Romanian tennis player
Virginia Ruzici (born 31 January 1955) is a former professional tennis player from Romania . She won the 1978 French Open singles championship.
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 [ edit ] Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)[ edit ] Women's doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)[ edit ] Mixed doubles: 2 (2 runner-ups)[ edit ] Singles: 27 (12–15)[ edit ] 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 Mariana Simionescu 6–1, 6–1 Loss 1. 12 July 1976 Austrian Open Clay Wendy Turnbull 4–6, 7–5, 3–6 Loss 2. 18 October 1976 Spanish Open Clay Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 4–6, 2–6 Win 2. 26 September 1977 Eckerd Open , U.S. Clay Laura duPont 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 Loss 3. 15 May 1978 German Open Clay Mima Jaušovec 2–6, 3–6 Loss 4. 22 May 1978 Italian Open Clay Regina Maršíková 5–7, 5–7 Win 3. 29 May 1978 French Open Clay Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–2 Win 4. 24 July 1978 Austrian Open Clay Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 6–3 Loss 5. 14 August 1978 Canadian Open Hard Regina Maršíková 5–7, 7–6, 2–6 Win 5. 16 October 1978 Brighton Challenge , UK Carpet (i) Betty Stöve 5–7, 6–2, 7–5 Loss 6. 19 February 1979 VS Detroit Carpet (i) Wendy Turnbull 5–7, 6–1, 6–7(4) Loss 7. 10 December 1979 Adelaide , Australia Grass Hana Mandlíková 5–7, 2–2 ret. Loss 8. 5 May 1980 Italian Open Clay Chris Evert 7–5, 2–6, 2–6 Loss 9. 26 May 1980 French Open Clay Chris Evert 0–6, 3–6 Win 6. 21 July 1980 Austrian Open Clay Hana Mandlíková 3–6, 6–1, ret. Loss 10. 11 August 1980 Canadian Open Hard Chris Evert 3–6, 1–6 Win 7. 8 September 1980 VS Salt Lake City , U.S. Hard Ivanna Madruga 6–1, 6–3 Loss 11. 10 November 1980 Amsterdam , Netherlands Carpet (i) Hana Mandlíková 7–5, 2–6, 5–7 Loss 12. 4 May 1981 Italian Open Clay Chris Evert 1–6, 2–6 Loss 13. 11 May 1981 European Open Clay Chris Evert 1–6, 1–6 Loss 14. 3 August 1981 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Andrea Jaeger 1–6, 0–6 Win 8. 12 July 1982 Monte Carlo , Monaco Clay Bonnie Gadusek 6–2, 7–6 Win 9. 19 July 1982 Austrian Open Clay Lea Plchová 6–2, 6–2 Win 10. 2 August 1982 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Helena Suková 6–2, 6–0 Win 11. 3 October 1983 VS Detroit , U.S. Carpet (i) Kathy Jordan 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 Loss 15. 1 April 1985 Seabrook Island , U.S. Clay Katerina Maleeva 3–6, 3–6 Win 12. 15 July 1985 Austrian Open Clay Mima Jaušovec 6–2, 6–3
Doubles: 35 (16–19)[ edit ] 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) Mariana Simionescu Lesley Charles Glynis Coles 3–6, 5–7 Win 1. 4 November 1974 Edinburgh Cup , UK Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec María-Isabel Fernández Raquel Giscafré 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 Loss 2. 8 March 1976 Tallahassee, U.S. Clay Mariana Simionescu Julie Anthony Dianne Fromholtz 2–6, 5–7 Loss 3. 23 May 1976 Italian Open Clay Mariana Simionescu Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss 1–6, 2–6 Win 2. 18 October 1976 Spanish Open Clay Florența Mihai Nathalie Fuchs Michele Gurdal 6–2, 6–4 Loss 4. 24 January 1977 Minneapolis Indoors , U.S. Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec Rosie Casals Martina Navratilova 2–6, 1–6 Win 3. 15 May 1978 German Open Clay Mima Jaušovec Katja Ebbinghaus Helga Niessen Masthoff 6–4, 5–7, 6–0 Win 4. 22 May 1978 Italian Open Clay Mima Jaušovec Florența Mihai Betsy Nagelsen 6–2, 2–6, 7–6 Win 5. 29 May 1978 French Open Clay Mima Jaušovec Gail Sherriff Lovera Lesley Turner Bowrey 5–7, 6–4, 8–6 Loss 5. 26 June 1978 Wimbledon , UK Grass Mima Jaušovec Kerry Melville Reid Wendy Turnbull 6–4, 8–9(8) , 3–6 Win 6. 24 July 1978 Austrian Open Clay Renáta Tomanová Regina Maršíková Florența Mihai 7–5, 6–2 Loss 6. 23 October 1978 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix , Germany Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec Tracy Austin Betty Stöve 3–6, 3–6 Win 7. 1 January 1979 VS Washington , U.S. Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec Renée Richards Sharon Walsh 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 Loss 7. 18 July 1979 Austrian Open Clay Elly Appel-Vessies Helena Anliot Dianne Evers 0–6, 4–6 Win 8. 22 October 1979 Tampa Open , U.S. Hard Anne Smith Ilana Kloss Betty Ann Stuart 7–5, 4–6, 7–5 Win 9. 10 December 1979 Adelaide , Australia Grass Hana Mandlíková Sue Barker Pam Shriver 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 Loss 8. 4 August 1980 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Renáta Tomanová Anne Smith Paula Smith 4–6, 6–3, 4–6 Win 10. 8 September 1980 VS Salt Lake City , U.S. Hard Pam Teeguarden Barbara Jordan JoAnne Russell 6–4, 7–5 Win 11. 27 October 1980 Stockholm Open , Sweden Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec Hana Mandlíková Betty Stöve 6–2, 6–1 Loss 9. 16 March 1981 VS Boston , U.S. Carpet (i) JoAnne Russell Barbara Potter Sharon Walsh 7–6, 4–6, 3–6 Loss 10. 4 May 1981 Italian Open Clay Chris Evert Candy Reynolds Paula Smith 5–7, 1–6 Win 12. 3 August 1981 U.S. Clay Courts Clay JoAnne Russell Sue Barker Paula Smith 6–2, 6–2 Loss 11. 5 April 1982 Hilton Head Island , U.S. Clay JoAnne Russell Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 1–6, 2–6 Loss 12. 10 May 1982 European Open Clay JoAnne Russell Candy Reynolds Paula Smith 2–6, 4–6 Win 13. 12 July 1982 Monte Carlo , Monaco Clay Catherine Tanvier Patricia Medrado Cláudia Monteiro 7–6, 6–2 Loss 13. 2 August 1982 U.S. Clay Courts Clay JoAnne Russell Ivanna Madruga Catherine Tanvier 5–7, 6–7(3) Loss 14. 6 December 1982 European Open Carpet (i) JoAnne Russell Rosie Casals Candy Reynolds 3–6, 3–6 Loss 15. 11 April 1983 Amelia Island Championships , U.S. Clay Hana Mandlíková Rosalyn Fairbank Candy Reynolds 4–6, 2–6 Win 14. 2 May 1983 Italian Open Clay Virginia Wade Ivanna Madruga Catherine Tanvier 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 Win 15. 1 August 1983 U.S. Clay Courts Clay Kathy Horvath Gigi Fernández Beth Herr 4–6, 7–6(6) , 6–2 Loss 16. 8 August 1983 LA Championships , U.S. Hard Betsy Nagelsen Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 1–6, 0–6 Loss 17. 24 October 1983 Porsche Grand Prix, Germany Carpet (i) Catherine Tanvier Martina Navratilova Candy Reynolds 2–6, 1–6 Loss 18. 14 May 1984 German Open Clay Kathy Horvath Anne Hobbs Candy Reynolds 3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11) Loss 19. 21 May 1984 Italian Open Clay Kathy Horvath Iva Budařová Helena Suková 6–7(5) , 6–1, 4–6 Win 16. 15 July 1985 Austrian Open Clay Mima Jaušovec Andrea Holíková Kateřina Skronská 6–2, 6–3
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score Runner-up 1. 1 October 1972 Cluj, Romania Clay Judith Gohn 2–6, 4–6 Winner 2. 12 May 1974 Stuttgart, West Germany Clay Alena Palmeová-West 3–6, 6–4, 7–5 Winner 3. 23 September 1974 Bucharest, Romania Clay Mariana Simionescu 6–3, 6–2 Winner 4. 16 July 1978 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Petra Jauch-Delhees 6–2, 6–2 Winner 5. 6 August 1978 Brașov, Romania Clay Renáta Tomanová 6–4, 6–2 Winner 6. 13 July 1980 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 6–3 Winner 7. 20 July 1980 Båstad, Sweden Clay Nina Bohm 6–2, 7–5 Runner-up 8. 2 August 1981 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Clay Kathleen Horvath 0–6, 4–6 Runner-up 9. 18 April 1982 Nassau, Bahamas Hard Bettina Bunge 0–6, 6–7 Runner-up 10. 11 July 1982 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 5–7, 6–1, 6–7 Winner 11. 1 August 1982 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Clay Leigh-Anne Thompson 5–7, 6–2, 6–2 Winner 12. 17 July 1983 Båstad, Sweden Hard Carin Anderholm 6–2, 6–3
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score Winner 1. 1 October 1972 Cluj, Romania Clay Mariana Simionescu Felicia Bucur Judith Gohn 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 Winner 2. 23 September 1974 Bucharest, Romania Clay Mariana Simionescu Florența Mihai Simona Nunweiler 6–2, 6–2 Winner 3. 17 October 1976 Madrid, Spain Clay Florența Mihai Regina Maršíková Renáta Tomanová 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 Winner 4. 11 July 1982 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Catherine Tanvier Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Heidi Eisterlehner 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 Winner 5. 19 January 1987 Bayonne, France Hard Catherine Tanvier Iwona Kuczyńska Corinne Vanier 6–3, 6–2
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.
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.