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, although Fibak also reached the Top 10 in singles. He is currently believed to be one of the richest men in Poland.[2]

Wojciech Fibak
Wojciech Fibak in 1982
Country (sports) Poland
ResidencePoznań, Poland
Born (1952-08-30) 30 August 1952
Poznań, Poland
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money$2,725,403[1]
Singles
Career record539–315 (63.1%)
Career titles15
Highest rankingNo. 10 (25 July 1977)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open3R (1978)
French OpenQF (1977, 1980)
WimbledonQF (1980)
US OpenQF (1980)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsF (1976)
WCT FinalsQF (1977, 1981, 1982)
Doubles
Career record527–248 (68.0%)
Career titles52 (ATP)
Highest rankingNo. 2 (5 February 1979)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenW (1978)
French OpenF (1977)
WimbledonSF (1978)
US OpenSF (1978)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (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 Jan Kodeš Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez
6–7, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win 1978 Australian Open Grass Kim Warwick Paul Kronk
Cliff Letcher
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 Jan Kodeš Milan Holecek
Karl Meiler
7–5, 6–3
Loss 1. 1975 Hamburg, Germany Clay Jan Kodeš Juan Gisbert, Sr.
Manuel Orantes
3–6, 6–7
Win 2. 1975 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay Guillermo Vilas Željko Franulović
John Lloyd
6–4, 6–3
Loss 2. 1975 Indianapolis, US Clay Hans-Jürgen Pohmann Juan Gisbert, Sr.
Manuel Orantes
5–7, 0–6
Win 3. 1975 Louisville, US Clay Guillermo Vilas Vijay Amritraj
Anand Amritraj
NP
Loss 3. 1975 Barcelona, Spain Clay Karl Meiler Björn Borg
Guillermo Vilas
6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Win 4. 1975 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Karl Meiler Ilie Năstase
Tom Okker
6–4, 7–6
Win 5. 1975 London, England Carpet Karl Meiler Jimmy Connors
Ilie Năstase
6–1, 7–5
Loss 4. 1976 Atlanta WCT, US Carpet Karl Meiler John Alexander
Phil Dent
3–6, 4–6
Loss 5. 1976 Barcelona WCT, Spain Clay Karl Meiler Robert Lutz
Ramsey Smith
3–6, 3–6
Win 6. 1976 Barcelona, Spain Clay Jacek Niedźwiedzki Colin Dowdeswell
Paul Kronk
6–2, 6–3
Loss 6. 1976 Nice, France Clay Karl Meiler Patrice Dominguez
François Jauffret
4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 7. 1976 Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco Clay Karl Meiler Björn Borg
Guillermo Vilas
7–6, 6–1
Win 8. 1976 World Doubles WCT, US Carpet Karl Meiler Robert Lutz
Ramsey Smith
6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win 9. 1976 Bournemouth, England Clay Fred McNair Juan Gisbert, Sr.
Manuel Orantes
4–6, 7–5, 7–5
Win 10. 1976 Düsseldorf, Germany Clay Karl Meiler Bob Carmichael
Raymond Moore
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Loss 7. 1976 Båstad, Sweden Clay Juan Gisbert, Sr. Fred McNair
Sherwood Stewart
3–6, 4–6
Loss 8. 1976 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay Balázs Taróczy Ricardo Cano
Belus Prajoux
4–6, 3–6
Win 11. 1976 Tehran, Iran Clay Raúl Ramírez Juan Gisbert, Sr.
Manuel Orantes
7–5, 6–1
Win 12. 1976 Madrid, Spain Clay Raúl Ramírez Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
4–6, 7–5, 6–3
Loss 9. 1976 Wembley, England Carpet Brian Gottfried Stan Smith
Roscoe Tanner
6–7, 3–6
Win 13. 1977 Birmingham WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker Billy Martin
Bill Scanlon
6–3, 6–4
Loss 10. 1977 Philadelphia WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
1–6, 6–1, 3–6
Win 14. 1977 Richmond WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker Ross Case
Tony Roche
6–4, 6–4
Win 15. 1977 Mexico City WCT, Mexico Hard Tom Okker Ilie Năstase
Adriano Panatta
6–2, 6–3
Win 16. 1977 Toronto Indoor WCT, Canada Carpet Tom Okker Ross Case
Tony Roche
6–4, 6–1
Win 17. 1977 Monterrey WCT, Mexico Carpet Ross Case Billy Martin
Bill Scanlon
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win 18. 1977 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet Tom Okker Vijay Amritraj
Dick Stockton
6–4, 6–4
Loss 11. 1977 Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco Clay Tom Okker François Jauffret
Jan Kodeš
6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win 19. 1977 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Ion Ţiriac Lito Álvarez
Guillermo Vilas
7–5, 0–6, 7–6
Loss 12. 1977 French Open, Paris Clay Jan Kodeš Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez
6–7, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Win 20. 1977 South Orange, US Hard Colin Dibley Ion Ţiriac
Guillermo Vilas
6–1, 7–5
Win 21. 1977 Barcelona, Spain Clay Jan Kodeš Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
6–0, 6–4
Loss 13. 1977 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Jan Kodeš Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
4–6, 3–6
Win 22. 1977 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Tom Okker Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 6–3
Loss 14. 1978 St. Louis WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker Bob Hewitt
Frew McMillan
3–6, 2–6
Loss 15. 1978 Milan WCT, Italy Carpet Raúl Ramírez José Higueras
Victor Pecci
7–5, 6–7, 6–7
Win 23. 1978 Houston WCT, US Clay Tom Okker Tom Leonard
Mike Machette
7–5, 7–5
Win 24. 1978 World Doubles WCT, US Carpet Tom Okker Robert Lutz
Stan Smith
6–7, 6–4, 6–0, 6–3
Win 25. 1978 Hamburg, Germany Clay Tom Okker Antonio Muñoz
Victor Pecci
6–2, 6–4
Win 26. 1978 Louisville, US Clay Victor Pecci Victor Amaya
John James
6–4, 6–7, 6–4
Win 27. 1978 Toronto, Canada Clay Tom Okker Colin Dowdeswell
Heinz Günthardt
6–3, 7–6
Win 28. 1978 Woodlands Doubles, US Hard Tom Okker Marty Riessen
Sherwood Stewart
7–6, 3–6, 4–6, 7–6, 6–3
Win 29. 1978 Madrid, Spain Clay Jan Kodeš Pavel Složil
Tomáš Šmíd
6–7, 6–1, 6–2
Win 30. 1978 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) John McEnroe Bruce Manson
Andrew Pattison
7–6, 7–5
Win 31. 1978 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Tom Okker Robert Lutz
Stan Smith
6–3, 6–2
Win 32. 1978 Australian Open, Melbourne Grass Kim Warwick Paul Kronk
Cliff Letcher
7–6, 7–5
Win 33. 1979 Philadelphia, US Carpet Tom Okker Peter Fleming
John McEnroe
5–7, 6–1, 6–3
Loss 16. 1979 Denver, US Carpet Tom Okker Robert Lutz
Stan Smith
6–7, 3–6
Win 34. 1979 Memphis, US Carpet Tom Okker Frew McMillan
Dick Stockton
6–4, 6–4
Win 35. 1979 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Hard (i) Tom Okker Bob Carmichael
Brian Teacher
6–3, 5–7, 7–6
Win 36. 1979 Munich, Germany Clay Tom Okker Jürgen Fassbender
Jean-Louis Haillet
7–6, 7–5
Loss 17. 1979 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay Pavel Složil Colin Dowdeswell
Frew McMillan
4–6, 2–6, 6–2, 4–6
Loss 18. 1979 Los Angeles, US Carpet Frew McMillan Marty Riessen
Sherwood Stewart
4–6, 4–6
Loss 19. 1979 San Francisco, US Carpet Frew McMillan Peter Fleming
John McEnroe
1–6, 4–6
Loss 20. 1979 Stockholm, Sweden Hard (i) Tom Okker Peter Fleming
John McEnroe
4–6, 4–6
Loss 21. 1980 Masters Doubles WCT, London Carpet Tom Okker Brian Gottfried
Raúl Ramírez
6–3, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 3–6
Win 37. 1980 Birmingham, US Carpet Tom Okker José Luis Clerc
Ilie Năstase
6–3, 6–3
Loss 22. 1980 Denver, US Carpet Heinz Günthardt Kevin Curren
Steve Denton
5–7, 2–6
Win 38. 1980 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Hard (i) Tomáš Šmíd Tim Mayotte
Larry Stefanki
6–4, 7–6
Win 39. 1980 Dayton, US Carpet Geoff Masters Fritz Buehning
Fred McNair
6–4, 6–4
Loss 23. 1980 Las Vegas, US Clay Gene Mayer Robert Lutz
Stan Smith
2–6, 5–7
Loss 24. 1980 Indianapolis, US Clay Ivan Lendl Kevin Curren
Steve Denton
6–3, 6–7, 4–6
Loss 25. 1980 Cincinnati, US Hard Ivan Lendl Bruce Manson
Brian Teacher
7–6, 5–7, 4–6
Win 40. 1982 Strasbourg WCT, France Carpet John Fitzgerald Sandy Mayer
Frew McMillan
6–4, 6–3
Loss 26. 1982 Zürich WCT, Switzerland Carpet John Fitzgerald Sammy Giammalva Jr.
Tom Gullikson
4–6, 2–6
Loss 27. 1982 Rome, Italy Clay John Fitzgerald Heinz Günthardt
Balázs Taróczy
4–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win 41. 1982 Zell Am See WCT, Austria Clay Bruce Manson Tony Giammalva
Sammy Giammalva Jr.
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Loss 28. 1983 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Colin Dowdeswell Pavel Složil
Tomáš Šmíd
7–6, 4–6, 2–6
Win 42. 1983 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Pavel Složil Colin Dowdeswell
Zoltan Kuharszky
7–5, 6–2
Win 43. 1984 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet Kevin Curren Fritz Buehning
Ferdi Taygan
6–4, 6–4
Win 44. 1984 Munich, Germany Clay Boris Becker Eric Fromm
Florin Segărceanu
6–4, 4–6, 6–1
Loss 29. 1984 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Colin Dowdeswell Henri Leconte
Pascal Portes
6–2, 6–7, 6–7
Loss 30. 1984 Los Angeles, US Hard Sandy Mayer Ken Flach
Robert Seguso
6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Win 45. 1984 Cologne, Germany Hard (i) Sandy Mayer Jan Gunnarsson
Joakim Nyström
6–1, 6–3
Win 46. 1984 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Sandy Mayer Heinz Günthardt
Balázs Taróczy
6–4, 6–4
Loss 31. 1985 Philadelphia, US Carpet Sandy Mayer Joakim Nyström
Mats Wilander
6–3, 2–6, 2–6
Loss 32. 1985 Brussels, Belgium Carpet Kevin Curren Stefan Edberg
Anders Järryd
3–6, 6–7
Win 47. 1985 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Tomáš Šmíd Brad Drewett
Mark Edmondson
6–7, 6–4, 6–4
Win 48. 1986 Toronto Indoor, Canada Carpet Joakim Nyström Christo Steyn
Danie Visser
6–3, 7–6
Win 49. 1986 Metz, France Carpet Guy Forget Francisco González
Michiel Schapers
2–6, 6–2, 6–4
Loss 33. 1986 Rotterdam, Netherlands Carpet Matt Mitchell Stefan Edberg
Slobodan Živojinović
6–2, 3–6, 2–6
Win 50. 1986 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Ricardo Acioly Brad Gilbert
Slobodan Živojinović
W/O
Win 51. 1987 Hilversum, Netherlands Clay Miloslav Mečíř Tom Nijssen
Johan Vekemans
7–6, 5–7, 6–2
Win 52. 1987 Toulouse, France Hard (i) Michiel Schapers Kelly Jones
Patrik Kühnen
6–2, 6–4

Grand Slam doubles tournament timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)
Tournament19741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987Career 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 Juan Gisbert, Sr. 3–6, 7–5, 1–6
Loss 2. 1976 Monte Carlo WCT, Monaco Clay Guillermo Vilas 1–6, 1–6, 4–6
Win 1. 1976 Stockholm, Sweden Carpet Ilie Năstase 6–4, 7–6
Win 2. 1976 Bournemouth, England Clay Manuel Orantes 6–2, 7–9, 6–2, 6–2
Loss 3. 1976 Louisville, US Clay Harold Solomon 2–6, 5–7
Loss 4. 1976 Indianapolis, US Clay Jimmy Connors 2–6, 4–6
Loss 5. 1976 Montreal, Canada Hard Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 6–7, 2–6
Win 3. 1976 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Raúl Ramírez 6–7, 6–3, 6–4, 2–6, 6–1
Loss 6. 1976 Masters, Houston Carpet Manuel Orantes 7–5, 2–6, 6–0, 6–7, 1–6
Loss 7. 1977 Mexico City WCT, Mexico Hard Ilie Năstase 6–4, 2–6, 6–7
Win 4. 1977 Monterrey WCT, Mexico Carpet Vitas Gerulaitis 6–4, 6–3
Loss 8. 1977 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 3–6, 0–6
Win 5. 1977 Düsseldorf, Germany Clay Raymond Moore 6–1, 5–7, 6–2
Loss 9. 1977 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Brian Gottfried 1–6, 1–6
Loss 10. 1977 Cologne, Germany Carpet Björn Borg 6–2, 5–7, 3–6
Loss 11. 1978 Hamburg, Germany Clay Guillermo Vilas 2–6, 4–6, 2–6
Win 6. 1978 Cologne, Germany Hard (i) Vijay Amritraj 6–2, 0–1, RET.
Win 7. 1979 Denver, US Carpet Victor Amaya 6–4, 6–1
Win 8. 1979 Stuttgart Indoor, Germany Hard (i) Guillermo Vilas 6–2, 6–2, 3–6, 6–2
Loss 12. 1979 Munich, Germany Clay Manuel Orantes 3–6, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 13. 1979 Vienna, Austria Hard (i) Stan Smith 4–6, 0–6, 2–6
Loss 14. 1979 Cologne, Germany Hard (i) Gene Mayer 3–6, 6–3, 1–6
Win 9. 1980 Dayton, US Carpet Bruce Manson 7–6, 6–3
Win 10. 1980 New Orleans, US Carpet Eliot Teltscher 6–4, 7–5
Win 11. 1980 São Paulo, Brazil Carpet Vincent Van Patten 6–0, 7–6
Loss 15. 1980 Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany Clay Vitas Gerulaitis 2–6, 5–7, 2–6
Loss 16. 1981 Philadelphia, US Carpet Roscoe Tanner 2–6, 6–7, 5–7
Win 12. 1981 Gstaad, Switzerland Clay Yannick Noah 6–1, 7–6
Loss 17. 1982 Naples Finals WCT, Italy Carpet Ivan Lendl 4–6, 2–6, 1–6
Win 13. 1982 Amsterdam WCT, Netherlands Carpet Kevin Curren 7–5, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Win 14. 1982 Paris Indoor, France Hard (i) Bill Scanlon 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
Loss 18. 1982 Dortmund WCT, Germany Carpet Brian Teacher 7–6, 4–6, 4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Win 15. 1982 Chicago-2 WCT, US Carpet Bill Scanlon 6–2, 2–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 19. 1983 Basel, Switzerland Hard (i) Vitas Gerulaitis 6–4, 1–6, 5–7, 5–5, RET.

References

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Vitas Gerulaitis
ATP Most Improved Player
1976
Succeeded by
Brian Gottfried
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