Wojciech Fibak
Wojciech Fibak (Polish pronunciation: [ˈvɔjtɕɛx ˈfibak]; popularly Wojtek Fibak [ˈvɔjtɛk -]; born 30 August 1952) is a Polish entrepreneur, art collector, businessman and former professional tennis player best known for his doubles success with Dutch pro Tom Okker and Australian Kim Warwick. But Fibak also reached the Top 10 in singles. He is currently believed to be one of the richest men in Poland.[2]
Wojciech Fibak in 1982 | |
Country (sports) | |
---|---|
Residence | Poznań, Poland |
Born | Poznań, Poland | 30 August 1952
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $2,725,403[1] |
Singles | |
Career record | 539–315 (63.1%) |
Career titles | 15 |
Highest ranking | No. 10 (25 July 1977) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | 3R (1978) |
French Open | QF (1977, 1980) |
Wimbledon | QF (1980) |
US Open | QF (1980) |
Other tournaments | |
Tour Finals | F (1976) |
WCT Finals | QF (1977, 1981, 1982) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 527–248 (68.0%) |
Career titles | 52 (ATP) |
Highest ranking | No. 2 (5 February 1979) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | W (1978) |
French Open | F (1977) |
Wimbledon | SF (1978) |
US Open | SF (1978) |
Other doubles tournaments | |
Tour Finals | W (1976, 1978) |
Biography and personal life
Born in Poznań, Poland, he won his first tournament in 1976, and between then and 1982 won 15 singles titles and 52 doubles titles. His best year was arguably 1980, when he reached the quarter-finals at the French Open, the US Open and Wimbledon. Fibak's career singles win-loss record was 520–310, and he reached his career-high singles ranking of World No. 10 on 25 July 1977. His highest doubles ranking was World No. 2, which he reached in February 1979. He was consistently ranked in the top 20 in singles, and earned $2,725,403 in career prize money.
The highlight of his career was winning the Australian Open Men's Doubles in 1978 with Kim Warwick. They beat Paul Kronk and Cliff Letcher 7–6, 7–5 to take the title.
In 1983 he was banned from his local Poznań tennis club and faced reduced involvement from the Polish Tennis Federation and Davis Cup national team for his opposition to the communist PZPR government.[3]
In 1985, Fibak founded the Polish Tennis Club (Polish Tennis Association of Southern California), in the 90s he was head of the Polish Tennis Federation and widely credited with popularising the sport in his native country. After the fall of communism in early 90s his company Fibak Press acquired the regional former PZPR mouthpiece Gazeta Poznańska, until it was acquired by rivals Głos Wielkopolski in 2006, and published several other newspapers and magazines as well as involvement in books related to tennis.
He is also a businessman and an avid art collector and used his tennis fortune to open the Galeria Fibak 2001.[4]
Fibak divides his time between Warsaw and Monaco, where he was Poland's honorary consul.[5] He is a self-declared local patriot and was close to fellow local billionaire Jan Kulczyk.[6]
He has three daughters: Agnieszka, Paulina, and Nina.
Grand Slam finals
Doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1977 | French Open | Clay | 6–7, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Win | 1978 | Australian Open | Grass | 7–6, 7–5 |
Career finals
Doubles (52 titles, 33 runners-up)
Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | 1975 | Munich, Germany | Clay | 7–5, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 1. | 1975 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | 3–6, 6–7 | ||
Win | 2. | 1975 | Hilversum, Netherlands | Clay | 6–4, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 2. | 1975 | Indianapolis, US | Clay | 5–7, 0–6 | ||
Win | 3. | 1975 | Louisville, US | Clay | NP | ||
Loss | 3. | 1975 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | 6–3, 4–6, 3–6 | ||
Win | 4. | 1975 | Paris Indoor, France | Hard (i) | 6–4, 7–6 | ||
Win | 5. | 1975 | London, England | Carpet | 6–1, 7–5 | ||
Loss | 4. | 1976 | Atlanta WCT, US | Carpet | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 5. | 1976 | Barcelona WCT, Spain | Clay | 3–6, 3–6 | ||
Win | 6. | 1976 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | 6–2, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 6. | 1976 | Nice, France | Clay | 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 | ||
Win | 7. | 1976 | Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco | Clay | 7–6, 6–1 | ||
Win | 8. | 1976 | World Doubles WCT, US | Carpet | 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 | ||
Win | 9. | 1976 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5 | ||
Win | 10. | 1976 | Düsseldorf, Germany | Clay | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 7. | 1976 | Båstad, Sweden | Clay | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 8. | 1976 | Hilversum, Netherlands | Clay | 4–6, 3–6 | ||
Win | 11. | 1976 | Tehran, Iran | Clay | 7–5, 6–1 | ||
Win | 12. | 1976 | Madrid, Spain | Clay | 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 9. | 1976 | Wembley, England | Carpet | 6–7, 3–6 | ||
Win | 13. | 1977 | Birmingham WCT, US | Carpet | 6–3, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 10. | 1977 | Philadelphia WCT, US | Carpet | 1–6, 6–1, 3–6 | ||
Win | 14. | 1977 | Richmond WCT, US | Carpet | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Win | 15. | 1977 | Mexico City WCT, Mexico | Hard | 6–2, 6–3 | ||
Win | 16. | 1977 | Toronto Indoor WCT, Canada | Carpet | 6–4, 6–1 | ||
Win | 17. | 1977 | Monterrey WCT, Mexico | Carpet | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 | ||
Win | 18. | 1977 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 11. | 1977 | Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco | Clay | 6–2, 3–6, 2–6 | ||
Win | 19. | 1977 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | 7–5, 0–6, 7–6 | ||
Loss | 12. | 1977 | French Open, Paris | Clay | 6–7, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Win | 20. | 1977 | South Orange, US | Hard | 6–1, 7–5 | ||
Win | 21. | 1977 | Barcelona, Spain | Clay | 6–0, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 13. | 1977 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | 4–6, 3–6 | ||
Win | 22. | 1977 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | 6–3, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 14. | 1978 | St. Louis WCT, US | Carpet | 3–6, 2–6 | ||
Loss | 15. | 1978 | Milan WCT, Italy | Carpet | 7–5, 6–7, 6–7 | ||
Win | 23. | 1978 | Houston WCT, US | Clay | 7–5, 7–5 | ||
Win | 24. | 1978 | World Doubles WCT, US | Carpet | 6–7, 6–4, 6–0, 6–3 | ||
Win | 25. | 1978 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | 6–2, 6–4 | ||
Win | 26. | 1978 | Louisville, US | Clay | 6–4, 6–7, 6–4 | ||
Win | 27. | 1978 | Toronto, Canada | Clay | 6–3, 7–6 | ||
Win | 28. | 1978 | Woodlands Doubles, US | Hard | 7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 7–6, 6–3 | ||
Win | 29. | 1978 | Madrid, Spain | Clay | 6–7, 6–1, 6–2 | ||
Win | 30. | 1978 | Basel, Switzerland | Hard (i) | 7–6, 7–5 | ||
Win | 31. | 1978 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | 6–3, 6–2 | ||
Win | 32. | 1978 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | 7–6, 7–5 | ||
Win | 33. | 1979 | Philadelphia, US | Carpet | 5–7, 6–1, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 16. | 1979 | Denver, US | Carpet | 6–7, 3–6 | ||
Win | 34. | 1979 | Memphis, US | Carpet | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Win | 35. | 1979 | Stuttgart Indoor, Germany | Hard (i) | 6–3, 5–7, 7–6 | ||
Win | 36. | 1979 | Munich, Germany | Clay | 7–6, 7–5 | ||
Loss | 17. | 1979 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | 4–6, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 18. | 1979 | Los Angeles, US | Carpet | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 19. | 1979 | San Francisco, US | Carpet | 1–6, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 20. | 1979 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 21. | 1980 | Masters Doubles WCT, London | Carpet | 6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 | ||
Win | 37. | 1980 | Birmingham, US | Carpet | 6–3, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 22. | 1980 | Denver, US | Carpet | 5–7, 2–6 | ||
Win | 38. | 1980 | Stuttgart Indoor, Germany | Hard (i) | 6–4, 7–6 | ||
Win | 39. | 1980 | Dayton, US | Carpet | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 23. | 1980 | Las Vegas, US | Clay | 2–6, 5–7 | ||
Loss | 24. | 1980 | Indianapolis, US | Clay | 6–3, 6–7, 4–6 | ||
Loss | 25. | 1980 | Cincinnati, US | Hard | 7–6, 5–7, 4–6 | ||
Win | 40. | 1982 | Strasbourg WCT, France | Carpet | 6–4, 6–3 | ||
Loss | 26. | 1982 | Zürich WCT, Switzerland | Carpet | 4–6, 2–6 | ||
Loss | 27. | 1982 | Rome, Italy | Clay | 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 | ||
Win | 41. | 1982 | Zell Am See WCT, Austria | Clay | 6–7, 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 28. | 1983 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | 7–6, 4–6, 2–6 | ||
Win | 42. | 1983 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | 7–5, 6–2 | ||
Win | 43. | 1984 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Win | 44. | 1984 | Munich, Germany | Clay | 6–4, 4–6, 6–1 | ||
Loss | 29. | 1984 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | 6–2, 6–7, 6–7 | ||
Loss | 30. | 1984 | Los Angeles, US | Hard | 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 | ||
Win | 45. | 1984 | Cologne, Germany | Hard (i) | 6–1, 6–3 | ||
Win | 46. | 1984 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 31. | 1985 | Philadelphia, US | Carpet | 6–3, 2–6, 2–6 | ||
Loss | 32. | 1985 | Brussels, Belgium | Carpet | 3–6, 6–7 | ||
Win | 47. | 1985 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | 6–7, 6–4, 6–4 | ||
Win | 48. | 1986 | Toronto Indoor, Canada | Carpet | 6–3, 7–6 | ||
Win | 49. | 1986 | Metz, France | Carpet | 2–6, 6–2, 6–4 | ||
Loss | 33. | 1986 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet | 6–2, 3–6, 2–6 | ||
Win | 50. | 1986 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | W/O | ||
Win | 51. | 1987 | Hilversum, Netherlands | Clay | 7–6, 5–7, 6–2 | ||
Win | 52. | 1987 | Toulouse, France | Hard (i) | 6–2, 6–4 |
Grand Slam doubles tournament timeline
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | NH |
Tournament | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | A | A | A | W | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | NH | A | 1 / 1 |
French Open | 1R | 3R | 3R | F | SF | 2R | SF | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 13 |
Wimbledon | A | 2R | QF | QF | SF | 1R | 2R | A | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 0 / 11 |
US Open | A | 2R | 2R | 2R | SF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 3R | A | 3R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 0 / 12 |
Annual Win-Loss | 0–1 | 3–3 | 5–3 | 9–3 | 17–3 | 2–3 | 7–3 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | N/A |
Singles (15 titles, 19 runners-up)
Result | No. | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1. | 1975 | Shreveport, US | Carpet | 3–6, 7–5, 1–6 | |
Loss | 2. | 1976 | Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco | Clay | 1–6, 1–6, 4–6 | |
Win | 1. | 1976 | Stockholm, Sweden | Carpet | 6–4, 7–6 | |
Win | 2. | 1976 | Bournemouth, England | Clay | 6–2, 7–9, 6–2, 6–2 | |
Loss | 3. | 1976 | Louisville, US | Clay | 2–6, 5–7 | |
Loss | 4. | 1976 | Indianapolis, US | Clay | 2–6, 4–6 | |
Loss | 5. | 1976 | Montreal, Canada | Hard | 4–6, 6–7, 2–6 | |
Win | 3. | 1976 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | 6–7, 6–3, 6–4, 2–6, 6–1 | |
Loss | 6. | 1976 | Masters, Houston | Carpet | 7–5, 2–6, 6–0, 6–7, 1–6 | |
Loss | 7. | 1977 | Mexico City WCT, Mexico | Hard | 6–4, 2–6, 6–7 | |
Win | 4. | 1977 | Monterrey WCT, Mexico | Carpet | 6–4, 6–3 | |
Loss | 8. | 1977 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Clay | 4–6, 3–6, 0–6 | |
Win | 5. | 1977 | Düsseldorf, Germany | Clay | 6–1, 5–7, 6–2 | |
Loss | 9. | 1977 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | 1–6, 1–6 | |
Loss | 10. | 1977 | Cologne, Germany | Carpet | 6–2, 5–7, 3–6 | |
Loss | 11. | 1978 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | 2–6, 4–6, 2–6 | |
Win | 6. | 1978 | Cologne, Germany | Hard (i) | 6–2, 0–1, RET. | |
Win | 7. | 1979 | Denver, US | Carpet | 6–4, 6–1 | |
Win | 8. | 1979 | Stuttgart Indoor, Germany | Hard (i) | 6–2, 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 | |
Loss | 12. | 1979 | Munich, Germany | Clay | 3–6, 2–6, 4–6 | |
Loss | 13. | 1979 | Vienna, Austria | Hard (i) | 4–6, 0–6, 2–6 | |
Loss | 14. | 1979 | Cologne, Germany | Hard (i) | 3–6, 6–3, 1–6 | |
Win | 9. | 1980 | Dayton, US | Carpet | 7–6, 6–3 | |
Win | 10. | 1980 | New Orleans, US | Carpet | 6–4, 7–5 | |
Win | 11. | 1980 | São Paulo, Brazil | Carpet | 6–0, 7–6 | |
Loss | 15. | 1980 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | 2–6, 5–7, 2–6 | |
Loss | 16. | 1981 | Philadelphia, US | Carpet | 2–6, 6–7, 5–7 | |
Win | 12. | 1981 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | 6–1, 7–6 | |
Loss | 17. | 1982 | Naples Finals WCT, Italy | Carpet | 4–6, 2–6, 1–6 | |
Win | 13. | 1982 | Amsterdam WCT, Netherlands | Carpet | 7–5, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 | |
Win | 14. | 1982 | Paris Indoor, France | Hard (i) | 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 | |
Loss | 18. | 1982 | Dortmund WCT, Germany | Carpet | 7–6, 4–6, 4–6, 6–2, 4–6 | |
Win | 15. | 1982 | Chicago-2 WCT, US | Carpet | 6–2, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4 | |
Loss | 19. | 1983 | Basel, Switzerland | Hard (i) | 6–4, 1–6, 5–7, 5–5, RET. |
References
- "Tennis – ATP World Tour – Tennis Players – Wojtek Fibak". ATP World Tour. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/fibak-la-fortune-a-toute-volee_608386.html
- "Poland's top tennis player Wojtek Fibak, banned from his..." United Press International. 27 May 1983.
- http://www.galeriafibak.com.pl
- Kronika Wydarzeń. Część druga (kwiecień – czerwiec 1989), w: Kronika Miasta Poznania, nr 1-2/1991, s.229, ISSN 0137-3552
- http://www.gloswielkopolski.pl/artykul/6242824,wojciech-fibak-poznan-jest-wciaz-moj,id,t.html
External links
- Wojciech Fibak at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Wojciech Fibak at the International Tennis Federation
- Wojciech Fibak at the Davis Cup
Awards and achievements | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Vitas Gerulaitis |
ATP Most Improved Player 1976 |
Succeeded by Brian Gottfried |