The first tennis player to surpass $1 million in career prize money was Ilie Năstase of Romania. In 1976, he won his first US Open singles title and by the end of the year, he had earned $1,045,266 in career prize money. Năstase was a dominant force in men's tennis during the 1970s and was known for his flamboyant personality and his impressive shot-making ability. He won a total of 57 career singles titles, including two Grand Slam titles, the US Open in 1972 and the French Open in 1973, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991.