# Irina Spîrlea

Irina Spîrlea (born 26 March 1974) is a retired tennis player from Romania who turned professional in 1990. She won four singles and six doubles titles. Spîrlea reached her career-high ranking on the WTA Tour on 13 October 1997, when she became No. 7 in the world. She retired in 2000.

## Personal life

Spîrlea married Massimiliano Pace, her former coach, in 2001, and has a son, Tommaso, born in 2002, as well as a younger daughter, Francesca.

## Career

Irina Spîrlea is one of the more successful tennis players from Romania, being one of only three women to have reached the top 10 (the others being Virginia Ruzici and Simona Halep.) Her best performance at a Grand Slam tournament was a semifinal at the US Open in 1997. She won the WTA Newcomer of the Year award in 1994.
In 1996, Spîrlea became the first player in the history of the Women's Tennis Association to receive a match default for conduct when she swore at an official in Italian during a match played in Palermo, Italy.
Spîrlea was involved in a bumping incident with Venus Williams during a changeover in the semifinals of the 1997 US Open. Spîrlea collided with Williams near the net post while changing ends, and did not move sideways. Spîrlea went on to lose the match 6–7, 6–4, 6–7 in a third-set tiebreak, after holding two match points, at 6–4 and 6–5 in the tie breaker. Williams' father accused Spîrlea of racism, and later called her "an ugly white turkey". Spîrlea accused Williams of arrogance, saying in a press conference following the match, "I'm not going to move. She never tries to turn (...) She thinks she's the fucking Venus Williams." Spîrlea subsequently had to pay $5,000 fine for using an obscenity. At the following Grand Slam tournament, the 1998 Australian Open, Spîrlea was the first opponent of Venus' sister, Serena Williams in the main draw and lost in three sets.

## WTA career finals
### Singles: 10 (4 titles, 6 runner-ups)

* Legend
* Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
* Tier I (0–2)
* Tier II (1–0)
* Tier III, IV & V (3–4)
* Titles by surface
* Hard (0–2)
* Grass (0–0)
* Clay (4–3)
* Carpet (0–1)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1. | Sep 1993 | Sapporo, Japan | Carpet (i) | Linda Wild | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 2. | Apr 1994 | Taranto Trophy, Italy | Clay | Julie Halard-Decugis | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 1. | Jul 1994 | Palermo International, Italy | Clay | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | 6–4, 1–6, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$ |
| Loss | 3. | Jan 1995 | Jakarta Open, Indonesia | Hard | Sabine Hack | 6–2, 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 4–6 |
| Win | 2. | Jul 1995 | Palermo International, Italy | Clay | Sabine Hack | 7–6$^{(7–1)}$, 6–2 |
| Win | 3. | Apr 1996 | Amelia Island Championships, U.S. | Clay | Mary Pierce | 6–7$^{(7–9)}$, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 4. | Mar 1997 | Indian Wells Masters, U.S. | Hard | Lindsay Davenport | 2–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 5. | Mar 1998 | Family Circle Cup, U.S. | Clay | Amanda Coetzer | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 4. | May 1998 | Internationaux de Strasbourg, France | Clay | Julie Halard-Decugis | 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 6–3 |
| Loss | 6. | Apr 1999 | Egypt Classic | Clay | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 1–6, 0–6 |

### Doubles: 13 (6 titles, 7 runner-ups)

* Legend
* Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
* Tier I (1–1)
* Tier II (2–2)
* Tier III, IV & V (3–4)
* Titles by surface'
* Hard (1–1)
* Grass (0–0)
* Clay (2–3)
* Carpet (3–3)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1. | Apr 1994 | Taranto Trophy, Italy | Clay | Noëlle van Lottum | Sandra Cecchini Isabelle Demongeot | 6–3, 2–6, 6–1 |
| Win | 2. | Jan 1995 | Jakarta Open, Indonesia | Hard | Claudia Porwik | Laurence Courtois Nancy Feber | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1 | Apr 1995 | Bol Ladies Open, Croatia | Clay | Laura Golarsa | Mercedes Paz Rene Simpson | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 2. | Jan 1996 | Pan Pacific Open, Japan | Carpet (i) | Mariaan de Swardt | Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva | 6–7$^{(7–9)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 3. | May 1996 | Italian Open | Clay | Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | Gigi Fernández Martina Hingis | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 3. | Nov 1996 | Bank of the West Classic, U.S. | Carpet (i) | Nathalie Tauziat | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 1–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 4. | May 1997 | Madrid Open, Spain | Clay | Inés Gorrochategui | Mary Joe Fernández Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 5. | Nov 1998 | Sparkassen Cup Leipzig, Germany | Carpet (i) | Manon Bollegraf | Elena Likhovtseva Ai Sugiyama | 3–6, 7–6$^{(7–2)}$, 1–6 |
| Loss | 6. | Jan 1999 | Brisbane International, Australia | Hard | Kristine Kunce | Corina Morariu Larisa Neiland | 3–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 4. | Feb 1999 | Paris Indoor, France | Carpet (i) | Caroline Vis | Elena Likhovtseva Ai Sugiyama | 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 7. | Apr 1999 | Egypt Classic | Clay | Caroline Vis | Laurence Courtois Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7–5, 1–6, 6–7$^{(7–9)}$ |
| Win | 5. | Sep 1999 | Luxembourg Open | Carpet (i) | Caroline Vis | Tina Križan Katarina Srebotnik | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 6. | Oct 1999 | Generali Ladies Linz, Austria | Carpet (i) | Caroline Vis | Tina Križan Larisa Neiland | 6–4, 6–3 |

## ITF Circuit finals

* Legend
* $100,000 tournaments
* $75,000 tournaments
* $50,000 tournaments
* $25,000 tournaments
* $10,000 tournaments

### Singles (3–1)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1. | 24 September 1990 | Mali Lošinj, Yugoslavia | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 2. | 3 June 1991 | Milan, Italy | Clay | Agnès Zugasti | 6–4, 7–5 |
| Win | 3. | 3 February 1992 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Clay | Ann Devries | 6–3, 6–2 |
| Win | 4. | 14 June 1993 | Brindisi, Italy | Clay | Petra Kamstra | 6–1, 5–7, 6–3 |

### Doubles (5–8)

| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1. | 13 August 1990 | Rebecq, Belgium | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | Els Callens Caroline Wuillot | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 2. | 20 August 1990 | Koksijde, Belgium | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | Erda Crous Lucie Ludvigová | 6–1, 2–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 3. | 17 September 1990 | Rabac, Yugoslavia | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | Katarína Studeníková Gabriela Vesela | 1–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 4. | 24 September 1990 | Mali Lošinj, Yugoslavia | Clay | Anna Mirza | Eva Martincová Zdeňka Málková | 1–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 5. | 8 October 1990 | Bol, Croatia | Clay | Magdalena Feistel | Eva Martincová Zdeňka Málková | 4–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Loss | 6. | 29 May 1991 | Brindisi, Italy | Clay | Katarína Studeníková | Patricia Miller Inés Gorrochategui | 1–6, 6–7 |
| Loss | 7. | 29 July 1991 | Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany | Clay | Meike Babel | Catarina Bernstein Annika Narbe | 4–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 8. | 12 August 1991 | Pisticci, Italy | Hard | Ruxandra Dragomir | Justine Hodder Maja Murić | 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
| Loss | 9. | 3 February 1992 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | Nicole Pratt Angie Woolcock | 1–6, 0–6 |
| Win | 10. | 28 September 1992 | Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy | Clay | Ann Devries | Ginevra Mugnaini Andreea Ehritt-Vanc | 6–0, 6–0 |
| Loss | 11. | 22 November 1992 | Nottingham, United Kingdom | Carpet (i) | Ruxandra Dragomir | Els Callens Elena Pampoulova | 6–7$^{(3–7)}$, 4–6 |
| Win | 12. | 30 November 1992 | Le Havre, France | Clay | Ruxandra Dragomir | Angela Kerek Sabine Lohmann | 6–3, 7–6 |
| Loss | 13. | 14 June 1993 | Brindisi, Italy | Clay | Angela Kerek | Lara Bitter Petra Kamstra | 5–7, 6–4, 2–6 |

## Singles performance timeline

Key :
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | SR | W–L | W% |
| Grand Slam tournaments |||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | A | A | A | A | 1R | 4R | 2R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 7 | 8–7 | 53% |
| French Open | A | A | 1R | A | 4R | 3R | 4R | 4R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 0 / 8 | 13–8 | 62% |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | A | 2R | 3R | 2R | 4R | 4R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 7 | 10–7 | 59% |
| US Open | A | A | Q1 | A | 1R | 1R | 3R | SF | 4R | 3R | A | 0 / 6 | 12–6 | 67% |
| Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–4 | 7–4 | 7–4 | 15–4 | 6–4 | 4–4 | 0–3 | 0 / 28 | 43–28 | 61% |
| Year-end championships |||||||||||||||
| Tour Championships | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | SF | SF | A | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 | 57% |
| Tier I tournaments |||||||||||||||
| Tokyo | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | QF | A | A | 0 / 3 | 4–3 | 57% |
| Chicago | A | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 0% |
| Boca Raton | Tier II | A | A | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | Not Held | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% |
| Indian Wells | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | F | 3R | 2R | 2R | 0 / 5 | 8–5 | 62% |
| Miami | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | QF | QF | 2R | 2R | 2R | 0 / 7 | 8–7 | 53% |
| Charleston | A | A | A | A | 1R | 3R | QF | 3R | F | 2R | A | 0 / 6 | 11–6 | 65% |
| Berlin | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | 3R | QF | 1R | 1F | 0 / 5 | 7–5 | 58% |
| Rome | A | A | Q1 | A | SF | 3R | SF | QF | 3R | 3R | 1R | 0 / 8 | 15–8 | 65% |
| Montreal / Toronto | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | A | 0 / 4 | 1–4 | 20% |
| Moscow | Tier V | Tier V | Not Held | Not Held | Tier III | Tier III | Tier III | QF | 1R | A | A | 0 / 2 | 1–2 | 33% |
| Zürich | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | A | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | SF | 2R | A | 0 / 5 | 6–5 | 55% |
| Philadelphia | NH | Tier II | Tier II | A | A | QF | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | Tier II | 0 / 4 | 5–4 | 56% |
| Career statistics |
| Year-end ranking | 310 | 208 | 164 | 63 | 43 | 21 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 35 | 167 |

## Record against other top players

Spîrlea's win–loss record against certain players who have been ranked world No. 10 or higher is as follows:
Players who have been ranked world No. 1 are in boldface.
* Dominique Monami 6–3
* Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 5–5
* Mary Joe Fernández 4–0
* Karina Habšudová 4–1
* Amanda Coetzer 4–4
* Julie Halard-Decugis 3–2
* Ai Sugiyama 3–2
* Mary Pierce 3–5
* Monica Seles 3–5
* Barbara Schett 2–0
* Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 2–0
* Anna Kournikova 2–1
* Sandrine Testud 2–1
* Gabriela Sabatini 2–2
* Chanda Rubin 2–3
* Natasha Zvereva 2–5
* Lori McNeil 1–0
* Paola Suárez 1–0
* Andrea Temesvári 1–0
* Nathalie Tauziat 1–2
* Serena Williams 1–3
* Venus Williams 1–3
* Conchita Martínez 1–4
* Barbara Paulus 1–4
* Lindsay Davenport 1–6
* Anke Huber 1–7
* Kimiko Date 0–1
* Zina Garrison 0–1
* Martina Navratilova 0–1
* Patty Schnyder 0–1
* Jennifer Capriati 0–2
* Steffi Graf 0–2
* Iva Majoli 0–3
* Martina Hingis 0–6
* Jana Novotná 0–6