Florența Mihai (Romanian pronunciation: [floˈrent͡sa miˈhaj]; 2 September 1955 – 14 October 2015) was a professional tennis player from Romania.[2][3]

Florența Mihai
Florența Mihai at the 1981 Summer Universiade
Country (sports) Romania
Born(1955-09-02)2 September 1955
Died14 October 2015(2015-10-14) (aged 60)
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
PlaysRight-handed[1]
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 29 (February 1978)
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenF (1977)
Wimbledon2R (1977)
US Open3R (1977)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French OpenQF (1976, 1978)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenF (1977)
Medal record
Representing  Romania
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1977 Sofia Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1979 Mexico City Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1981 Bucharest Doubles

She was the runner-up in two events at the 1977 French Open. She lost in the singles final to Mima Jaušovec in three sets, and partnered with Iván Molina, lost in the mixed doubles final to John McEnroe and Mary Carillo in straight sets.[4][3]

Together with Virginia Ruzici, Mihai won three consecutive gold medals in the doubles at Summer Universiades in 1977, 1979 and 1981.

Grand Slam finals

edit

Singles: 1 (0–1)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1977 French Open Clay   Mima Jaušovec 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 1–6

Mixed doubles: 1 (0–1)

edit
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1977 French Open Clay   Iván Molina   Mary Carillo
  John McEnroe
6–7, 3–6

WTA finals

edit

Singles (1–1)

edit
Winner – Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (0–0)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (0–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. May 1977 French Open Clay   Mima Jaušovec 2–6, 7–6(7–5), 1–6
Win 2. Aug 1977 Båstad, Sweden Clay   Mary Struthers 6–4, 6–4

Doubles (1–4)

edit
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Feb 1976 Akron, United States Carpet (i)   Glynis Coles   Brigitte Cuypers
  Mona Guerrant
4–6, 6–7
Win 2. Oct 1976 Barcelona, Spain Clay   Virginia Ruzici   Nathalie Fuchs
  Michèle Gurdal
6–2, 6–4
Loss 3. Aug 1977 Båstad, Sweden Clay   Helena Anliot   Cynthia Doerner
  Raquel Giscafré
2–6, 5–7
Loss 4. May 1978 Rome, Italy Clay   Betsy Nagelsen   Mima Jaušovec
  Virginia Ruzici
2–6, 6–2, 6–7
Loss 5. Jul 1978 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay   Regina Maršíková   Virginia Ruzici
  Renáta Tomanová
5–7, 2–6

ITF finals

edit

Singles (5–8)

edit
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 21 April 1974 Nice, France Clay   Judith Gohn 6–7, 4–6
Runner-up 2. 19 January 1975 Austin, United States Hard   Wendy Gilchrist 6–4, 6–7, 3–6
Winner 3. 26 January 1975 Houston, United States Hard   Pamela Richmond-Champagne 3–6, 6–2, 7–6
Runner-up 4. 15 February 1975 Amarillo, United States Hard   Beth Norton 2–6, 4–6
Winner 5. 9 March 1975 Tyler, United States Hard   Bunny Bruning 6–3, 6–3
Winner 6. 6 February 1977 Port Chester, United States Hard (i)   Betsy Nagelsen 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
Runner-up 7. 13 March 1977 Pensacola, United States Hard   Betsy Nagelsen 4–6, 5–7
Runner-up 8. 20 March 1977 Hilton Head, United States Clay   Betsy Nagelsen 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 9. 1 March 1981 Ilkley, United Kingdom Clay   Kate Brasher 4–6, 4–6
Winner 10. 8 March 1981 Bournemouth, United Kingdom Clay   Lesley Charles 5–7, 6–1, 6–1
Runner-up 11. 12 April 1981 Catania, Italy Clay   Lea Plchová 7–5, 1–6, 4–6
Runner-up 12. 9 May 1981 Chichester, United Kingdom Clay   Rene Uys 6–4, 6–3
Winner 13. 14 September 1981 Liège, Belgium Clay   Yvette Flu 6–2, 6–2

Doubles (11–7)

edit
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 21 April 1974 Nice, France Clay   Judith Gohn   Marijke Schaar
  Jeanne Venturino
2–6, 6–3 [10–8]
Runner-up 2. 23 September 1974 Bucharest, Romania Clay   Simona Nunweiler   Virginia Ruzici
  Mariana Simionescu
2–6, 2–6
Winner 3. 15 February 1975 Amarillo, United States Hard   Robin Harris   Heather Dahlgren
  Vera Komar
6–3, 7–6
Winner 4. 9 March 1975 Tyler, United States Hard   Naoko Sato   Bunny Bruning
  Sue Eastman
W/O
Winner 5. 17 October 1976 Madrid, Spain Clay   Virginia Ruzici   Regina Maršíková
  Renáta Tomanová
6–4, 5–7, 6–2
Runner-up 6. 6 March 1977 Jacksonville, United States Hard   Glynis Coles   Ilana Kloss
  Betsy Nagelsen
6–7, 4–6
Winner 7. 28 January 1980 Boise, United States Hard (i)   Mary Carillo   Diane Desfor
  Barbara Hallquist
6–1, 6–4
Runner-up 8. 17 August 1980 Dachau, West Germany Clay   Cathy Drury   Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
  Eva Pfaff
2–6, 0–6
Winner 9. 5 April 1981 Napoli, Italy Clay   Sabina Simmonds   Nina Bohm
  Åsa Flodin
7–6, 6–4
Runner-up 10. 12 April 1981 Catania, Italy Clay   Sabina Simmonds   Marcela Skuherská
  Lea Plchová
2–6, 3–6
Runner-up 11. 19 April 1981 Taranto, Italy Clay   Sabina Simmonds   Marcela Skuherská
  Lea Plchová
2–6, 3–6
Winner 12. 14 June 1981 Nantes, France Clay   Barbara Jordan   Daniela Porzio
  Frédérique Thibault
5–7, 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 13. 5 July 1981 Arachon, France Clay   Carmen Perea   Catherine Tanvier
  Laura Arraya
3–6, 5–7
Winner 14. 12 July 1981 Marseille, France Clay   Iwona Kuczyńska   Isabelle Vernhes
  Daniela Porzio
6–7, 6–2, 6–1
Winner 15. 23 August 1981 Overpelt, Belgium Clay   Monique Van Haver   Anthea Cooper
  Cathy Drury
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Winner 16. 30 August 1981 St. Niklaus, Switzerland Clay   Monique Van Haver   Kate Glancy
  Karen Gulley
6–2, 7–6
Runner-up 17. 14 September 1981 Liège, Belgium Clay   Monique Van Haver   Marion De Witte
  Cathy Drury
6–7, 1–6
Winner 18. 28 November 1983 Telford, United Kingdom Carpet   Judith Warringa   Suzi Mair
  Kathleen Schuurmans
7–5, 7–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

edit
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.
Tournament 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 Career SR
Australian Open A A A A A A A A 0 / 0
French Open 1R SF F 1R A A A 0 / 4
Wimbledon A 1R 2R 1R A 1R A 0 / 4
US Open A 1R 3R A 2R A A 0 / 3
SR 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 11
Year-end ranking 118 47 33 101 74 134 131

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

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Bostic, Stephanie, ed. (1979). USTA Player Records 1978. United States Tennis Association (USTA). p. 224.
  2. ^ "Player profile". WTA.
  3. ^ a b "GAME, SET, MECI: Florența Mihai, prima finalistă a României la Roland Garros, s-a stins din viață" (in Romanian). România Liberă. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  4. ^ Past Winners. rolandgarros.com
edit