![Andrew Ilie in action during the 2003 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images).](https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Andrew-Ilie-287x465.jpg)
PLAYER PROFILE
Andrew Ilie
- Age48
- Born18 April 1976
- Birth PlaceBucharest, Romania
- Playing StatusRetired
A crowd favourite, Ilie delivered his best Grand Slam results at Melbourne Park where fans enjoyed his exuberant, shirt-ripping style.
Ilie once admitted he would like to have had a career in acting and said it was important for tennis players to put on a show.
He finished No.8 in the 1994 world junior rankings, reaching the final of the Australian Open Junior Singles Championships, winning the Canadian Open Juniors title, and advancing to the quarterfinals of the US Open Juniors.
He won two career titles: Coral Springs 1998 and Atlanta 2000, contributing to his highest singles world ranking of 38.
Ilie started playing tennis at seven and, after his family migrated to Australia from Romania, he began contesting tournaments as a 13 year old.
He was later invited to join the Australian Institute of Sport.
He played two Davis Cup singles rubbers for Australia in 2002 against Argentina in Buenos Aires, losing both.
Ilie left the circuit in 2004 because of injury and is now married and based in Hong Kong.
Andrew Ilie in the news
![Thanasi Kokkinakis, James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur are among the top-ranked Aussie men. Pictures: Getty Images Thanasi Kokkinakis, James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur are among the top-ranked Aussie men. Pictures: Getty Images](https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Aussie-men-May22-v2-700x450.jpg)
Thanasi Kokkinakis, James Duckworth and Alex de Minaur are leading the charge in an exciting time for Australian men's tennis.
![THE INFAMOUS SHIRT RIP: Andrew Ilie celebrates after a win at Australian Open 2000. Picture: Getty Images THE INFAMOUS SHIRT RIP: Andrew Ilie celebrates after a win at Australian Open 2000. Picture: Getty Images](https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ilie-Flashback-1-700x450.jpg)
In our Flashback Friday series, we look back at Andrew Ilie’s career and his infamous post-match celebrations.
![Australia's Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde with their Olympic silver medals won in Sydney in 2000. Picture: Getty Images Australia's Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde with their Olympic silver medals won in Sydney in 2000. Picture: Getty Images](https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/GettyImages-980483-700x450.jpg)
With today marking 20 years since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games began, we take a look back at how the Australian tennis team fared across that memorable fortnight.
![(L-R) Marinko Matosevic, Sam Groth, Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic, Matt Ebden and Nick Kyrgios form a contingent of six Aussies ranked inside the world's top 100; Getty Images (L-R) Marinko Matosevic, Sam Groth, Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic, Matt Ebden and Nick Kyrgios form a contingent of six Aussies ranked inside the world's top 100; Getty Images](https://www.tennis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Aussies-in-top-100-700x450.jpg)
With six Australian men now ranked inside the world's top 100, it represents the nation's best showing in this elite bracket in more than 13 years.