The Monte-Carlo Masters has been an ATP Tour-exclusive tournament for the last 44 years.
During that period, Rafael Nadal won a record 11 titles at the event.
Another Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz, is the reigning Monte-Carlo Masters champion, but who was the last woman to lift the title?
Virginia Ruzici was the last woman to win Monte-Carlo
Romania’s Virginia Ruzici entered the final women’s event held in Monte-Carlo as the second seed back in 1982.
She was dominant from start to finish in the principality, dropping just one set en route to the title.
Virginia Ruzici in Monte-Carlo (1982)
- 1R [WIN] vs Renata Tomanova (CZE), 6-3, 6-4
- 2R [WIN] vs Claudia Pasquale (SUI), 6-4, 6-3
- QF [WIN] vs Andrea Temesvari (HUN), 2-6, 7-6, 7-6
- SF [WIN] vs Pat Medrado (BRA), 6-4, 7-6
- F [WIN] vs Bonnie Gadusek (USA), 6-2, 7-6
Ruzici won the title, becoming the last woman to lift the trophy in Monte-Carlo.
Interestingly enough, she also won the doubles title in 1982, alongside the Frenchwoman Catherine Tanvier.
Ruzici had already proven herself on the clay, winning the French Open title four years earlier.
Virginia Ruzici’s career achievements
- Career-high ranking – 8th
- Grand Slam titles – 1 (1978 French Open)
- Grand Slam doubles titles – 1 (1978 French Open)
- WTA titles – 12
Unfortunately for Ruzici, she was unable to defend her Monte-Carlo title in 1983.
The women’s tournament ceased to exist, as organisers prioritised the men’s event.
For years, fans called for the tournament to return, but those requests fell on deaf ears.
However, there is now reason to be hopeful that Ruzici might not be the ‘last Monte-Carlo women’s champion’ for long…
Monte-Carlo tournament organisers are open to a women’s event
As reported by L’Equipe, Monte-Carlo Masters tournament director David Massey shared his thoughts on a potential women’s event.
“It remains a project, perhaps in the future,” he said.
“We haven’t made any progress at all. There have been discussions about, perhaps, having a WTA and ATP tournament simultaneously. For that, we need more days.
“We remain open to it, but it’s not the plan for now. It depends on the calendar. We need more weeks between Miami and our tournament, and to add more days. It will be a long-term project.
“We’re open to it, but it’s not a priority for the tournament.”
Virginia Ruzici played a role in the development of Serena Williams and Venus Williams
Ruzici won two Grand Slams (1 singles, 1 doubles), but may have contributed to a further 30 major titles.
The story goes that Richard Williams, the father of Serena Williams and Venus Williams, was in attendance when Ruzici won a title in Salt Lake City in 1980.
He was said to have been inspired by Ruzici’s win and the prize money she earned.
Williams decided to teach his daughters tennis, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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