Virginia Ruzici
Virginia Ruzici 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 that same year. She appeared in the French Open singles final again in 1980, but lost in straight sets to Chris Evert.Ruzici remained in the world's top 20 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 quarterfinal to the Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley 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. 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.
Ruzici is now the manager of Romanian tennis player Simona Halep.
Grand Slam finals
Singles (1 title, 1 runner–up)
Women's doubles (1 title, 1 runner–up)
Mixed doubles (2 runners-up)
WTA career finals
Singles: 27 (12–15)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
Winner | 1. | 18 August 1975 | :fr:Tournoi de tennis de South Orange|South Orange | Clay | Mariana Simionescu | 6–1, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 1. | 12 July 1976 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 7–5, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 2. | 18 October 1976 | Barcelona | Clay | Renáta Tomanová | 6–3, 4–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 2. | 26 September 1977 | Palm Harbor | Clay | Laura duPont | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 3. | 15 May 1978 | Hamburg | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | 2–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 4. | 22 May 1978 | Rome | Clay | Regina Maršíková | 5–7, 5–7 |
Winner | 3. | 29 May 1978 | French Open | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | 6–2, 6–2 |
Winner | 4. | 24 July 1978 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Sylvia Hanika | 6–4, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 5. | 14 August 1978 | Toronto | Hard | Regina Maršíková | 5–7, 7–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 5. | 16 October 1978 | Brighton | Carpet | Betty Stöve | 5–7, 6–2, 7–5 |
Runner-up | 6. | 19 February 1979 | Detroit | Carpet | Wendy Turnbull | 5–7, 6–1, 6–7 |
Runner-up | 7. | 10 December 1979 | :fr:Tournoi d'Adélaïde|Adelaide | Grass | Hana Mandlíková | 5–7, 2–2 ret. |
Runner-up | 8. | 5 May 1980 | Rome | Clay | Chris Evert | 7–5, 2–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 9. | 26 May 1980 | French Open | Clay | Chris Evert | 0–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 6. | 21 July 1980 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | 3–6, 6–1 ret. |
Runner-up | 10. | 11 August 1980 | Toronto | Hard | Chris Evert | 3–6, 1–6 |
Winner | 7. | 8 September 1980 | Salt Lake City | Hard | Ivanna Madruga | 6–1, 6–3 |
Runner-up | 11. | 10 November 1980 | :fr:Internationaux d'Amsterdam|Amsterdam | Carpet | Hana Mandlíková | 7–5, 2–6, 5–7 |
Runner-up | 12. | 4 May 1981 | Perugia | Clay | Chris Evert | 1–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 13. | 11 May 1981 | Lugano | Clay | Chris Evert | 1–6, 1–6 |
Runner-up | 14. | 3 August 1981 | Indianapolis | Clay | Andrea Jaeger | 1–6, 0–6 |
Winner | 8. | 12 July 1982 | :fr:Tournoi de tennis de Monte-Carlo|Monte Carlo | Clay | Bonnie Gadusek | 6–2, 7–6 |
Winner | 9. | 19 July 1982 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Lea Plchová | 6–2, 6–2 |
Winner | 10. | 2 August 1982 | Indianapolis | Clay | Helena Suková | 6–2, 6–0 |
Winner | 11. | 3 October 1983 | Detroit | Carpet | Kathy Jordan | 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 15. | 1 April 1985 | Seabrook Island | Clay | Katerina Maleeva | 3–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 12. | 15 July 1985 | Bregenz | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | 6–2, 6–3 |
Doubles: 35 (16–19)
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
Runner-up | 1. | 11 November 1973 | :fr:Coupe de Londres|London | Carpet | Mariana Simionescu | Lesley Charles Glynis Coles | 3–6, 5–7 |
Winner | 1. | 4 November 1974 | Edinburgh | Carpet | Mima Jaušovec | María-Isabel Fernández Raquel Giscafré | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 2. | 8 March 1976 | Tallahassee | Clay | Mariana Simionescu | Julie Anthony Dianne Fromholtz | 2–6, 5–7 |
Runner-up | 3. | 23 May 1976 | Rome | Clay | Mariana Simionescu | Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss | 1–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 2. | 18 October 1976 | Barcelona | Clay | Florența Mihai | Nathalie Fuchs Michele Gurdal | 6–2, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 4. | 24 January 1977 | :fr:US Indoors 1977|Minneapolis | Carpet | Mima Jaušovec | Rosie Casals Martina Navratilova | 2–6, 1–6 |
Winner | 3. | 15 May 1978 | Hamburg | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | Katja Ebbinghaus Helga Niessen Masthoff | 6–4, 5–7, 6–0 |
Winner | 4. | 22 May 1978 | Rome | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | Florența Mihai Betsy Nagelsen | 6–2, 2–6, 7–6 |
Winner | 5. | 29 May 1978 | French Open | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | Gail Sherriff Lovera Lesley Turner Bowrey | 5–7, 6–4, 8–6 |
Runner-up | 5. | 26 June 1978 | Wimbledon | Grass | Mima Jaušovec | Kerry Melville Reid Wendy Turnbull | 6–4, 8–9, 3–6 |
Winner | 6. | 24 July 1978 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Renáta Tomanová | Regina Maršíková Florența Mihai | 7–5, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 6. | 23 October 1978 | Filderstadt | Carpet | Mima Jaušovec | Tracy Austin Betty Stöve | 3–6, 3–6 |
Winner | 7. | 1 January 1979 | Washington, D.C. | Carpet | Mima Jaušovec | Renée Richards Sharon Walsh | 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
Runner-up | 7. | 18 July 1979 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Elly Appel-Vessies | Helena Anliot :fr:Diane Evers|Diane Evers | 0–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 8. | 22 October 1979 | Tampa | Hard | Anne Smith | Ilana Kloss Betty Ann Stuart | 7–5, 4–6, 7–5 |
Winner | 9. | 10 December 1979 | :fr:Tournoi d'Adélaïde|Adelaide | Grass | Hana Mandlíková | Sue Barker Pam Shriver | 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 8. | 4 August 1980 | Indianapolis | Clay | Renáta Tomanová | Anne Smith Paula Smith | 4–6, 6–3, 4–6 |
Winner | 10. | 8 September 1980 | Salt Lake City | Hard | Pam Teeguarden | Barbara Jordan JoAnne Russell | 6–4, 7–5 |
Winner | 11. | 27 October 1980 | Stockholm | Carpet | Mima Jaušovec | Hana Mandlíková Betty Stöve | 6–2, 6–1 |
Runner-up | 9. | 16 March 1981 | Boston | Carpet | JoAnne Russell | Barbara Potter Sharon Walsh | 7–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 10. | 4 May 1981 | Perugia | Clay | Chris Evert | Candy Reynolds Paula Smith | 5–7, 1–6 |
Winner | 12. | 3 August 1981 | Indianapolis | Clay | JoAnne Russell | Sue Barker Paula Smith | 6–2, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 11. | 5 April 1982 | Hilton Head Island | Clay | JoAnne Russell | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 1–6, 2–6 |
Runner-up | 12. | 10 May 1982 | Lugano | Clay | JoAnne Russell | Candy Reynolds Paula Smith | 2–6, 4–6 |
Winner | 13. | 12 July 1982 | :fr:Tournoi de Monte-Carlo|Monte Carlo | Clay | Catherine Tanvier | Patricia Medrado Cláudia Monteiro | 7–6, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 13. | 2 August 1982 | Indianapolis | Clay | JoAnne Russell | Ivanna Madruga Catherine Tanvier | 5–7, 6–7 |
Runner-up | 14. | 6 December 1982 | Richmond | Carpet | JoAnne Russell | Rosie Casals Candy Reynolds | 3–6, 3–6 |
Runner-up | 15. | 11 April 1983 | Amelia Island | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | Rosalyn Fairbank Candy Reynolds | 4–6, 2–6 |
Winner | 14. | 2 May 1983 | Perugia | Clay | Virginia Wade | Ivana Madruga Catherine Tanvier | 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 |
Winner | 15. | 1 August 1983 | Indianapolis | Clay | Kathy Horvath | Gigi Fernández Beth Herr | 4–6, 7–6, 6–2 |
Runner-up | 16. | 8 August 1983 | Los Angeles | Hard | Betsy Nagelsen | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 1–6, 0–6 |
Runner-up | 17. | 24 October 1983 | Filderstadt | Carpet | Catherine Tanvier | Martina Navratilova Candy Reynolds | 2–6, 1–6 |
Runner-up | 18. | 14 May 1984 | Berlin | Clay | Kathy Horvath | Anne Hobbs Candy Reynolds | 3–6, 6–4, 6–7 |
Runner-up | 19. | 21 May 1984 | Perugia | Clay | Kathy Horvath | Iva Budařová Helena Suková | 6–7, 6–1, 4–6 |
Winner | 16. | 15 July 1985 | Bregenz | Clay | Mima Jaušovec | Andrea Holíková :fr:Kateřina Böhmová-Skronská|Kateřina Skronská | 6–2, 6–3 |