Virginia Ruzici

Career

Ruzici became a professional tennis player in 1975. One of her main assets on court was her powerful forehand. In a career spanning twelve 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 Jausovec 6–2, 6–2. Ruzici also won the French Open doubles event with Jausovec in 1978 and reached the mixed doubles final in 1978 that same year.

Ruzici remained in the world's top twenty from 1977 to 1983. 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 quarter final round to the Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley who was playing with an injured ankle. Cawley'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 Mrs. Cawley recovered, Ruzici agreed to continue the match, but lost 7–5 6–3 and was praised for her sportsmanship. It has often 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 Williams & Serena Williams to play tennis.

Ruzici is now the manager of Romanian tennis player Simona Halep.

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

NH = tournament not held.

A = did not participate in the tournament.

SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.

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