Daily Mail: So, General Nastase, how did your wife feel when you told her she was lover No. 2,501? After wowing Wimbledon in Romanian army uniform, Ilie Nastase holds court

Tennis legend Ilie Nastase is waving a crumpled newspaper cutting at me in disgust.

‘They are so stupid! Someone in England jokes that I look like a dictator in my lovely military uniform at Wimbledon this week and here, in Romania, they put my photo next to ones of Colonel Gaddafi and Bashar al-Assad from Syria!

‘I just thought it was nice to make an effort — though I didn’t put all the medals on because there are so many it would look daft.’

The former world No 1 says he got lots of compliments during his appearance on Centre Court. ‘I have a white uniform, too. And a green and a brown one. They are my official uniforms — having been a member of Romania’s armed forces for years.’

Then he mischievously adds: ‘Next year, I’ll come to Wimbledon in my pyjamas — that’ll show them! Or, I’ll come naked!’

Which would provide even more of a stir than Nastase and that immaculately tailored army uniform did on Tuesday in the Royal Box. (Incidentally, it is not standard issue — a tailor travelled from Italy to make it for him.)

We meet back at his home in the Romanian capital of Bucharest, where he gives me a very extended tour over dinner, wine, more wine and his Italian love-song collection.

Clearly he loves all the attention — thrives on it, relies on it.

Ilie ‘Nasty’ Nastase was the original tennis stud. The world’s top-ranked player in 1973, he won 100 professional titles, seven grand slams, four masters and seven championship series.

He had it all — charm, charisma, exotic looks, long dark hair, infamously big hands and a repertoire of hilarious on-court antics.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2681165/So-General-Nastase-did-wife-feel-told-lover-No-2-501-After-wowing-Wimbledon-Romanian-army-uniform-Ilie-Nastase-holds-court-proves-outrageous-ever.html#ixzz36hHhZ7pr
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