i heard a story about him playing at Madison Square Garden against Grebner where Grebner before the match called Nastase a Romanian goat herder. This pissed Nastase off so he basically bageled him and on match point he put away a shot with the butt of his racquet which really pissed of Grebner. He then told the press that's how goat herders play tennis.
For some reason i have trouble finding anything on good in regards to historic tennis. Maybe because Nastase wasn't American?
I haven't heard that one. Perhaps this is the story you are thinking of:
"At the Royal Albert Hall in London, Nastase's mimicry angered Clark Graebner to such an extent that the American climbed across the net, grabbed Nastase by the shirtfront and threatened to crack open his head with the racket. Nastase later defaulted, claiming he was "physically terrified." Graebner was silently acclaimed as a savior by touring pros everywhere."
Read more:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1086662/2/index.htm#ixzz1KvafR6tR
* * *
"Probably the closest Nastase has ever come to being embraced by an opponent was when Graebner came to the brink of maiming him at the Royal Albert Hall last January. Nastase always has had trouble beating Graebner and the two had clashed before. This particular act started after Nastase hit a net cord winner that Graebner just failed to reach. The umpire, however, ruled that the ball girl had mysteriously run into the doubles lane and had caught the shot before Graebner had a fair chance; a let was called. Nastase reacted with fury. "No play two, my point," he shouted. The decision stood.
Graebner went on to win the game and, as the two changed sides, Nastase began his routine. He had some neat words for Graebner, some hand signs for the umpire and other things for the crowd. As he was preparing to serve, Nastase looked up and saw Graebner at the net motioning him to come forward. The Rumanian went ahead and served into the empty court, then mimicked his opponent by motioning Graebner to come to him.
Graebner jumped the net, grabbed Nastase by the shirt and said, in the words of the Rumanian, "You not doing me what you did Richey in Paris, you b*****d. You cut this——out or I crash your head."
They played out the set, during which Nastase did not win another game; Graebner rifled a couple of forehands into the audience; the ball girls cowered in terror; and the umpire lost all track of scoring. Luckily, the tension did not last much longer, for Nastase abruptly quit, saying he felt "threatened."
Graebner will not discuss the incident publicly, claiming that it is "water under the bridge" and that now the two are friends who will play doubles together this winter. But Nastase still insists he was wronged. . . ."
Read more:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1086662/4/index.htm#ixzz1KvXhtJPE
PS: I also recall reading an article in "World Tennis Magazine" that, during a match, Nastase said something to Adriano Panatta about Panatta's sister following which Panatta went after Nastase and chased him off the court.
. Age definitely mellowed him out I think.
