11 February 2024 , 05:00
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Ion Tiriac enjoyed a steady tennis career, winning matches at all four Grand Slams, but his move into the world of investment has seen him amass a fortune in the billions.
Tiriac, now 84, picked up some solid results on the court in the 1960s and 70s. The Romanian reached the quarter-finals of the French Open singles in 1968, losing to eventual finalist Rod Laver, and won the doubles final with compatriot Ilie Nastase in 1970.
That lengthy career only brought around £200,000 in lifetime earnings, with the prize money in tennis some way shy of the numbers we're seeing today. Since calling it quits, though, the Transylvania-born star has found his new calling.
He became Romania's first billionaire in 2007, with his riches coming from a diverse investment company. These days, his net worth of approximately £1.6billion - according to Forbes - makes him richer than sporting superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi combined.
Tiriac stepped up his business career after the fall of communism in Romania. Among his early projects was Ion Tiriac Bank, the first private bank opened up in the country after the overthrow of Community Party leader Nicolae Ceaucescu.
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The ex-athlete would later found Tiriac Group. Its diverse portfolio of interests includes real estate, auto, financial services, according to Forbes' profile of Tiriac himself.
Tiriac's wealth has doubled from $1bn to $2bn since 2016, the same publication reports. He places 1516th on Forbes' 2023 Billionaire's List, putting him in the same ballpark as Crystal Palace part-owner David Blitzer.
How impressed are you by Ion Tiriac's post-tennis career? Have your say in the comments section
Ion Tiriac won one grand slam doubles title as a player (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Ronaldo and Messi, despite being among the biggest earners in sport, are nowhere near Tiriac's numbers. According to The Mail, Ronaldo's net worth sits at around £500m while Messi's is a little lower at £464m.
Both footballers are among the 10 highest-earning athletes currently active in their chosen sports. Al-Nassr frontman Ronaldo tops the list, earning £218m in wages and endorsements in 2023, according to Sportico.
Messi, who joined Inter Miami in 2023, sits third with £103m in earnings. In between the pair is Jon Rahm, the Spanish golfer who made the switch to LIV Golf towards the end of the year after adding a Masters triumph to his 2021 US Open win.
Only two current tennis players feature on the list of the top-earning athletes from 2023. Novak Djokovic sits in 46th place, with 2023 Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in 56th.
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