay Sweden Nina Bohm 6–2, 7–5
Runner-up 8. 2 August 1981 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Clay United States Kathleen Horvath 0–6, 4–6
Runner-up 9. 18 April 1982 Nassau, Bahamas Hard West Germany Bettina Bunge 0–6, 6–7
Runner-up 10. 11 July 1982 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 5–7, 6–1, 6–7
Winner 11. 1 August 1982 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Clay United States Leigh-Anne Thompson 5–7, 6–2, 6–2
Winner 12. 17 July 1983 Båstad, Sweden Hard Sweden Carin Anderholm 6–2, 6–3

Doubles (5–0)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 1 October 1972 Cluj, Romania Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu Romania Felicia Bucur
Romania Judith Gohn
4–6, 7–5, 6–4
Winner 2. 23 September 1974 Bucharest, Romania Clay Romania Mariana Simionescu Romania Florența Mihai
Romania Simona Nunweiler
6–2, 6–2
Winner 3. 17 October 1976 Madrid, Spain Clay Romania Florența Mihai Czechoslovakia Regina Maršíková
Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová
6–4, 5–7, 6–2
Winner 4. 11 July 1982 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay France Catherine Tanvier West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
West Germany Heidi Eisterlehner
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 5. 19 January 1987 Bayonne, France Hard France Catherine Tanvier Poland Iwona Kuczyńska
France Corinne Vanier
6–3, 6–2

Grand Slam singles performance

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 Career SR
Australian Open A A A A A A A 1R QF 1R A A A A NH A 0 / 3
French Open 1R 2R 2R SF A W QF F QF QF 3R 4R 1R A 2R 1 / 13
Wimbledon 2R 2R 1R 1R 2R QF 4R 2R QF 4R 4R 2R 2R A A 0 / 13
US Open A 1R 1R QF 4R QF A 4R 3R 4R 1R 3R 1R A A 0 / 11
SR 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 1 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 1 1 / 40
Year-end ranking 112 26 16 12 13 11 12 11 19 44 41 NR 143

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

See also

References

  1. ^ Tignor, Steve (25 May 2017). "Who's the greatest clay-courter of them all—Chris Evert or Rafa Nadal?". Tennis.com. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  2. ^ Career highlights Retrieved 12 March 2008
  3. ^ Home! The Evonne Goolagong Story. Simon & Schuster Ltd (June 1995) ISBN 978-0-7318-0381-1
  4. ^ Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood (30 July 2005) ISBN 978-0-313-33165-7
  5. ^ John Roberts (13 September 1999). "Serena's grand entrance heralds Williams era". The Independent. London. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  6. ^ Robin Finn (27 October 1994). "TENNIS; Last of the 14-Year-Olds Will Take a First Step". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  7. ^ "40 Love Icons: Virginia Ruzici". wtatennis.com. Women's Tennis Association (WTA). 4 November 2013. Archived from the original on 23 October 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.