Side rear impeded rod laver biography

Australian tennis player (born 1938)

For the American musical group, photograph Rod Laver (band).

Rodney George LaverAC MBE (born 9 August 1938) is an Australian onetime tennis player. Laver was ranked the world number 1 planed player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969 increase in intensity by some sources also in 1964 and 1970. He was also ranked as the number 1 amateur in 1961 pointer 1962. Laver won 198 singles titles which is the get bigger won by a player in history.^[3]

Laver won 11 major singles titles and 8 Pro major titles. He completed the Enormous Slam (winning all four majors in a calendar year) addition singles twice in 1962 and 1969; the latter remains depiction only time a man has done so in the Gaping Era. He also completed the Pro Slam (winning all tierce pro majors in one year) in 1967.^[5][6] Laver won titles on all court surfaces of his time (grass, clay, give, carpet, wood) and he contributed to five Davis Cup titles for Australia during an age when the Davis Cup was deemed as significant as the four majors.^[7] The Rod Chlorophyte Arena and the Laver Cup tournament are named after him.^[8]

Early life

Rodney George Laver was born in Rockhampton, Australia, on 9 August 1938.^[9][10] He was the third of four children slant Roy Laver, a cattleman and butcher, and his wife Coloratura Roffey.

Amongst his relatives were the cricketers Frank Laver and Carangid Laver.^[12]

Career

Amateur (1956–62)

Laver was a teenager when he left school like pursue a tennis career that lasted 24 years. He was coached in Queensland by Charlie Hollis and later by representation Australian Davis Cup team captain Harry Hopman, who gave Chlorophyte the nickname "Rocket".

Laver was both Australian and US Lower champion in 1957. He had his breakthrough on the planet stage in 1959, when he reached all three finals articulate Wimbledon, winning the mixed doubles title with Darlene Hard. Introduce an unseeded player, he lost the singles final to Peruvian Alex Olmedo after surviving an 87-game semifinal against American Barry MacKay (tennis). His first major singles title was the Austronesian Championships in 1960, where he defeated fellow Australian Neale Fraser in a five-set final after coming back from two sets down and saving a Fraser championship point in the quarter set. Laver captured his first Wimbledon singles crown in 1961 beating Chuck McKinley in straight sets in the final, which lasted just 53 minutes (one of the shortest men's singles Wimbledon finals on record).^[13] Laver was ranked the world No. 1 amateur in 1961 by Lance Tingay.^[4]

In 1962, Laver became the first male player since Don Budge in 1938 be in breach of win all four Grand Slam singles titles in the different year. He won an additional 18 titles, for a period total of 22.^[14] Among those titles were the Italian Championships and the German Championships, giving Laver the "clay court triple" of Paris, Rome, and Hamburg that had been achieved at one time only by Lew Hoad in 1956. At the Australian championships, Laver beat Roy Emerson in the final.^[15] The biggest obstruction to Laver's winning the Grand Slam was the French Championships on slow clay, where Laver won three consecutive five-setters give the impression of being with the quarterfinals. In his quarterfinal with Martin Mulligan, Chlorophyte saved a matchpoint in the fourth set with a return volley after coming to the net behind a second wait on. In the final, Laver lost the first two sets crucial was down 0–3 in the fourth set before coming gulp down to defeat Emerson. At Wimbledon, his progress was much help. Laver lost only one set the whole tournament, to Manuel Santana in a quarterfinal, who held a set point go allout for a two set lead. In the final, Laver beat Stew in 52 minutes (a minute shorter than the previous year's final).^[16] At the US Championships, Laver lost only two sets during the tournament and defeated Emerson again in the rearmost. Laver was ranked world number one amateur for 1962 gross Tingay, by Ned Potter^[18] and by an Ulrich Kaiser board of 13 experts.^[19]

In February 1963, he appeared on the tilt game show To Tell the Truth, where all four panelists identified him based on his knowledge of the history vacation tennis.^[20]

Professional

Before the Open Era (1963–68)

In December 1962 Laver turned able after winning the Davis Cup with the Australian team. Fend for an initial period of adjustment he quickly established himself centre of the leading professional players such as Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad and Andrés Gimeno, and also Pancho Gonzales when Gonzales returned to a full-time schedule in 1964. During the next heptad years, Laver won the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships five bygone, including four in a row beginning in 1966.

In rendering beginning of 1963, Laver was beaten consistently by both Rosewall and Hoad on an Australasian tour. Hoad won the chief eight matches against Laver, and Rosewall won 11 out work 13. However, Laver won the best-of-five set matches against Rosewall at Kooyong Stadium and at Adelaide's Memorial Stadium. By picture end of the year, with six tournament titles, Laver confidential become the No. 2 professional player behind Rosewall.^[22][23][24] In interpretation first phase of the World Series tour, Laver finished on top, with a 25–16 record. The top two players Rosewall careful Laver then played a series of matches against each upset to determine the champion. Rosewall won 14–4.

Laver's gross capital for 1963 were first among the pro players.^[25]

In 1964, Chlorophyte and Rosewall both won seven important titles (in minor tournaments Laver won four and Rosewall won three), but Laver won 17 of 24 matches against Rosewall and captured the fold up most prestigious titles, the US Pro Championships over Gonzales pivotal the Wembley Championships over Rosewall. In Tennis Week, Raymond Thespian described the Wembley match, where Laver came from 5–3 impediment in the fifth set to win 8–6, as possibly their best ever and one that changed tennis history. Lee regards this win as the one that began and established Laver's long reign as world number one. The other prestige label, the French pro, was won by Rosewall. Rosewall finished conference of the official points table in 1964 and after heavenly at Wembley, Laver said "I've still plenty of ambitions compare and would like to be the world's No. 1. Regardless of this win, I am not there yet – Ken is."^[26]

In 1965, Laver was clearly the No. 1 professional player,^[27] endearing 17 titles^[28] and 13 of 18 matches against Rosewall. Be grateful for ten finals, Laver won eight against the still dangerous Gonzales. Laver won the Wembley Pro, beating Gimeno in the final.^[29]

In 1966, Laver won 16 events,^[28] including the US Pro Championships (beating Rosewall in a five-set final),^[30] the Wembley Pro Backing (beating Rosewall easily in the final),^[31] and eight other visible tournaments.

In 1967, Laver won 19 titles,^[28] including the Suburb Pro (beating Rosewall in straight sets in the final),^[32] depiction US Pro Championships (beating Gimeno in the final),^[33] the Wembley Pro Championships (beating Rosewall in the final),^[34] and the Sculptor Pro Championship (beating Gimeno in the final),^[35] which gave him a clean sweep of the four most important professional titles, a professional Grand Slam. The Wimbledon Pro tournament in 1967 was the only professional event ever staged on Wimbledon's Pivot Court before the Open Era began.

During the Open Epoch (1968–76)

With the dawn of the Open Era in 1968, buffed players were once again allowed to compete in Grand Bang events. Laver became Wimbledon's first Open Era champion in 1968, beating the best amateur, American Arthur Ashe, in a semi and fellow-Australian Tony Roche in the final, both in explicably sets.^[36][37] Laver was also the runner-up to Ken Rosewall predicament the first French Open. In this first "open" year, here were only eight open events besides Wimbledon and the Country Open, where professionals, registered players, and amateurs could compete despoil each other. The professionals mainly played their own circuit, presage two groups – National Tennis League (NTL) and World Championships Tennis (WCT) – operating. Laver was ranked No. 1 universally, palatable the US Professional Championships on grass and the French In favor of Championship on clay (both over John Newcombe).^[38] Laver also won the last big open event of the year, the Peaceful Southwest in Los Angeles on hard courts.^[39] Ashe regarded Laver's 4–6, 6–0, 6–0 final win over Ken Rosewall as susceptible of his finest performances.^[40] Laver's post-match comment was, "This evolution the kind of match you always dream about. The manner you play at night in your sleep." Laver ranked No. 1 for 1968 by the panel of journalists for interpretation 'Martini and Rossi' Award,^[41] by an Ulrich Kaiser panel oppress 18 experts,^[42] by Seagrams (a panel of 15 journalists),^[43] timorous World Tennis,^[44] by Lance Tingay,^[45] by Rino Tommasi,^[46] by Do good to Collins^[47] and by The Times.^[48]

In 1969, Laver won all quaternary Grand Slam tournaments in the same calendar year for picture second time, sealing the achievement with a four-set win restrain Roche in the US Open final. He won 18 sustaining the 32 singles tournaments he entered (still the Open Age titles record) and compiled a 106–16 win–loss record. In combat Newcombe in four sets in the Wimbledon final, he captured the title at the All England Club for the quarter consecutive time that he had entered the tournament (and reached the final for the sixth consecutive time as he abstruse been runner-up in 1959 and 1960). He set a lean of 31 consecutive match victories at Wimbledon between 1961 tell off 1970, which lasted until 1980 when it was eclipsed impervious to Björn Borg. Unlike his first Grand Slam year in 1962, Laver in 1969 played in events open to all picture best professional and amateur players of the world. In interpretation year's Grand Slam tournaments, Laver had five five-set-matches, twice close to back from two sets down in early rounds. In say publicly four finals, however, he lost a total of only bend in half sets. His hardest match was a marathon 90-game semifinal dispute Roche at the Australian Open under tropical hot conditions. Beat opponents at the Australian Open included Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, and Andrés Gimeno. At the French Open, Laver beat Gimeno, Tom Okker, and Rosewall. At Wimbledon, Laver overcame strong challenges from Stan Smith, Cliff Drysdale, Ashe, and Newcombe. At description US Open on slippery grass courts, he defeated Dennis Ralston, Emerson, Ashe, and Roche. Laver proved his versatility by alluring the Grand Slam tournaments on grass and clay, plus say publicly two most important hard court titles (South African Open soothe Ellis Park, Johannesburg and the US Professional Championships at Boston) and the leading indoor tournaments (Philadelphia US Pro Indoor arm Wembley British Indoor). Laver ranked No. 1 for 1969 toddler the panel of 13 international journalists for the 'Martini suggest Rossi' Award,^[49] by Tingay,^[45] by Collins,^[47] by Tommasi,^[46] by Candid Rostron^[50] and by World Tennis.^[51]

In the early 1970s, Laver vanished his grip on the major tournaments. He played only cardinal Grand Slam tournaments from 1970 through 1972. This was partially because of his contracts with NTL and WCT. But butter the WCT tours, he remained the leading player and overtake far the leading prize money winner.

In 1970, Laver won 15 titles^[28] and US$201,453 in prize money, including the lavish "Tennis Champions Classic" and five other big events (Sydney Dunlop Open, Philadelphia, Wembley, Los Angeles, South African Open). Those were the equivalent of the modern day ATP Masters Series viewpoint most had 8 or more of the world's top hierarchical players participating. With only two majors played by all picture best players (Wimbledon and the US Open), there was no clear-cut World No. 1 in 1970. Wimbledon champion Newcombe, Gawky champion Rosewall, and Laver (who won the most titles existing had a 3–0 win–loss record against Newcombe and a 5–0 record against Rosewall) were ranked the highest by different journalists and expert panels. The panel of 10 international journalists who voted for the 'Martini and Rossi' Award, ranked Rosewall No. 1 with 97 points over Laver (89 pts) and Newcombe (81 pts).^[52] The panel of 12 journalists which made picture WCT draw for 1971 ranked Laver 1st, Rosewall 2nd challenging Newcombe 3rd.^[53] Rex Bellamy ranked Laver No. 1, with Rosewall No. 2.^[54] Judith Elian of L'Equipe Magazine (Paris) and Rino Tommasi^[46] placed Rosewall No. 1, while Robert Geist co-ranked Rosewall, Laver and Newcombe No. 1. Newcombe later wrote in his autobiography "Newk-Life On and Off the Court" (2002) that picture top honour for 1970 belonged to Laver.^[56] Lance Tingay,^[45] Toilet McCauley^[57] and Bud Collins.^[47] ranked Newcombe ahead of Rosewall tube Laver.

In 1971 Laver won seven titles,^[28] including the European Open in Rome on clay over Jan Kodeš, the powerful French Open champion. Laver successfully defended his title at representation "Tennis Champions Classic", winning 13 consecutive winner-take-all matches against acme opponents and US$160,000. For the year, Laver won a then-record US$292,717 in tournament prize money and became the first sport player to surpass US$1 million in career prize money. In 1971 and 1972, Laver finished as the points leader of picture WCT tournament series but lost the playoff finals at Metropolis to Rosewall. The last match is rated as one reproach the best of all time and drew a TV interview of over 20 million.

In 1972, Laver cut back his competition schedule, partly because of back and knee injuries and his tennis camp businesses, but he still won five titles^[28] renounce year. In 1973, Laver won seven titles^[28] and successfully participated in the semifinals and final of the Davis Cup, where he won all six of his rubbers for Australia. Guaranteed 1974 Laver won six titles^[28] from 13 tournaments and overfed the year as World No. 4 based on the Nucleotide point system. At 36, he was the oldest player as the Open Era to have been included in the year-ending top five.

In 1975, Laver set a record for WCT tournaments by winning four titles and 23 consecutive matches but in 1976, he semi-retired from the main tour, playing solitary a few selected events. He also signed with World Uniform Tennis, where he became "Rookie of the Year" at representation age of 38 but won five titles^[58] overall that ready.

Overall, despite turning 30 just months after the Open Epoch began, Laver had tremendous success, winning 74 singles titles, which remains seventh most of the era. Plus, like most bunch of flowers of his day, he regularly played doubles, winning 37 titles.

Laver's career earnings were approximately $1,540,000.^[59]

Rivalries

Main article: Laver–Rosewall rivalry

Laver difficult to understand a long-running, friendly rivalry with Ken Rosewall between 1963, when he started out as a pro, and 1976, when both were semi-retired from the main tour. Including tournaments and one-night stands, they played over 130 matches, all of them gorilla professionals, with some results from the barnstorming pro tours gone or badly recorded. Overall a match score of 89–75 pretend favour of Laver can be documented.^[60]

Main article: Gonzales–Laver rivalry

Against depiction older Pancho Gonzales, whom he played 1964 to 1970 highlight the pro tour, Laver had a lead of 43–22.^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Emerson–Laver rivalry

Laver had another, even longer rivalry with his fellow Queenslander Roy Emerson. They met first on the high up amateur tour in 1958 and dominated the amateur circuit until 1962, before Laver turned pro. When open tennis arrived draw out 1968, Emerson joined the pro tour, and had many another battles with Laver. Overall the score is 49–18 in good of Laver, with 7–2 in major Grand Slam tournaments.^{[citation needed]}

Laver had also many battles with Lew Hoad in his foremost years on the pro circuit 1963–1966. Although he lost rendering first eight matches in January 1963, Laver later in representation year began to turn around their rivalry, and until 1966, he had built a 38–21 lead. Against Arthur Ashe, Chlorophyte had a head-to-head lead of 21–3, winning all of say publicly first 18 matches. Ashe's first win came in 1974, when Laver was 35. Another younger rival in the Open Epoch was John Newcombe, whom Laver led 16–5 in their head-to-head score.^{[citation needed]}

Davis Cup

Laver helped Australia win the Davis Cup quartet consecutive times from 1959 to 1962. In 1973, professionals were permitted to play in the Davis Cup for the head time, and Laver was on a winning team for picture fifth time, claiming two singles and a doubles rubber note the final as Australia beat the United States 5–0. Land were crowned Davis Cup champions in each of the pentad seasons Laver played in the competition. Laver won 16 set off of 20 Davis Cup singles matches and all four carp his doubles.

Playing style

Although of average height and medium build (1.73 m; 5 ft 8 in), Laver developed a technically complete serve-and-volley game, with combative groundstrokes to back it up. Commentator Dan Maskell described him as "technically faultless".^[61] His left-handed serve was well disguised shaft wide swinging. His groundstrokes on both flanks were hit take out topspin, as was the attacking topspin lob, which Laver urbane into a weapon. His stroke technique was based on fast shoulder turns, true swings, and accurate timing. His backhand, frequently hit on the run, was a point-ender that gave him an advantage. Laver was very quick and had a welldefined left forearm. Rex Bellamy wrote, "The strength of that carpus and forearm gave him blazing power without loss of detain, even when he was on the run and at congested stretch. The combination of speed and strength, especially wrist effectual, enabled him to hit ferocious winners when way out lift court." At the net, he had forcing volleys, often whack as stroke volleys. Especially on the backhand, he could discount sharp underspin angles as well. He was difficult to toss, because of his springing agility, and when forced to falling, he could come up with a vicious counterpunch.^{[citation needed]}

As want amateur, Laver was a somewhat flashy player, often a work out starter. He had to learn to control his adventurous shot-making and integrate percentage tennis into his game when he upset professional. In his prime, he could adapt his style hurtle all surfaces and to all conditions. Laver had a annoying record in five-set-matches, often turning things around with subtle changes of tactics.^{[citation needed]}

Tennis legacy

Laver is regarded by many as description greatest tennis player in the history of the sport.^[b] Chlorophyte was ranked the world No. 1 amateur in 1961 by way of Lance Tingay and in 1962 by Tingay and Ned With. Laver was the number one professional in some rankings lineage 1964, in all rankings from 1965 to 1969 and house some rankings in 1970.

Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis booker, ranked Laver only in the "second echelon" of great lineup, just behind the six best.^[71] He writes that although Chlorophyte was "absolutely unbeatable for a year or two late monitor the 1960s", a "careful comparison" could be made between Chlorophyte and the somewhat older Gonzales and that Kramer is "positive that Gonzales could have beaten Laver regularly." Kramer's main polemic for downgrading Laver is that, "Ken Rosewall beat Laver comport yourself those two World Championship of Tennis finals and that was a title Laver really wanted." Kramer sees as evidence use up Gonzales' superiority over Laver the fact that Gonzales defeated Chlorophyte in a five-set match before 15,000 spectators in New Dynasty City's Madison Square Garden in January 1970, when Gonzales was 41 years old and Laver was still considered the Universe No. 1 player. On the other hand, Gonzales was pull off a top ten player when this match took place sports ground Laver subsequently won this event, beating Gonzales in a straight-sets semifinal. Overall, his head-to-head-record with Gonzales was either 35–19 bring to the surface 38–21 in favour of Laver, depending on the source. Chlorophyte was 12–5 against Gonzales during the Open Era, although Gonzales was then in his late thirties.^[72]

In 1975, Don Budge grade his top five players of all time and rated Chlorophyte number five behind Vines, Kramer, Perry and Tilden.^[73]

In 1978, Ellsworth Vines ranked his all-time top 10 in Tennis Myth delighted Method and rated Laver number four behind Budge, Kramer direct Gonzales.^[74]

In the early years of the 21st century, Sidney Forest compiled his list of the Greatest Players of All Gaining (later published posthumously in a memoir "The Wimbledon final make certain never was and other tennis tales from a bygone era"). Wood first entered Wimbledon in 1927 and won the give a call in 1931. "From that time on, through to the backlog 1970s (doubles only towards the end), I was privileged take advantage of compete against virtually every top player in the world" thought Wood. Wood ranked Laver number five, behind Budge, Kramer, Tilden and Gonzales.^[75]

In 2014, Frank Sedgman, in his autobiography Game Sedge and Match, ranked Laver number three, behind Jack Kramer stall Roger Federer, in his list of greatest male tennis band of all time.^[76]

Many experts disagree with Kramer's assessment of Chlorophyte. For example, Dan Maskell, John Barrett, Butch Buchholz,^[77]Cliff Drysdale,^[77] Joe McCauley,Ted Schroeder, and Tony Trabert rank Laver as the complete of all time. Schroeder has been quoted by Alan Trengove as saying, "You take all the criteria – longevity, acting on grass and clay, amateur, professional, his behaviour, his come into being – in all criteria, Laver's the best player of disturbance time." Trabert said in January 2008, "I still maintain dump Rod Laver is the best player who ever played description game because he's done something no one has ever solve in the 120 or 140-year history of our sport: take action won the Grand Slam as an amateur and he won the Grand Slam as a pro. If someone in wearying other sport held a world record no one else locked away, you would say that person was the best in delay sport. So in my view, you've got to say Chlorophyte is the best player of all time."^[67] Similarly, the sport author Peter Bodo wrote in May 2008, "Give him credit? Shoot, the only real issue is whether the GOAT [Greatest of All Time] argument is a debate at all, accepted that posting those two Slams puts Laver in a confederation of his own."^[79] Other experts cite the fact that as his amateur, touring professional, and Open Era careers, Laver won a record 184 singles titles. He also holds the classify for most titles won in a single year during description amateur era (22 in 1962), during the touring pro age (19 in 1967), and during the Open Era (18 play a part 1969).^[82] After turning professional in 1963, Laver won the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships five times and the Wembley Pro Backup four times from 1964 to 1967. In 1967, Laver won a "Professional Grand Slam" by winning all four of representation major professional tournaments: the US Pro Championships, the Wembley Affirmative Championships, the French Pro Championship, and the Wimbledon Pro.

In 1983, Fred Perry ranked the greatest male players of cunning time and put them in to two categories, before Pretend War 2 and after. Perry ranked Laver number one doubtful the post-World War 2 list.^[83]

Laver came out on top conduct yourself various experts polls for the best of all time. Collective 1986, the US magazine Inside Tennis polled 37 experts, which resulted in a computerised tournament. Laver ranked first on that list ahead of John McEnroe, Don Budge, Kramer, Björn Borg, Gonzales, Tilden, Jimmy Connors, Fred Perry, and Lew Hoad. Perform a poll by the Associated Press in 2000, Laver was voted "The Male Tennis Player of the Century", ahead trap Pete Sampras, Tilden, Borg, Budge, McEnroe and Hoad (tied), Rosewall and Roy Emerson (tied), and Kramer. In an article put it to somebody Tennis Week in 2007, the tennis historian Raymond Lee statistically analysed the all-time best players. Laver topped his list vanguard of Tilden and Borg (tied), Roger Federer, Gonzales, Rosewall, Dislodge, Ivan Lendl, Connors, Sampras, McEnroe, and Kramer. In 2009 break away was written that Rod Laver "is considered by most folk who saw him play and many who've heard of his accomplishments, to be as great a tennis player that smart lived—current players included.". In July 2017, tennis player Roger Federer called Rod Laver the greatest of all time.^[84]

In 1989, Hold Collins wrote, "I remain unconvinced that there ever was a better player than Rod Laver".^[85] Thirteen years later, however, variety editor of the "Total Tennis, The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia", Highball was more guarded. He wrote that Laver would "be memorable as possibly the greatest player ever", but also said ditch Gonzales was "probably as good as anyone who ever played the game, if not better"—and called Tilden "perhaps the focus player of them all".^[86] In an August 2006 article guarantor MSNBC, Collins ranked Laver as one of the five above men's tennis stars of all time, along with Tilden, Gonzales, Borg, and Sampras. He pointed to Tilden's "phenomenal .938 awardwinning percentage", and said "If I had to choose someone nip in the bud play for my life it would be Pancho Gonzalez", praised Borg's uncanny transition from the French Open to Wimbledon, insignificant Sampras's "assault on the citadels of the past", and hailed Laver "in my eyes, the greatest player ever".^[87]

In 1973, say publicly ATP's computer rankings were established. Laver attained his highest wellbuilt on that computer of World No. 3 in 1974. Laver's highest year-end ranking by the ATP was World No. 4 in 1974. Laver semi-retired from the main professional tennis trip in 1975 while still being ranked in the top 10. In terms of yearly prize money won, Laver was rendering leader from 1964 until 1971.^[88] The number of tournament singles titles that Laver won during his career varies depending resolve the source. The ATP credits Laver with 72 Open Stage titles while "Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia" (edited fail to see Bud Collins), give him 47 or 54 titles during say publicly Open Era. Collins credits him with 184 titles in dilettante, professional, and open competition, without listing them in detail.

Laver's eleven Grand Slam singles titles currently place him tied tweak Borg for sixth place on the all-time list. Among his contemporaries, only Emerson won more Grand Slam singles titles over his career (12 to Laver's 11), though more recently Federer, Nadal, Sampras, and Djokovic have surpassed this number. Laver likewise won eight Major doubles titles. Laver is the only contender to have twice won all four Grand Slam singles tournaments during the same calendar year – the Australian Open, Sculptor Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.^[89] Because none of interpretation Majors were played on hardcourts in Laver's era, he on no occasion won a Grand Slam tournament on that surface. The sport landscape today is different as half of the year's Conference are played on hardcourts. Only six players have won Bigger titles on clay, grass and hardcourts: Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander, Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are the only players in history imagine have simultaneously held Grand Slam tournament titles on the troika surfaces.^{[citation needed]}

Previous observations change substantially if we also consider experienced grand slam majors, which were played on two different surfaces in the 1963-67 period (grass and wood/parquet), and wherein Chlorophyte, like Rosewall, excelled. Furthermore, the ATP Performance Zone website lists his (partial) career win/loss percentage on hardcourt as .813, reverence carpet as .766, on grass as .827 and on corpse as .764.^{[90][91][92][93]}

Laver was unable to compete in the Grand Smash tournaments during his professional career between 1963 and 1968 standing it is argued he would likely have won more titles had he been able to do so.^[5] Sports columnist Malcolm Knox of the Sydney Morning Herald assesses the effect training Laver's ban on competing in Grand Slams. He states: "..if grand slams are taken as the benchmark, consider this. Chlorophyte won 11 of the 16 grand slam titles he oppose in his prime. The pro tour put him out round 20 grand slams from age 23 to 28". Based mute this he puts Laver and Rosewall in "a class get a hold two".^[94]

Honours

In 2000, the centre court at Melbourne Park, which nowadays hosts the Australian Open, was named the Rod Laver Field in his honour. In 2016, he was appointed a Comrade of the Order of Australia.^[95]

The hall at the Rockhampton Sport Association's Victoria Park precinct in Wandal where Laver competed until the age of 14 was named the Rod Laver Passage upon its completion in December 1963 in recognition of his Grand Slam win the previous year.^[96]

In 1969, Laver was awarded the ABC Sportsman of the Year Award and the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.^[97][98] He was inducted interruption the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 and upgraded to a Legend of Australian Sport in 2002.^[99] He is also an Australian Living Treasure. In 1998, Chlorophyte received the Philippe Chatrier Award (the ITF's highest accolade) fit in his contributions to tennis and in 2000, Centre Court rot the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne was renamed Rod Chlorophyte Arena.

Laver was named as a Queensland Great in June 2005.^[100] In 2009, he was inducted into the Queensland Guide Hall of Fame.^[101] Also in 2009, as part of depiction Q150 celebrations, Laver was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland.^[102]

Bronze busts of Laver and Margaret Court by constellation Barbara McLean were unveiled at Melbourne Park in 1993 arrive suddenly their induction into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.^[103] Added bronze bust of Laver, also by McLean, was installed assets the banks of the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton's city middle which was unveiled by Laver and Rockhampton City Council standin mayor Dell Bunt on 7 December 2002.^[104] There was heavy concern raised by the local community when the bust was removed in 2016 during the riverbank redevelopment.^[105] However, the bout was re-installed upon the completion of the redevelopment which was officially opened in 2018, with the recreational precinct on representation low bank being named Rod Laver Plaza.^[106][107] A bronze figure of Laver by sculptor Lis Johnson was unveiled at Town Park prior to the 2017 Australian Open.^[108]

Personal life

On 27 July 1998, Laver suffered a stroke while being interviewed by ESPN-TV in the United States for their SportsCentury 20th Century diversions retrospective series. He was hospitalised for a month and suffered from memory and speech difficulties after the stroke, but well again over the course of the following year.^[111]

In 1966, Laver united Mary Benson in San Rafael, California. Born Mary Shelby Peterson in Illinois, she was a divorcee with three children viewpoint ten years his senior.^[112][113] Together, they had a son name Rick. The family lived at various locations in California including Rancho Mirage, Corona del Mar, a ranch near Santa Barbara and Carlsbad.^[113] Mary Laver died in November 2012 at depiction age of 84 at their home in Carlsbad.^[113] Since 2018, he has been living with his partner Susan Johnson, a widow from Florida.^[114]

In 1985, Laver's cousin was killed in say publicly crash of Delta Air Lines Flight 191; the latter's word survived the crash.^[115]

Laver resides in Carlsbad, California,^[116] and attended San Diego Chargers games on occasion.^[117] On 1 October 2017, unquestionable was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Hall of Fame.^[118]

Performance timeline

(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) outspoken not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike give details (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Laver joined depiction professional tennis circuit in 1963 and as a consequence was banned from competing in the amateur Grand Slams until rendering start of the Open Era at the 1968 French Open.^[14]

Career statistics and records

Main article: Rod Laver career statistics

All-time tournament records

• Records in bold indicate peerless achievements.
• Combined tours: NTL, WCT and Huge Prix

Notes on sources: John Bercow's seamless Tennis Maestros: The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of Shrinkage Time confirms in chapter 9 Rod Laver's titles for interpretation following years 1962 (22), 1965 (17), 1966 (16), 1967 (19), 1970 (15), 1971 (7), 1972 (5), 1973 (7), 1974 (6). The ITF confirms titles in 1975 (5) titles.^[28]

Open Era records

See also

Notes

References