‘It’s a Billion Dollar Girl!’- Ion Tiriac Can’t Stop Gushing Over Emma Raducanu

Ion Tiriac may not have been the most famous tennis player when he was actively playing, but he did win the French Open once and won quite a few five-set grueling matches against the top players of his time. After retiring from tennis, he played ice hockey professionally for a while, representing Romania at the Winter Olympics. Since then, however, he has been involved heavily in the business of tennis.

Tiriac recently opened up about rising star Emma Raducanu, who is also of Romanian origin from her father’s side.

Also read: ‘She Is the Champ’: Nick Kyrgios on Emma Raducanu Winning Her Round 1 Match at Australian Open 2022

Known as the “Brașov Bulldozer”, he has been a coach or agent of quite a few players like Ilie Năstase, Manuel Orantes, Adriano Panatta, Guillermo Vilas, Henri Leconte, and the young Boris Becker. Currently, he owns the Mutua Madrid Open, is the president of the Romanian Tennis Federation, and is the agent of French player Lucas Pouille.
When it comes to the US 2021 winner, Emma Raducanu, he said that the British system has a lot of money for the development of its players and that she has the potential to use those facilities and be better!

Ion Tiriac says that Emma Raducanu is a billion dollar girl.

“Worth a billion immediately. Those 10 years that were coming for sure, but for sure! Why did she get rid of the coach who took her there !? I know the British system quite well. It’s a system that has enough money for development. Get a money cart from Wimbledon too. She grew up in this system and grew up well. From a physical point of view, the British are very active, meaning they don’t let you enter the field without a good physique if you are in their program,” he said.

He also elaborated on how she must surround herself with professional collaborators. He emphasized that it was important to surround oneself with people who would help her achieve her dreams. Tiriac cited the example of how he helped players like Vilas, Becker, Ivanisevic, and Safin to be at the top of the world. He mentioned that Raducanu’s father must assist and advise her well. Tiriac, however, feels that the decision of firing Andrew Richardson, the coach with whom Raducanu won the US Open was a mistake.

WATCH THIS STORY: A Look Back at Emma Raducanu’s Spotlight Moments in 2021 After US Open Glory

He added that she must capitalise on her strengths and her disappearance from the circuit would be a great shame.