Double Fault

BUCHAREST, Romania: Ilie Nastase tried the "bad boy" tactics he perfected in professional tennis on the voters of his native Romania, but this time they flopped. Nastase, who has won every Grand Slam title except Wimbledon, lost in his bid for Bucharest mayor in runoff elections against trade union leader Victor Ciorbea, 43 percent to 57 percent. Using tactics better suited to courtside antics, Nastase alienated voters by trying to smear his opponent's reputation with veiled and unsubstantiated allegations. His unmayoral behavior included publicly swearing at a journalist and making vulgar and crude remarks about his opponent during a televised debate. Nastase told TIME late last year that he entered the race on a whim, but predicted he would win: "I'm 35 years ahead of these people -->