Rod Laver - Wikipedia Rod Laver For the arena in Melbourne Park used for show matches in the Australian Open, see Rod Laver Arena. Rod Laver AC, MBE Full name Rodney George Laver Country ( sports ) Australia Residence Carlsbad, California, U.S. ( 1938 - 08 - 09 ) 9 August 1938 ( age 79 ) Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia Height 173 cm ( 5 ft 8 in ) Turned pro 1963 Retired 1977 Plays Left - handed ( one - handed backhand ) Prize money US $ 1,565,413 Int. Tennis HoF 1981 ( member page ) Singles Career record 536 -- 135 ( 79.88 % ) Career titles 200 ( 52 listed by ATP ) Highest ranking No. 1 ( 1961, Lance Tingay ) Grand Slam Singles results Australian Open W ( 1960, 1962, 1969 ) French Open W ( 1962, 1969 ) Wimbledon W ( 1961, 1962, 1968, 1969 ) US Open W ( 1962, 1969 ) Other tournaments Tour Finals RR -- 2nd ( 1970 ) WCT Finals F ( 1971, 1972 ) Professional majors US Pro W ( 1964, 1966, 1967 ) Wembley Pro W ( 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 ) French Pro W ( 1967 ) Doubles Career record 235 -- 77 ( 75.32 % ) Career titles 28 Highest ranking No. 11 ( per ATP ) Grand Slam Doubles results Australian Open W ( 1959, 1960, 1961, 1969 ) French Open W ( 1961 ) Wimbledon W ( 1970 ) US Open F ( 1960, 1970, 1973 ) Mixed doubles Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results Australian Open F ( 1959 ) French Open W ( 1961 ) Wimbledon W ( 1959, 1960 ) Team competitions Davis Cup W ( 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973 ) Rodney George Laver AC, MBE ( born 9 August 1938 ) is an Australian former tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport. He was the No. 1 ranked professional from 1964 to 1970, spanning four years before and three years after the start of the Open Era in 1968. He also was the No. 1 ranked amateur in 1961 -- 62. Laver 's 200 singles titles are the most in tennis history. This included his all - time men 's record of 10 or more titles per year for seven consecutive years ( 1964 -- 70 ). He excelled on all of the court surfaces of his time : grass, clay, hard, carpet, and wood / parquet. Despite being banned from playing the Grand Slam tournaments for the five years prior to the Open Era, he won 11 singles titles. Laver is the only player to twice achieve the calendar - year Grand Slam, in 1962 and 1969, and the latter remains the only time a man has done so in the Open Era. He also won eight Pro Slam titles, including the `` pro Grand Slam '' in 1967, and he contributed to five Davis Cup titles for Australia during an age when Davis Cup was deemed as significant as the Grand Slams. Contents 1 Personal life 2 Playing style 3 Career 3.1 Amateur ( 1956 -- 62 ) 3.2 Professional 3.2. 1 Before the Open Era ( 1963 -- 68 ) 3.2. 2 During the Open Era ( 1968 -- 76 ) 3.3 Rivalries 3.4 Davis Cup 4 Place among the all - time great tennis players 5 Honours 6 Post-retirement 7 Performance timeline 8 Career statistics and records 8.1 All - time tournament records 8.2 Open Era records 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 11.1 Sources 12 External links Personal Life Rodney George Laver was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, on 9 August 1938. He was the third of four children of Roy Laver, a cattleman and butcher, and his wife Melba Roffey. In 1966 Laver, aged 27, married Mary Benson in San Rafael, California. Born Mary Shelby Peterson in Illinois, she was a divorcee with three children. After their wedding ceremony, a group of well - known tennis players in attendance, including Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson, Mal Anderson and Barry MacKay, stood outside the church with raised tennis rackets that formed an archway for the newlyweds to walk under. Laver and Mary had a son and the family lived at various locations in California including Rancho Mirage, Corona del Mar, a ranch near Santa Barbara and Carlsbad. Mary Laver died in November 2012 at the age of 84 at their home in Carlsbad. Playing style Although of a slightly short and medium build ( 1.73 m / 5 ft 8 `` ), Laver developed a technically complete serve - and - volley game, with aggressive groundstrokes to back it up. Dan Maskell, the Voice of Wimbledon, described him as `` technically faultless. '' His left - handed serve was well disguised and wide swinging. His groundstrokes on both flanks were hit with topspin, as was the attacking topspin lob, which Laver developed into a weapon. His stroke technique was based on quick shoulder turns, true swings, and accurate timing. His backhand, often hit on the run, was a point - ender that gave him an advantage. Laver was very quick and had a strong left forearm. Rex Bellamy wrote, `` The strength of that wrist and forearm gave him blazing power without loss of control, even when he was on the run and at full stretch. The combination of speed and strength, especially wrist strength, enabled him to hit ferocious winners when way out of court. '' At the net, he had forcing volleys, often hit as stroke volleys. Especially on the backhand, he could hit sharp underspin angles as well. He was difficult to lob, because of his springing agility, and when forced to retreat, he could come up with a vicious counterpunch. As an amateur, Laver was a somewhat flashy player, often a late starter. He had to learn to control his adventurous shot - making and integrate percentage tennis into his game when he turned professional. In his prime, he could adapt his style to all surfaces and to all conditions. Laver had a strong record in five - set - matches, often turning things around with subtle changes of tactics. Career Amateur ( 1956 -- 62 ) Laver was a young boy when he left school to pursue a tennis career that lasted 24 years. He was coached in Queensland by Charlie Hollis and later by the Australian Davis Cup team captain Harry Hopman, who gave Laver the nickname `` Rocket ''. Laver was both Australian and US Junior champion in 1957. He had his breakthrough on the world stage in 1959, when he reached all three finals at Wimbledon, winning the mixed doubles title with Darlene Hard. As an unseeded player, he lost the singles final to Peruvian Alex Olmedo after surviving an 87 - game semifinal against American Barry MacKay. His first major singles title was the Australian 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 fourth set. Laver captured his first Wimbledon singles crown in 1961. In 1962, Laver became the first male player since Don Budge in 1938 to win all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same year and won an additional 18 titles ( 22 ) in all. 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 previously only by Lew Hoad in 1956. The biggest hurdle to Laver 's winning the Grand Slam was the French Championships on slow clay, where Laver won three consecutive five - setters beginning with the quarterfinals. In his quarterfinal with Martin Mulligan, Laver saved a matchpoint in the fourth set with a backhand volley after coming to the net behind a second serve. In the final, Laver lost the first two sets and was down 0 -- 3 in the fourth set before coming back to defeat Roy Emerson. At Wimbledon, his progress was much easier. Laver lost only one set the whole tournament, to Manuel Santana in a quarterfinal, who held a set point for a two set lead. At the US Championships, Laver lost only two sets during the tournament and defeated Emerson again in the final. In February 1963, he appeared on the panel game show To Tell the Truth, where all four panelists identified him based on his knowledge of the history of tennis. Professional Rod Laver signing autographs at the Dutch Championships in July 1962 Before the Open Era ( 1963 -- 68 ) In December 1962 Laver turned professional after winning the Davis Cup with the Australian team. After an initial period of adjustment he quickly established himself among 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 seven years, Laver won the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships five times, including four in a row beginning in 1966. In the beginning of 1963, Laver was beaten consistently by both Rosewall and Hoad on an Australasian tour. Hoad won the first eight matches against Laver, and Rosewall won 11 out of 13. By the end of the year, however, with six tournament titles, Laver had become the No. 2 professional player behind Rosewall. In 1964, Laver and Rosewall both won seven important titles ( in minor tournaments Laver won four and Rosewall won three ), but Laver won 15 of 19 matches against Rosewall and captured the two most prestigious titles, the US Pro Championships over Gonzales and the Wembley Championships over Rosewall. In tennis week, Raymond Lee has described the Wembley match, where Laver came from 5 -- 3 down 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 title, the French pro, was won by Rosewall. In 1965, Laver was clearly the No. 1 professional player, winning 17 titles and 13 of 18 matches against Rosewall. In ten finals, Laver won eight against the still dangerous Gonzales. In 1966, Laver won 16 events, including the US Pro Championships, the Wembley Pro Championship, and eight other important tournaments. In 1967, Laver won 19 titles, including the Wimbledon Pro, the US Pro Championships, the Wembley Pro Championship, and the French Pro Championship, which gave him a clean sweep of the most important professional titles, a professional Grand Slam. The tournament in 1967 on Wimbledon 's Centre Court was the only professional event ever staged on that court before the Open Era began. Laver beat Rosewall in the final 6 -- 2, 6 -- 2, 12 -- 10. During the Open Era ( 1968 -- 76 ) With the dawn of the Open Era in 1968, professional players were once again allowed to compete in Grand Slam events. Laver became Wimbledon 's first Open Era champion in 1968, beating the best amateur, American Arthur Ashe, in a semifinal and fellow - Australian Tony Roche in the final, both in straight sets. Laver was also the runner - up to Ken Rosewall in the first French Open. In this first `` open '' year, there were only eight open events besides Wimbledon and the French Open, where professionals, registered players, and amateurs could compete against each other. The professionals mainly played their own circuit, with two groups -- National Tennis League ( NTL ) and World Championships Tennis ( WCT ) -- operating. Laver was ranked No. 1 universally, winning the US Professional Championships on grass and the French Pro Championship on clay ( both over John Newcombe ). Laver also won the last big open event of the year, the Pacific Southwest in Los Angeles on hard courts. Ashe regarded Laver 's 4 -- 6, 6 -- 0, 6 -- 0 final win over Ken Rosewall as one of his finest performances. Laver 's post-match comment was, `` This is the kind of match you always dream about. The kind you play at night in your sleep. '' In 1969, Laver won all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same calendar year for the second time, sealing the achievement with a four - set win over Roche in the US Open final. He won 18 of the 32 singles tournaments he entered ( still the Open Era titles record ) and compiled a 106 -- 16 win - loss record. In beating Newcombe in four sets in the Wimbledon final, he captured the title at the All England Club for the fourth consecutive time that he had entered the tournament ( and reached the final for the sixth consecutive time as he had been runner - up in 1959 and 1960 ). He set a record of 31 consecutive match victories at Wimbledon between 1961 and 1970, which lasted until 1980 when it was eclipsed by Björn Borg. Unlike his first Grand Slam year in 1962, Laver in 1969 played in events open to all the best professional and amateur players of the world. In the year 's Grand Slam tournaments, Laver had five five - set - matches, twice coming back from two sets down in early rounds. In the four finals, however, he lost a total of only two sets. His hardest match was a marathon 90 - game semifinal against Roche at the Australian Open under tropical hot conditions. Other 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 the US Open on slippery grass courts, he defeated Dennis Ralston, Emerson, Ashe, and Roche. Laver proved his versatility by winning the Grand Slam tournaments on grass and clay, plus the two most important hard court titles ( South African Open at Ellis Park, Johannesburg and the US Professional Championships at Boston ) and the leading indoor tournaments ( Philadelphia US Pro Indoor and Wembley British Indoor ). With US $124,000 in prize money, he was also the first player to break the US $100,000 barrier in a year. In the early 1970s, Laver lost his grip on the major tournaments. He played only five Grand Slam tournaments from 1970 through 1972. This was partly because of his contracts with NTL and WCT. But on the WCT tours, he remained the leading player and by far the leading prize money winner. In 1970, Laver won 15 titles and US $201,453 in prize money, including the rich `` 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. With only two majors played by all the best players ( Wimbledon and the US Open ), there was no clear - cut World No. 1 in 1970. Wimbledon champion Newcombe, US champion Rosewall, and Laver ( who won the most titles and 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. Although Newcombe was top ranked by Lance Tingay, Newcombe wrote later in his autobiography `` Newk - Life on and off the Court '' ( 2002 ) that the top honour in 1970 belonged to Laver. In 1971 he won seven titles, including the Italian Open in Rome on clay over Jan Kodeš, the reigning French Open champion. Laver successfully defended his title at the `` Tennis Champions Classic '', winning 13 consecutive winner - take - all matches against top opponents and US $160,000. For the year, Laver won a then - record US $292,717 in tournament prize money and became the first tennis player to surpass US $1 million in career prize money. In 1971 and 1972, Laver finished as the points leader of the WCT tournament series but lost the playoff finals at Dallas to Rosewall. The last match is rated as one of the best of all time and drew a TV audience of over 20 million. Rod Laver at the 1976 ABN World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam In 1972, Laver cut back his tournament schedule, partly because of back and knee injuries and his tennis camp businesses, but he still won five titles that year. In 1973, Laver won seven titles and successfully participated in the semifinals and final of the Davis Cup, where he won all six of his rubbers for Australia. In 1974 Laver won six titles from 13 tournaments and ended the year as World No. 4 on the computer. At 36, he was the oldest player during 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 only a few selected events. He also signed with World Team Tennis, where he became `` Rookie of the Year '' at the age of 38 but won five titles overall that season. Overall, despite turning 30 just months after the Open Era began, Laver had tremendous success. He won 74 singles titles, which remains fifth most of the era, and his total singles match win rate of over 79 % places him in the top 10 of the era. Plus, like most players of his day, he regularly played doubles, winning 37 titles. Rivalries Main article : Laver -- Rosewall rivalry Laver had 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 as professionals, with some results from the barnstorming pro tours lost or badly recorded. Overall a match score of 79 -- 63 in favour of Laver can be documented. Main article : Laver - Gonzales rivalry Against the older Pancho Gonzales, whom he played 1964 to 1970 on the pro tour, Laver had a lead of 35 -- 19 or 38 -- 21, depending on the source. Main article : Laver - Emerson rivalry Laver had another, even longer rivalry with his fellow Queenslander Roy Emerson. They met first on the senior amateur tour in 1958 and dominated the amateur circuit until 1962, before Laver turned pro. When open tennis arrived in 1968, Emerson joined the pro tour, and had many new battles with Laver. Overall the score is 49 -- 18 in favour of Laver, with 7 -- 2 in major Grand Slam tournaments. Laver had also many battles with Lew Hoad in his first years on the pro circuit 1963 -- 1966. Although he lost the first 8 matches in January 1963, Laver later in the year began to turn around their rivalry, and until 1966, he had built a 38 -- 21 lead. Against Arthur Ashe, Laver had a head - to - head lead of 21 -- 3, winning all of the first 18 matches. Ashe 's first win came in 1974, when Laver was 35. Another younger rival in the Open Era was John Newcombe, whom Laver led 16 -- 5 in their head - to - head score. Davis Cup Laver helped Australia win the Davis Cup four consecutive times from 1959 -- 62. In 1973, professionals were permitted to play in the Davis Cup for the first time, and Laver was on a winning team for the fifth time, claiming two singles and a doubles rubber in the final as Australia beat the United States 5 -- 0. Australia were crowned Davis Cup champions in each of the five seasons Laver played in the competition. Laver won 16 out of 20 Davis Cup singles matches and all four of his doubles. Zone Round Date Opponents Tie score Location Surface Match Opponent W / L Rubber score 1959 Davis Cup NCA SF 18 -- 20 Jul 1959 Mexico 4 -- 1 Mexico City Clay Singles 2 Mario Llamas 4 -- 6, 4 -- 6, 3 -- 6 Singles 4 Tony Palafox 6 -- 3, 6 -- 8, 4 -- 6, 7 -- 5, 6 -- 3 NCA 24 -- 26 Jul 1959 Canada 5 -- 0 Montreal Grass Singles 2 Robert Bédard 8 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 4 Singles 5 François Godbout 7 -- 9, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 2, 6 -- 1 AIZ 31 Jul -- 2 Aug 1959 Cuba 5 -- 0 Montreal Grass Doubles ( Emerson ) Orlando Garrido Rey Garrido 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4 IZ SF 7 -- 10 Jul 1959 Italy 4 -- 1 Philadelphia Grass Singles 1 Nicola Pietrangeli 6 -- 4, 2 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 3 Singles 4 Orlando Sirola 4 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 0, 6 -- 3 IZ 14 -- 16 Aug 1959 India 4 -- 1 Boston Grass Singles 1 Ramanathan Krishnan 1 -- 6, 4 -- 6, 10 -- 8, 4 -- 6 Singles 4 Premjit Lall 6 -- 2, 10 -- 8, 6 -- 4 CR 28 -- 31 Aug 1959 United States 3 -- 2 New York City Grass Singles 1 Barry MacKay 5 -- 7, 4 -- 6, 1 -- 6 Singles 4 Alex Olmedo 7 -- 9, 6 -- 4, 8 -- 10, 10 -- 12 1960 Davis Cup CR 26 -- 28 Dec 1960 Italy 4 -- 1 Sydney Grass Singles 2 Nicola Pietrangeli 8 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 Singles 4 Orlando Sirola 9 -- 7, 6 -- 2, 6 -- 3 1961 Davis Cup CR 26 -- 28 Dec 1961 Italy 5 -- 0 Melbourne Grass Singles 2 Orlando Sirola 6 -- 1, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 Singles 4 Nicola Pietrangeli 6 -- 3, 3 -- 6, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 8 -- 6 1962 Davis Cup CR 26 -- 28 Dec 1962 Mexico 5 -- 0 Brisbane Grass Singles 1 Rafael Osuna 6 -- 2, 6 -- 1, 7 -- 5 Doubles ( Emerson ) Rafael Osuna Tony Palafox 7 -- 5, 6 -- 2, 6 -- 4 Singles 5 Tony Palafox 6 -- 1, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 8 -- 6 1973 Davis Cup IZ SF 16 -- 18 Nov 1973 Czechoslovakia 4 -- 1 Melbourne Grass Singles 1 Jan Kodeš 6 -- 3, 7 -- 5, 7 -- 5 Doubles ( Rosewall ) Jan Kodeš Vladimir Zednik 6 -- 4, 14 -- 12, 7 -- 9, 8 -- 6 Singles 4 Jiří Hřebec 6 -- 1, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 8 -- 6 CR 30 Nov -- 2 Dec 1973 United States 5 -- 0 Cleveland Carpet ( i ) Singles 2 Tom Gorman 8 -- 10, 8 -- 6, 6 -- 8, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 1 Doubles ( Newcombe ) Stan Smith Erik Van Dillen 6 -- 1, 6 -- 2, 6 -- 4 Singles 5 Stan Smith 6 -- 3, 6 -- 4, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 2 Place among the all - time great Tennis players The members of the press, notably Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph, issued subjective rankings for amateur players before the start of the Open Era and for all players after the start of that era. Laver was ranked by the press as the World No. 1 player in 1961 and 1962 ( as an amateur ) and in 1968 and 1969 ( as a professional ). According to the article, Bill Tilden was the best player for seven years and Pancho Gonzales for eight years. While Laver was indisputably the best player from 1965 through 1969, the article asserts that Laver had a valid claim for the top spot also for 1964 and 1970. Sculpture depicting Rod Laver outside the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne. Jack Kramer, the long - time tennis promoter, ranked Laver only in the `` second echelon '' of great players, just behind the six best. He writes that although Laver was `` absolutely unbeatable for a year or two late in the 1960s '', a `` careful comparison '' could be made between Laver and the somewhat older Gonzales and that Kramer is `` positive that Gonzales could have beaten Laver regularly. '' Kramer 's main argument for downgrading Laver is that, `` Ken Rosewall beat Laver in those two World Championship of Tennis finals and that was a title Laver really wanted. '' Kramer sees as evidence of Gonzales ' superiority over Laver the fact that Gonzales defeated Laver in a US $10,000 winner - take - all, five - set match before 15,000 spectators in New York City 's Madison Square Garden in January 1970, when Gonzales was 41 years old and Laver was still considered the World No. 1 player. On the other hand, Gonzales was still a top ten player when this match took place and Laver subsequently won this event, beating Gonzales in a straight - sets semifinal. Overall, his head - to - head - record with Gonzales was either 35 -- 19 or 38 -- 21 in favour of Laver, depending on the source. Laver was 12 -- 5 against Gonzales during the Open Era, although Gonzales was then in his late thirties. Many experts disagree with Kramer 's assessment of Laver. For example, Dan Maskell, John Barrett, Joe McCauley, Ted Schroeder, and Tony Trabert rank Laver as the best of all time. Schroeder has been quoted by Alan Trengove as saying, `` You take all the criteria -- longevity, playing on grass and clay, amateur, professional, his behaviour, his appearance -- in all criteria, Laver 's the best player of all time. '' Trabert said in January 2008, `` I still maintain that Rod Laver is the best player who ever played the game because he 's done something no one has ever done in the 120 or 140 - year history of our sport : he won the Grand Slam as an amateur and he won the Grand Slam as a pro. If someone in some other sport held a world record no one else had, you would say that person was the best in that sport. So in my view, you 've got to say Laver is the best player of all time. '' Similarly, the tennis 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, given that posting those two Slams puts Laver in a league of his own. '' Other experts cite the fact that during his amateur, touring professional, and Open Era careers, Laver won a record 184 singles titles. He also holds the record for most titles won in a single year during the amateur era ( 22 in 1962 ), during the touring pro era ( 19 in 1967 ), and during the Open Era ( 18 in 1969 ). After turning professional in 1963, Laver won the U.S. Pro Tennis Championships five times and the Wembley Pro Championship four times from 1964 to 1967. In 1967, Laver won a `` Professional Grand Slam '' by winning all four of the major professional tournaments : the US Pro Championships, the Wembley Pro Championships, the French Pro Championship, and the Wimbledon Pro. Laver came out on top in various experts polls for the best of all time. In 1986, the US magazine Inside Tennis polled 37 experts, which resulted in a computerised tournament. Laver ranked first on this list ahead of John McEnroe, Don Budge, Kramer, Björn Borg, Gonzales, Tilden, Jimmy Connors, Fred Perry, and Lew Hoad. In a poll by the Associated Press in 2000, Laver was voted `` The Male Tennis Player of the Century '', ahead of Pete Sampras, Tilden, Borg, Budge, McEnroe and Hoad ( tied ), Rosewall and Roy Emerson ( tied ), and Kramer. In an article in Tennis Week in 2007, the tennis historian Raymond Lee statistically analysed the all - time best players. Laver topped his list ahead of Tilden and Borg ( tied ), Roger Federer, Gonzales, Rosewall, Budge, Ivan Lendl, Connors, Sampras, McEnroe, and Kramer. Rod Laver at Noordwijk in 1964 In 1989, Bud Collins wrote, `` I remain unconvinced that there ever was a better player than Rod Laver ''. Thirteen years later, however, as editor of the `` Total Tennis, The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia '', Collins was more guarded. He wrote that Laver would `` be known as possibly the greatest player ever. '' but also said that Gonzales was `` probably as good as anyone who ever played the game, if not better. '' And Collins called Tilden `` perhaps the greatest player of them all. '' In an August 2006 article for MSNBC, Collins ranked Laver as one of the five top men 's tennis stars of all time, along with Tilden, Gonzales, Borg, and Sampras. He pointed to Tilden 's `` phenomenal. 938 winning percentage '', said `` If I had to choose someone to play for my life it would be Pancho Gonzalez '', praised Borg 's uncanny transition from the French Open to Wimbledon, cited Sampras 's `` assault on the citadels of the past '', and called Laver `` in my eyes, the greatest player ever ''. In 1973, the ATP 's computer rankings were established. Laver attained his highest ranking 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 tour in 1975 while still being ranked in the top 10. In terms of yearly prize money won, Laver was the leader from 1964 until 1971. The number of tournament singles titles that Laver won during his career varies depending on the source. The ATP credits Laver with 46 Open Era titles while `` Total Tennis : The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia '' ( edited by Bud Collins ), give him 47 or 54 titles during the Open Era alone. Collins credits him with 184 titles in amateur, professional, and open competition, without listing them in detail. Laver 's eleven Grand Slam singles titles currently place him tied with Borg for sixth place on the all - time list. Only Sampras, Emerson, Nadal, Federer and Djokovic have won more Grand Slam singles titles. Laver also won eight Major doubles titles. Laver is the only player to have twice won all four Grand Slam singles tournaments during the same calendar year although three of the four Grand Slams were played on grass at the time -- the Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. Because none of the Majors were played on hardcourts in Laver 's era, he never won a Grand Slam tournament on that surface. The tennis landscape today is different as half of the year 's Majors are played on hardcourts. Only six players have won Major 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 to have simultaneously held Grand Slam tournament titles on the three surfaces. Previous observations change substantially if we also consider professional grand slam majors, which were played on three different surfaces ( clay, grass and wood / parquet ), and wherein Laver, like Rosewall, excelled. Furthermore, the ATP Performance Zone website lists his ( partial ) career win / loss percentage on hardcourt as. 813, on carpet as. 766, on grass as. 827 and on clay as. 764. Laver was unable to compete in the Grand Slam tournaments during his professional career between 1963 and 1968 and it is argued he would likely have won more titles had he been able to do so. Sports columnist Malcolm Knox of the Sydney Morning Herald assesses the effect of Laver 's ban on competing in Grand Slams. He states : ``... if grand slams are taken as the benchmark, consider this. Laver won 11 of the 16 grand slam titles he contested in his prime. The pro tour put him out of 20 grand slams from age 23 to 28 ''. Based on this he puts Laver and Rosewall in `` a class of two ''. Honours In 1969, Laver was awarded the ABC Sportsman of the Year Award. Laver was inducted into 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. He is also an Australian Living Treasure. In 2000, Centre Court at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne was renamed Rod Laver Arena. In 2009 Laver was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame. A footbridge in Brisbane, connecting the Yeerongpilly rail station to the Queensland Tennis Centre, was named after him. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Rod Laver was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for his role as a `` sports legends ''. Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE ) 1970 Queen 's Birthday Honours -- `` For service to Tennis '' Australian Sports Medal 30 August 2000 -- `` Possibly the greatest player ever. The only player to capture two `` Grand Slams '' '' Companion of the Order of Australia ( AC ) 2016 Australia Day Honours -- `` For eminent service to tennis as a player, representative and mentor, at the national and international level, and as a role model for young sportsmen and women ''. Post-retirement On 27 July 1998, Laver suffered a stroke while being interviewed by ESPN - TV in the United States for their SportsCentury 20th Century sports retrospective series. He made a good recovery with excellent medical care. In 2000, the centre court at Melbourne Park, which today hosts the Australian Open, was named the Rod Laver Arena in his honour. In 2003, Laver, along with his fellow Australian tennis superstar Margaret Court, was honoured with his portrait on a postage stamp by the `` Australia Post Australian Legends Award ''. Laver returned to his native country to present Roger Federer in 2006 and 2017, Rafael Nadal in 2009 and Novak Djokovic in 2012 the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, which is awarded to the Men 's Singles winner of the Australian Open. He was present to witness Federer make tennis history at Wimbledon when he beat Pete Sampras ' record by winning his 15th Grand Slam Title. Laver resides in Carlsbad, California, and attends San Diego Chargers games on occasion. After the short - lived reintroduction of knighthoods in Australia in 2014, there were calls for Laver to be knighted within the Order of Australia. In 2016 Laver was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, by which time knighthoods had again been abolished and the Companion was the highest honour available in the Order. Performance timeline Key SF QF # R RR Q # NH ( W ) Won ; ( F ) finalist ; ( SF ) semifinalist ; ( QF ) quarterfinalist ; ( # R ) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1 ; ( RR ) round - robin stage ; ( Q # ) qualification round ; ( A ) absent ; ( NH ) not held. Laver joined the professional tennis circuit in 1963 and as a consequence was banned from competing in the amateur Grand Slams until the start of the Open Era at the 1968 French Open. Tournament Amateur career Professional career Open career ' 56 ' 57 ' 58 ' 59 ' 60 ' 61 ' 62 ' 63 ' 64 ' 65 ' 66 ' 67 ' 68 ' 69 ' 70 ' 71 ' 72 ' 73 ' 74 ' 75 ' 76 ' 77 Grand Slam Tournaments Australian Open 1R 1R 2R 3R 3R French Open 1R 2R 3R 3R SF Wimbledon 1R 3R 4R QF 2R US Open 1R 4R QF 4R 4R 4R 3R 4R Pro Slam Tournaments U.S. Pro not a Major French Pro not a Major Wembley Pro QF not a Major 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 Grand Prix Championship Record accomplished Player tied Reference Pro Slam tournaments Won the calendar year Professional Grand Slam ( 1967 ) Ken Rosewall Grand Slam tournaments Won the calendar year Grand Slam twice ( 1962, 1969 ) Stands alone Grand Slam tournaments 2 + titles at all four Majors ( 1969 ) Roy Emerson All Slam tournaments Titles on 3 different surfaces Ellsworth Vines Don Budge Ken Rosewall Andre Agassi Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Wembley Professional Championships Won 4 consecutive titles overall ( 1964 -- 67 ) Ken Rosewall Career all tournaments 200 career titles ( 1956 -- 76 ) Stands alone Career all tournaments 6, 15 + title seasons ( 1962, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70 ) Stands alone Career all tournaments 7 consecutive 10 + title seasons ( 1964 -- 70 ) Stands alone Career all tournaments 16 consecutive 5 + title seasons ( 1960 -- 75 ) Stands alone Notes on sources : John Bercows book Tennis Maestros : The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time by Biteback Publishing, Jun 2, 2014 confirms in chapter 9 Rod Laver 's titles for the following years 1962 ( 22 ), 1965 ( 17 ), 1966 ( 16 ), 1967 ( 19 ), 1970 ( 15 ), 1971 ( 7 ), 1972 ( 5 ), 1973 ( 7 ), 1974 ( 6 ) found here : Tennis Maestros : The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time by John Bercow. The ITF confirms titles in 1975 ( 5 ) titles, Open Era records This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. ( July 2015 ) Championship Years Record accomplished Player tied Reference Australian Open -- US Open 1969 Grand Slam Stands alone Wimbledon Australian Open French Open US Open 1968 1969 1969 1969 Career Grand Slam Andre Agassi Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Grand Slam tournaments 1969 100 % ( 26 -- 0 ) match winning percentage in 1 season Jimmy Connors Grand Slam tournaments 1969 All 4 finals in a calendar year Roger Federer Novak Djokovic Combined tours 1968 -- 70 3 consecutive 10 + title seasons Roger Federer Combined tours 1969 18 titles in 1 season Stands alone Grand Prix Tour 1970 5 Grand Prix Championship Series titles won in 1 season Björn Borg Grand Prix Tour 1969 -- 75 90 % ( 18 -- 2 ) career match winning percentage in hard court finals Stands alone Grand Prix Tour 1968 -- 75 38 titles at age 30 + Stands alone See also Tennis portal All - time tennis records -- men 's singles Open Era tennis records -- men 's singles Notes ^ Jump up to : During the Open Era, as listed by the Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) Jump up ^ See References Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver ''. atpworldtour.com. Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. ^ Jump up to : United States Lawn Tennis Association ( 1972 ). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis ( First Edition ), p. 427. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver - Top 10 Men 's Tennis Players of All Time ''. Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` Bud Collins on MSNBC ( 2006 ) ''. MSNBC. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ Alistair Campbell and others on Times Online ( 2004 ) Jump up ^ Bruce Jenkins ( 13 September 2006 ). `` Bruce Jenkins in San Francisco Chronicle ( 2006 ) ''. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ Miller, David ( 15 January 2007 ). `` David Miller in Daily Telegraph ( 2007 ) ''. The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 6 July 2009. ^ Jump up to : IMG Media ( 30 January 2008 ). `` The Tennis Week Interview : Tony Trabert ''. Tennisweek.com. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ `` John Barrett and Peter Burwash ( 2004 ) ''. Slam.canoe.ca. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ `` Ray Bowers on Tennis Server ( 2000 ) ''. Tennisserver.com. 23 December 2000. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ IMG Media. `` Raymond Lee : The greatest tennis player of all time. A statistical Analysis, on Tennis week, 14 September 2007 ''. Tennisweek.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009. ^ Jump up to : Dave Anderson ( 30 August 2009 ). `` The Greatest ? Do n't Forget Laver 's Lost Years ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver : Hall of Famers Inductee ''. www.tennisfame.com. International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ Tignor, Steve ( 6 December 2013 ). `` 40 Years Ago : Look Out, Cleveland ''. tennis.com. Retrieved 12 May 2015. Jump up ^ Fein, Paul ( 2002 ). Tennis Confidential : Today 's Greatest Players, Matches, and Controversies. Potomac Books, Inc. p. 49. ISBN 978 - 1 - 57488 - 526 - 2. Jump up ^ Debolt, Abbe A. ; Baugess, James S. ( 31 December 2011 ). Encyclopedia of the Sixties : A Decade of Culture and Counterculture : A Decade of Culture and Counterculture. ABC - CLIO. pp. 362 --. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4408 - 0102 - 0. Jump up ^ Laver & Writer ( 2014 ), p. 2 Jump up ^ `` Rod lost plane and ticket but won bride. ''. The Australian Women 's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 6 July 1966. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Tennis great Rod Laver loses his partner in life ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver and Mary Benson After Wedding Ceremony ''. www.corbisimages.com. Corbis. Jump up ^ Will Swanton ( 3 July 2009 ). `` Who 's the greatest ? Laver or Federer ? Who better to ask than Muscles Rosewall... ''. www.smh.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald. ^ Jump up to : Garber, Greg ( 7 September 2009 ). `` Laver 's season Slam stands test of time ''. sports.espn.go.com. ESPN. Jump up ^ `` To Tell the Truth Primetime Episode guide 1566 - 67 ''. `` To Tell the Truth '' On the Web. Retrieved 17 June 2016. Jump up ^ McCauley ( 2003 ), p. 228 Jump up ^ a ) `` The History of Professional Tennis '' by Joe McCauley : Chapter 27 title, p. 123 : `` New pro Laver takes second place to Rosewall, b ) '' -- Rod Laver -- The red - headed rocket from Rockhampton '' by Betty Laver p. 61 and 153, c ) Butch Buchholz in World Tennis Volume 13 Number 8 ( January 1966 ) p. 38 Jump up ^ Earl `` Butch '' Buchholz in World Tennis Volume 13 Number 8 ( January 1966 ) p. 38 ^ Jump up to : Bercow, John. `` Tennis Maestros : The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time ''. books.google.lk. Biteback Publishing, Chapter 9. Retrieved 30 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver ' Still The Greatest '. ''. The Canberra Times ( ACT : 1926 - 1995 ). ACT : National Library of Australia. 5 July 1968. p. 18. Jump up ^ `` Wimbledon ' Cake - Walk ' -- Laver All The Way ; 6 - 3 6 - 4 6 - 2. ''. The Canberra Times ( ACT : 1926 - 1995 ). ACT : National Library of Australia. 6 July 1968. p. 32. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver wins 4th title ''. Kentucky New Era. AP. 9 September 1968. p. 21. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver Captures Singles ''. Lewiston Morning Tribune. 23 September 1968. Jump up ^ Deford, Frank ; Ashe, Arthur. Arthur Ashe : Portrait in Motion. New York : Carroll & Graf Publishers. p. 198. ISBN 0 - 7867 - 0050 - 5. ^ Jump up to : `` Player 's Details : Rod Laver ''. www.itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation ( ITF ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ Kramer considered the best player ever to have been either Don Budge ( for consistent play ) or Ellsworth Vines ( at the height of his game ). The next four best were, chronologically, Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Bobby Riggs and Pancho Gonzales. After these six came the `` second echelon '' of Laver, Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Gottfried von Cramm, Ted Schroeder, Jack Crawford, Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert, John Newcombe, Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Björn Borg and Jimmy Connors. He felt unable to rank Henri Cochet and René Lacoste accurately but felt they were among the very best. Jump up ^ McCauley, Joe ( 2003 ). The History of Professional Tennis ; Collins, Bud ; Laver, Rodney George ( 1973 ). The Education of a Tennis Player. New York : Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0 - 671 - 21533 - 7. Jump up ^ McCauley ( 2003 ), p. 156 Jump up ^ `` Laver in a class of his own ''. ESPN. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Jump up ^ McCauley ( 2003 ), p. 121 Jump up ^ McCauley ( 2003 ), p. 137 Jump up ^ Collins, Bud ; Laver, Rodney George ( 1973 ). The Education of a Tennis Player. New York : Simon and Schuster. pp. 308 -- 10. ISBN 0 - 671 - 21533 - 7. Jump up ^ Collins, Bud ( 1989 ). My Life With the Pros. New York : E.P. Dutton. ISBN 0 - 525 - 24659 - 2. Jump up ^ Collins, Bud ( 2003 ). Total Tennis : The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia. Kingston, New York : Sport Media Publishing. pp. 673, 693, 749. ISBN 0 - 9731443 - 4 - 3. Jump up ^ The Collins article : http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14489546/ Jump up ^ Collins, Bud ( 2003 ). Total Tennis : The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia. Kingston, New York : Sport Media Publishing. ISBN 0 - 9731443 - 4 - 3. Jump up ^ Robson, Douglas ( 8 June 2009 ). `` Let the debate begin ''. USAToday. Retrieved 7 July 2009. Jump up ^ `` ATP Win / Loss Index On Hard ''. Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` ATP Win / Loss Index On Carpet ''. Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` ATP Win / Loss Index On Grass ''. Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` ATP Win / Loss Index On Clay ''. Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ). Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ Knox, Malcolm. `` The day Rocket Rod Laver almost blew up ''. 31 October 2013. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2014. Jump up ^ Ampol Australian Sporting Records ( 8th rev. ed. ). Sydney : Bantam. 1988. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver MBE ''. Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 10 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Mr Rod Laver MBE ''. Queensland Sport Hall of Fame. qsport.org.au. Retrieved 20 January 2014. Jump up ^ Tony Moore ( 24 October 2014 ). `` Rocket Rod signs up for Brisbane International honour ''. www.brisbanetimes.com.au. Brisbane Times. Jump up ^ Bligh, Anna ( 10 June 2009 ). `` PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND 'S 150 ICONS ''. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` It 's an Honour : MBE ''. It 's an Honour. Australian Government. June 1970. Retrieved 10 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` It 's an Honour : Australian Sports Medal ''. It 's an Honour. Australian Government. 30 August 2000. Retrieved 10 September 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Australia Day : Rod Laver given highest honour for a lifetime of service to tennis ''. ABC News. Australia. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016. Jump up ^ Elizabeth McGarr ( 13 July 2009 ). `` Rod Laver ''. Sports Illustrated. 111 ( 2 ) : 76. Jump up ^ Paris, Jay ( 17 June 2005 ). `` Federer is Laver 's Wimbledon favorite ''. North County Times. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Jump up ^ Paris, Jay ( 16 January 2010 ). `` Shooting the Breeze with... Tennis Great Rod Laver ''. U-T San Diego. Jump up ^ Wells, Kathryn. `` Tennis -- ' the golden age ' of the 1960s -- 70s and beyond ''. 20 June 2013. Australian Government. Retrieved 24 April 2014. Jump up ^ Sclink, Leo ( 20 January 2012 ). `` Rod Laver 's priceless Grand Slam ''. www.dailytelegraph.com.au. Herald Sun. Retrieved 27 January 2015. Jump up ^ Gitlin, Marty. `` Best Tennis Players of All Time ''. books.google.ae. Abdo Publishing Company, 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Jump up ^ Zikov, Sergey ( 6 July 2009 ). `` Dispelling the Myths of `` Rocket '' Rod Laver ``. bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report, Inc. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Jump up ^ Chapman, Kim ( 26 August 1968 ). `` Open Season For A Test Of Time ''. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 24 April 2014. Jump up ^ Throsby, Maragret. `` The Rod Laver Interview ''. 3 November 2013. ABC Radio Australia. Retrieved 24 April 2014. Jump up ^ Bevis, Marianne ( 3 February 2010 ). `` Great Men of Tennis : Rod Laver the Modest Rocket ''. sportsthenandnow.com. Sports Then and Now. Retrieved 30 October 2015. ^ Jump up to : McElhinney, Paul ( 19 August 2013 ). `` Tennis Legend Rod Laver Turns 75 ''. www.stevegtennis.com. Steve G Tennis. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ Zikov, Sergey. `` Dispelling the Myths of `` Rocket '' Rod Laver ``. bleacherreport.com. Bleacher Report Inc, Turner Sports. Retrieved 31 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Rod Laver : Inductee ''. www.tennisfame.com. International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 November 2015. Jump up ^ Craft, Kevin ( 24 May 2012 ). `` Clay, Grass, Hard Court ? For Tennis 's Top Players, It Does n't Matter Anymore ''. www.theatlantic.com. The Atlantic Webzine. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Jump up ^ Sundar, Shyam ( 14 September 2015 ). `` # 360Stats : Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer -- 2015 US Open final ''. sport360.com. Sports360 News. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Jump up ^ Newbury, Piers ( 14 September 2015 ). `` US Open 2015 : Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer in final, Elite company ''. www.bbc.com. BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Jump up ^ Tignor, Steve ( 5 February 2015 ). `` 1969 : Rod Laver Wins His Second Grand Slam ''. www.tennis.com. Tennis.com. Retrieved 27 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` Laver backs Hewitt 's Aussie open charge ''. www.ninemsn.com.au. NineMSN. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015. Sources Barrett, John ; Maskell, Dan ( 1989 ). Oh, I say !. London : Fontana. ISBN 0 - 00 - 637434 - 4. FitzSimons, Peter ( 2006 ). Great Australian Sports Champions. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0 - 7322 - 8517 - 8. Bercow, John ( 2014 ). Tennis Maestros : The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time, Biteback Publishing, ASIN : B00KPSCV40 Bellamy, Rex ( 1990 ). Love Thirty. Three Decades of Champions. Collins, Bud ; Laver, Rodney George ( 1973 ). The Education of a Tennis Player. New York : Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0 - 671 - 21533 - 7. Deford, Frank ; Kramer, Jack ( 1979 ). The Game : My 40 Years in Tennis. New York : Putnam. ISBN 0 - 399 - 12336 - 9. Heldman, Julius. The Style of Rod Laver. In Phillips, Caryl ( 1999 ). The Right Set : A Tennis Anthology. New York : Vintage Books. ISBN 0 - 375 - 70646 - 1. Laver, Betty ( 2001 ). Rod Laver : The Red - headed Rocket from Rockhampton. Gladstone, Qld : Betty Laver. ISBN 0 - 9579932 - 0 - X. McCauley, Joe ( 2003 ). The History of Professional Tennis. Windsor : The Short Run Book Company Limited. Newcombe, John ; Writer, Larry ( 2002 ). Newk -- Life on and Off the Court. Sutter, Michel ( 1992 ). Vainqueurs - Winners 1946 -- 1991 ( forewords by Arthur Ashe and Mark Miles ). Trengove, Alan ( 2003 ). Advantage Australia. Rod Laver and Margaret Court : Legends of the Grand Slam. Laver, Rod ; Writer, Larry ( 2014 ). Rod Laver : An Autobiography. London : Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781760111243. OCLC 887686666. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rod Laver. Rod Laver at the Association of Tennis Professionals Rod Laver at the International Tennis Federation Rod Laver at the Davis Cup Rod Laver at the International Tennis Hall of Fame Sport Australia Hall of Fame Official Wimbledon website profile BBC profile Awards and achievements Preceded by Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year 1969 Succeeded by Pelé Rod Laver in the Grand Slam tournaments Australasian and Australian Championships men 's singles champions ( 1905 ) Rodney Heath ( 1906 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1907 ) Horace Rice ( 1908 ) Fred Alexander ( 1909 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1910 ) Rodney Heath ( 1911 ) Norman Brookes ( 1912 ) James Parke ( 1913 ) Ernie Parker ( 1914 ) Arthur O'Hara Wood ( 1915 ) Gordon Lowe ( 1916 -- 1918 ) No competition ( due to World War I ) ( 1919 ) Algernon Kingscote ( 1920 ) Pat O'Hara Wood ( 1921 ) Rhys Gemmell ( 1922 ) James Anderson ( 1923 ) Pat O'Hara Wood ( 1924 ) James Anderson ( 1925 ) James Anderson ( 1926 ) John Hawkes ( 1927 ) Gerald Patterson ( 1928 ) Jean Borotra ( 1929 ) John Colin Gregory ( 1930 ) Edgar Moon ( 1931 ) Jack Crawford ( 1932 ) Jack Crawford ( 1933 ) Jack Crawford ( 1934 ) Fred Perry ( 1935 ) Jack Crawford ( 1936 ) Adrian Quist ( 1937 ) Vivian McGrath ( 1938 ) Don Budge ( 1939 ) John Bromwich ( 1940 ) Adrian Quist ( 1941 -- 1945 ) No competition ( due to World War II ) ( 1946 ) John Bromwich ( 1947 ) Dinny Pails ( 1948 ) Adrian Quist ( 1949 ) Frank Sedgman ( 1950 ) Frank Sedgman ( 1951 ) Dick Savitt ( 1952 ) Ken McGregor ( 1953 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1954 ) Mervyn Rose ( 1955 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1956 ) Lew Hoad ( 1957 ) Ashley Cooper ( 1958 ) Ashley Cooper ( 1959 ) Alex Olmedo ( 1960 ) Rod Laver ( 1961 ) Roy Emerson ( 1962 ) Rod Laver ( 1963 ) Roy Emerson ( 1964 ) Roy Emerson ( 1965 ) Roy Emerson ( 1966 ) Roy Emerson ( 1967 ) Roy Emerson ( 1968 ) William Bowrey French Championships men 's singles champions ( 1891 ) H. Briggs ( 1892 ) Jean Schopfer ( 1893 ) Laurent Riboulet ( 1894 ) André Vacherot ( 1895 ) André Vacherot ( 1896 ) André Vacherot ( 1897 ) Paul Aymé ( 1898 ) Paul Aymé ( 1899 ) Paul Aymé ( 1900 ) Paul Aymé ( 1901 ) André Vacherot ( 1902 ) Michel Vacherot ( 1903 ) Max Decugis ( 1904 ) Max Decugis ( 1905 ) Maurice Germot ( 1906 ) Maurice Germot ( 1907 ) Max Decugis ( 1908 ) Max Decugis ( 1909 ) Max Decugis ( 1910 ) Maurice Germot ( 1911 ) André Gobert ( 1912 ) Max Decugis ( 1913 ) Max Decugis ( 1914 ) Max Decugis ( 1915 -- 1919 ) No competition ( due to World War I ) ( 1920 ) André Gobert ( 1921 ) Jean Samazeuilh ( 1922 ) Henri Cochet ( 1923 ) François Blanchy ( 1924 ) Jean Borotra ( 1925 ) René Lacoste ( 1926 ) Henri Cochet ( 1927 ) René Lacoste ( 1928 ) Henri Cochet ( 1929 ) René Lacoste ( 1930 ) Henri Cochet ( 1931 ) Jean Borotra ( 1932 ) Henri Cochet ( 1933 ) Jack Crawford ( 1934 ) Gottfried von Cramm ( 1935 ) Fred Perry ( 1936 ) Gottfried von Cramm ( 1937 ) Henner Henkel ( 1938 ) Don Budge ( 1939 ) Don McNeill ( 1940 -- 1945 ) No competition ( due to World War II ) ( 1946 ) Marcel Bernard ( 1947 ) József Asbóth ( 1948 ) Frank Parker ( 1949 ) Frank Parker ( 1950 ) Budge Patty ( 1951 ) Jaroslav Drobný ( 1952 ) Jaroslav Drobný ( 1953 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1954 ) Tony Trabert ( 1955 ) Tony Trabert ( 1956 ) Lew Hoad ( 1957 ) Sven Davidson ( 1958 ) Mervyn Rose ( 1959 ) Nicola Pietrangeli ( 1960 ) Nicola Pietrangeli ( 1961 ) Manuel Santana ( 1962 ) Rod Laver ( 1963 ) Roy Emerson ( 1964 ) Manuel Santana ( 1965 ) Fred Stolle ( 1966 ) Tony Roche ( 1967 ) Roy Emerson Pre Open Era Wimbledon gentlemen 's singles champions ( 1877 ) Spencer Gore ( 1878 ) Frank Hadow ( 1879 ) John Hartley ( 1880 ) John Hartley ( 1881 ) William Renshaw ( 1882 ) William Renshaw ( 1883 ) William Renshaw ( 1884 ) William Renshaw ( 1885 ) William Renshaw ( 1886 ) William Renshaw ( 1887 ) Herbert Lawford ( 1888 ) Ernest Renshaw ( 1889 ) William Renshaw ( 1890 ) Willoughby Hamilton ( 1891 ) Wilfred Baddeley ( 1892 ) Wilfred Baddeley ( 1893 ) Joshua Pim ( 1894 ) Joshua Pim ( 1895 ) Wilfred Baddeley ( 1896 ) Harold Mahony ( 1897 ) Reginald Doherty ( 1898 ) Reginald Doherty ( 1899 ) Reginald Doherty ( 1900 ) Reginald Doherty ( 1901 ) Arthur Gore ( 1902 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1903 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1904 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1905 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1906 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1907 ) Norman Brookes ( 1908 ) Arthur Gore ( 1909 ) Arthur Gore ( 1910 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1911 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1912 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1913 ) Anthony Wilding ( 1914 ) Norman Brookes ( 1915 -- 18 ) No competition ( due to World War I ) ( 1919 ) Gerald Patterson ( 1920 ) Bill Tilden ( 1921 ) Bill Tilden ( 1922 ) Gerald Patterson ( 1923 ) Bill Johnston ( 1924 ) Jean Borotra ( 1925 ) René Lacoste ( 1926 ) Jean Borotra ( 1927 ) Henri Cochet ( 1928 ) René Lacoste ( 1929 ) Henri Cochet ( 1930 ) Bill Tilden ( 1931 ) Sidney Wood ( 1932 ) Ellsworth Vines ( 1933 ) Jack Crawford ( 1934 ) Fred Perry ( 1935 ) Fred Perry ( 1936 ) Fred Perry ( 1937 ) Don Budge ( 1938 ) Don Budge ( 1939 ) Bobby Riggs ( 1940 -- 45 ) No competition ( due to World War II ) ( 1946 ) Yvon Petra ( 1947 ) Jack Kramer ( 1948 ) Bob Falkenburg ( 1949 ) Ted Schroeder ( 1950 ) Budge Patty ( 1951 ) Dick Savitt ( 1952 ) Frank Sedgman ( 1953 ) Vic Seixas ( 1954 ) Jaroslav Drobný ( 1955 ) Tony Trabert ( 1956 ) Lew Hoad ( 1957 ) Lew Hoad ( 1958 ) Ashley Cooper ( 1959 ) Alex Olmedo ( 1960 ) Neale Fraser ( 1961 ) Rod Laver ( 1962 ) Rod Laver ( 1963 ) Chuck McKinley ( 1964 ) Roy Emerson ( 1965 ) Roy Emerson ( 1966 ) Manuel Santana ( 1967 ) John Newcombe U.S. National Championships men 's singles champions ( 1881 ) Richard Sears ( 1882 ) Richard Sears ( 1883 ) Richard Sears ( 1884 ) Richard Sears ( 1885 ) Richard Sears ( 1886 ) Richard Sears ( 1887 ) Richard Sears ( 1888 ) Henry Slocum ( 1889 ) Henry Slocum ( 1890 ) Oliver Campbell ( 1891 ) Oliver Campbell ( 1892 ) Oliver Campbell ( 1893 ) Robert Wrenn ( 1894 ) Robert Wrenn ( 1895 ) Frederick Hovey ( 1896 ) Robert Wrenn ( 1897 ) Robert Wrenn ( 1898 ) Malcolm Whitman ( 1899 ) Malcolm Whitman ( 1900 ) Malcolm Whitman ( 1901 ) William Larned ( 1902 ) William Larned ( 1903 ) Laurence Doherty ( 1904 ) Holcombe Ward ( 1905 ) Beals Wright ( 1906 ) William Clothier ( 1907 ) William Larned ( 1908 ) William Larned ( 1909 ) William Larned ( 1910 ) William Larned ( 1911 ) William Larned ( 1912 ) Maurice E. McLoughlin ( 1913 ) Maurice E. McLoughlin ( 1914 ) R. Norris Williams ( 1915 ) Bill Johnston ( 1916 ) R. Norris Williams ( 1917 ) Robert Lindley Murray ( 1918 ) Robert Lindley Murray ( 1919 ) Bill Johnston ( 1920 ) Bill Tilden ( 1921 ) Bill Tilden ( 1922 ) Bill Tilden ( 1923 ) Bill Tilden ( 1924 ) Bill Tilden ( 1925 ) Bill Tilden ( 1926 ) René Lacoste ( 1927 ) René Lacoste ( 1928 ) Henri Cochet ( 1929 ) Bill Tilden ( 1930 ) John Doeg ( 1931 ) Ellsworth Vines ( 1932 ) Ellsworth Vines ( 1933 ) Fred Perry ( 1934 ) Fred Perry ( 1935 ) Wilmer Allison ( 1936 ) Fred Perry ( 1937 ) Don Budge ( 1938 ) Don Budge ( 1939 ) Bobby Riggs ( 1940 ) Don McNeill ( 1941 ) Bobby Riggs ( 1942 ) Ted Schroeder ( 1943 ) Joseph Hunt ( 1944 ) Frank Parker ( 1945 ) Frank Parker ( 1946 ) Jack Kramer ( 1947 ) Jack Kramer ( 1948 ) Pancho Gonzales ( 1949 ) Pancho Gonzales ( 1950 ) Arthur Larsen ( 1951 ) Frank Sedgman ( 1952 ) Frank Sedgman ( 1953 ) Tony Trabert ( 1954 ) Vic Seixas ( 1955 ) Tony Trabert ( 1956 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1957 ) Malcolm Anderson ( 1958 ) Ashley Cooper ( 1959 ) Neale Fraser ( 1960 ) Neale Fraser ( 1961 ) Roy Emerson ( 1962 ) Rod Laver ( 1963 ) Rafael Osuna ( 1964 ) Roy Emerson ( 1965 ) Manuel Santana ( 1966 ) Fred Stolle ( 1967 ) John Newcombe Australasian and Australian Championships men 's doubles champions 1905 : Randolph Lycett / Tom Tachell 1906 : Rodney Heath / Anthony Wilding 1907 : Bill Gregg / Harry Parker 1908 : Fred Alexander / Alfred Dunlop 1909 : J.P. Keane / Ernie Parker 1910 : Ashley Campbell / Horace Rice 1911 : Rodney Heath / Randolph Lycett 1912 : James Parke / Charles Dixon 1913 : A. Hedeman / Ernie Parker 1914 : Ashley Campbell / Gerald Patterson 1915 : Horace Rice / C.V. Todd 1916 -- 1918 : No competition ( due to World War I ) 1919 : Pat O'Hara Wood / Ronald Thomas 1920 : Pat O'Hara Wood / Ronald Thomas 1921 : S.H. Eaton / Rhys Gemmell 1922 : John Hawkes / Gerald Patterson 1923 : Pat O'Hara Wood / Bert St. John 1924 : James Anderson / Norman Brookes 1925 : Pat O'Hara Wood / Gerald Patterson 1926 : John Hawkes / Gerald Patterson 1927 : John Hawkes / Gerald Patterson 1928 : Jean Borotra / Jacques Brugnon 1929 : Jack Crawford / Harry Hopman 1930 : Jack Crawford / Harry Hopman 1931 : Charles Donohoe / Roy Dunlop 1932 : Jack Crawford / Edgar Moon 1933 : Keith Gledhill / Ellsworth Vines 1934 : Pat Hughes / Fred Perry 1935 : Jack Crawford / Vivian McGrath 1936 : Adrian Quist / Don Turnbull 1937 : Adrian Quist / Don Turnbull 1938 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1939 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1940 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1941 -- 1945 : No competition ( due to World War II ) 1946 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1947 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1948 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1949 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1950 : John Bromwich / Adrian Quist 1951 : Frank Sedgman / Ken McGregor 1952 : Frank Sedgman / Ken McGregor 1953 : Lew Hoad / Ken Rosewall 1954 : Mervyn Rose / Rex Hartwig 1955 : Vic Seixas / Tony Trabert 1956 : Lew Hoad / Ken Rosewall 1957 : Neale Fraser / Lew Hoad 1958 : Ashley Cooper / Neale Fraser 1959 : Rod Laver / Bob Mark 1960 : Rod Laver / Bob Mark 1961 : Rod Laver / Bob Mark 1962 : Roy Emerson / Neale Fraser 1963 : Bob Hewitt / Fred Stolle 1964 : Bob Hewitt / Fred Stolle 1965 : John Newcombe / Tony Roche 1966 : Roy Emerson / Fred Stolle 1967 : John Newcombe / Tony Roche 1968 : Dick Crealy / Allan Stone French Championships men 's doubles champions ( 1891 ) B. Desjoyau / T. Legrand ( 1892 ) Diaz Albertini / J. Havet ( 1893 ) J. Goldsmith / Jean Schopfer ( 1894 ) Gérard Brosselin / J. Lesage ( 1895 ) André Vacherot / Christian Winzer ( 1896 ) Francky Wardan / Wynes ( 1897 ) Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton ( 1898 ) Xenophon Casdagli / Michel Vacherot ( 1899 ) Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton ( 1900 ) Paul Aymé / Paul Lebreton ( 1901 ) André Vacherot / Michel Vacherot ( 1902 ) Max Decugis / Jacques Worth ( 1903 ) Max Decugis / Jacques Worth ( 1904 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1905 ) Max Decugis / Jacques Worth ( 1906 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1907 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1908 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1909 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1910 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1911 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1912 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1913 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1914 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1915 -- 1919 ) No competition ( due to World War I ) ( 1920 ) Max Decugis / Maurice Germot ( 1921 ) André Gobert / William Laurentz ( 1922 ) Jacques Brugnon / Marcel Dupont ( 1923 ) Jean - François Blanchy / Jean Samazeuilh ( 1924 ) Jean Borotra / René Lacoste ( 1925 ) Jean Borotra / René Lacoste ( 1926 ) Vincent Richards / Howard Kinsey ( 1927 ) Henri Cochet / Jacques Brugnon ( 1928 ) Jean Borotra / Jacques Brugnon ( 1929 ) René Lacoste / Jean Borotra ( 1930 ) Henri Cochet / Jacques Brugnon ( 1931 ) George Lott / John Van Ryn ( 1932 ) Henri Cochet / Jacques Brugnon ( 1933 ) Pat Hughes / Fred Perry ( 1934 ) Jean Borotra / Jacques Brugnon ( 1935 ) Jack Crawford / Adrian Quist ( 1936 ) Jean Borotra / Marcel Bernard ( 1937 ) Gottfried von Cramm / Henner Henkel ( 1938 ) Bernard Destremau / Yvon Petra ( 1939 ) Don McNeill / Charles Harris ( 1940 - 1945 ) No competition ( due to World War II ) ( 1946 ) Marcel Bernard / Yvon Petra ( 1947 ) Eustace Fannin / Eric Sturgess ( 1948 ) Lennart Bergelin / Jaroslav Drobný ( 1949 ) Pancho Gonzales / Frank Parker ( 1950 ) Bill Talbert / Tony Trabert ( 1951 ) Ken McGregor / Frank Sedgman ( 1952 ) Ken McGregor / Frank Sedgman ( 1953 ) Lew Hoad / Ken Rosewall ( 1954 ) Vic Seixas / Tony Trabert ( 1955 ) Vic Seixas / Tony Trabert ( 1956 ) Don Candy / Bob Perry ( 1957 ) Malcolm Anderson / Ashley Cooper ( 1958 ) Ashley Cooper / Neale Fraser ( 1959 ) Nicola Pietrangeli / Orlando Sirola ( 1960 ) Roy Emerson / Neale Fraser ( 1961 ) Roy Emerson / Rod Laver ( 1962 ) Roy Emerson / Neale Fraser ( 1963 ) Roy Emerson / Manuel Santana ( 1964 ) Roy Emerson / Ken Fletcher ( 1965 ) Roy Emerson / Fred Stolle ( 1966 ) Clark Graebner / Dennis Ralston ( 1967 ) John Newcombe / Tony Roche French Championships mixed doubles champions ( 1902 ) Helene Prevost / Réginald Forbes ( 1903 ) Helene Prevost / Réginald Forbes ( 1904 ) Kate Gillou / Max Decugis ( 1905 ) Yvonne de Pfooffel / Max Decugis ( 1906 ) Yvonne de Pfooffel / Max Decugis ( 1907 ) A. Péan / Robert Wallet ( 1908 ) Kate Gillou / Max Decugis ( 1909 ) Jeanne Matthey / Max Decugis ( 1910 ) Marguerite Mény / Édouard Mény de Marangue ( 1911 ) Marguerite Broquedis / Andre Gobert ( 1912 ) Daisy Speranza / William Laurentz ( 1913 ) Daisy Speranza / William Laurentz ( 1914 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Max Decugis ( 1915 -- 1919 ) No competition ( due to World War I ) ( 1920 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Max Decugis ( 1921 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Jacques Brugnon ( 1922 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Jacques Brugnon ( 1923 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Jacques Brugnon ( 1924 ) Marguerite Broquedis / Jean Borotra ( 1925 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Jacques Brugnon ( 1926 ) Suzanne Lenglen / Jacques Brugnon ( 1927 ) Marguerite Broquedis Bordes / Jean Borotra ( 1928 ) Eileen Bennett / Henri Cochet ( 1929 ) Eileen Bennett / Henri Cochet ( 1930 ) Cilly Aussem / Bill Tilden ( 1931 ) Betty Nuthall / Pat Spence ( 1932 ) Betty Nuthall / Fred Perry ( 1933 ) Margaret Scriven / Jack Crawford ( 1934 ) Colette Rosambert / Jean Borotra ( 1935 ) Lolette Payot / Marcel Bernard ( 1936 ) Billie Yorke / Marcel Bernard ( 1937 ) Simonne Mathieu / Yvon Petra ( 1938 ) Simonne Mathieu / Dragutin Mitić ( 1939 ) Sarah Palfrey Fabyan / Elwood Cooke ( 1940 -- 1945 ) No competition ( due to World War II ) ( 1946 ) Pauline Betz / Budge Patty ( 1947 ) Sheila Piercey / Eric Sturgess ( 1948 ) Patricia Canning Todd / Jaroslav Drobný ( 1949 ) Sheila Piercey / Eric Sturgess ( 1950 ) Barbara Scofield / Enrique Morea ( 1951 ) Doris Hart / Frank Sedgman ( 1952 ) Doris Hart / Frank Sedgman ( 1953 ) Doris Hart / Vic Seixas ( 1954 ) Maureen Connolly / Lew Hoad ( 1955 ) Darlene Hard / Gordon Forbes ( 1956 ) Thelma Coyne Long / Luis Ayala ( 1957 ) Věra Pužejová / Jiří Javorský ( 1958 ) Shirley Bloomer / Nicola Pietrangeli ( 1959 ) Yola Ramírez Ochoa / William Knight ( 1960 ) Maria Bueno / Robert Howe ( 1961 ) Darlene Hard / Rod Laver ( 1962 ) Renée Schuurman / Robert Howe ( 1963 ) Margaret Smith / Ken Fletcher ( 1964 ) Margaret Smith / Ken Fletcher ( 1965 ) Margaret Smith / Ken Fletcher ( 1966 ) Annette Van Zyl / Frew McMillan ( 1967 ) Billie Jean King / Owen Davidson Pre Open Era Wimbledon mixed doubles champions 1913 : Hope Crisp / Agnes Tuckey 1914 : James Parke / Ethel Thomson Larcombe 1915 -- 18 : No competition ( due to World War I ) 1919 : Randolph Lycett / Elizabeth Ryan 1920 : Gerald Patterson / Suzanne Lenglen 1921 : Randolph Lycett / Elizabeth Ryan 1922 : Pat O'Hara Wood / Suzanne Lenglen 1923 : Randolph Lycett / Elizabeth Ryan 1924 : John Gilbert / Kathleen McKane Godfree 1925 : Jean Borotra / Suzanne Lenglen 1926 : Leslie Godfree / Kathleen McKane Godfree 1927 : Francis Hunter / Elizabeth Ryan 1928 : Patrick Spence / Elizabeth Ryan 1929 : Frank Hunter / Helen Wills Moody 1930 : Jack Crawford / Elizabeth Ryan 1931 : George Lott / Anna McCune Harper 1932 : Enrique Maier / Elizabeth Ryan 1933 : Gottfried von Cramm / Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling 1934 : Ryuki Miki / Dorothy Round Little 1935 : Fred Perry / Dorothy Round Little 1936 : Fred Perry / Dorothy Round Little 1937 : Don Budge / Alice Marble 1938 : Don Budge / Alice Marble 1939 : Bobby Riggs / Alice Marble 1940 -- 45 : No competition ( due to World War II ) 1946 : Tom Brown / Louise Brough Clapp 1947 : John Bromwich / Louise Brough Clapp 1948 : John Bromwich / Louise Brough Clapp 1949 : Eric Sturgess / Sheila Piercey Summers 1950 : Eric Sturgess / Louise Brough Clapp 1951 : Frank Sedgman / Doris Hart 1952 : Frank Sedgman / Doris Hart 1953 : Vic Seixas / Doris Hart 1954 : Vic Seixas / Doris Hart 1955 : Vic Seixas / Doris Hart 1956 : Vic Seixas / Shirley Fry Irvin 1957 : Mervyn Rose / Darlene Hard 1958 : Robert Howe / Lorraine Coghlan Robinson 1959 : Rod Laver / Darlene Hard 1960 : Rod Laver / Darlene Hard 1961 : Fred Stolle / Lesley Turner Bowrey 1962 : Neale Fraser / Margaret Osborne duPont 1963 : Ken Fletcher / Margaret Court 1964 : Fred Stolle / Lesley Turner Bowrey 1965 : Ken Fletcher / Margaret Court 1966 : Ken Fletcher / Margaret Court 1967 : Owen Davidson / Billie Jean King Australian Open men 's singles champions ( 1969 ) Rod Laver ( 1970 ) Arthur Ashe ( 1971 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1972 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1973 ) John Newcombe ( 1974 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1975 ) John Newcombe ( 1976 ) Mark Edmondson ( 1977 ( Jan ) ) Roscoe Tanner ( 1977 ( Dec ) ) Vitas Gerulaitis ( 1978 ) Guillermo Vilas ( 1979 ) Guillermo Vilas ( 1980 ) Brian Teacher ( 1981 ) Johan Kriek ( 1982 ) Johan Kriek ( 1983 ) Mats Wilander ( 1984 ) Mats Wilander ( 1985 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1986 ) Not Held ( 1987 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1988 ) Mats Wilander ( 1989 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1990 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1991 ) Boris Becker ( 1992 ) Jim Courier ( 1993 ) Jim Courier ( 1994 ) Pete Sampras ( 1995 ) Andre Agassi ( 1996 ) Boris Becker ( 1997 ) Pete Sampras ( 1998 ) Petr Korda ( 1999 ) Yevgeny Kafelnikov ( 2000 ) Andre Agassi ( 2001 ) Andre Agassi ( 2002 ) Thomas Johansson ( 2003 ) Andre Agassi ( 2004 ) Roger Federer ( 2005 ) Marat Safin ( 2006 ) Roger Federer ( 2007 ) Roger Federer ( 2008 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2009 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2010 ) Roger Federer ( 2011 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2012 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2013 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2014 ) Stanislas Wawrinka ( 2015 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2016 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2017 ) Roger Federer French Open men 's singles champions ( 1968 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1969 ) Rod Laver ( 1970 ) Jan Kodeš ( 1971 ) Jan Kodeš ( 1972 ) Andrés Gimeno ( 1973 ) Ilie Năstase ( 1974 ) Björn Borg ( 1975 ) Björn Borg ( 1976 ) Adriano Panatta ( 1977 ) Guillermo Vilas ( 1978 ) Björn Borg ( 1979 ) Björn Borg ( 1980 ) Björn Borg ( 1981 ) Björn Borg ( 1982 ) Mats Wilander ( 1983 ) Yannick Noah ( 1984 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1985 ) Mats Wilander ( 1986 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1987 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1988 ) Mats Wilander ( 1989 ) Michael Chang ( 1990 ) Andrés Gómez ( 1991 ) Jim Courier ( 1992 ) Jim Courier ( 1993 ) Sergi Bruguera ( 1994 ) Sergi Bruguera ( 1995 ) Thomas Muster ( 1996 ) Yevgeny Kafelnikov ( 1997 ) Gustavo Kuerten ( 1998 ) Carlos Moyá ( 1999 ) Andre Agassi ( 2000 ) Gustavo Kuerten ( 2001 ) Gustavo Kuerten ( 2002 ) Albert Costa ( 2003 ) Juan Carlos Ferrero ( 2004 ) Gastón Gaudio ( 2005 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2006 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2007 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2008 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2009 ) Roger Federer ( 2010 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2011 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2012 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2013 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2014 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2015 ) Stan Wawrinka ( 2016 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2017 ) Rafael Nadal Wimbledon ( Open Era ) gentlemen 's singles champions ( 1968 ) Rod Laver ( 1969 ) Rod Laver ( 1970 ) John Newcombe ( 1971 ) John Newcombe ( 1972 ) Stan Smith ( 1973 ) Jan Kodeš ( 1974 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1975 ) Arthur Ashe ( 1976 ) Björn Borg ( 1977 ) Björn Borg ( 1978 ) Björn Borg ( 1979 ) Björn Borg ( 1980 ) Björn Borg ( 1981 ) John McEnroe ( 1982 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1983 ) John McEnroe ( 1984 ) John McEnroe ( 1985 ) Boris Becker ( 1986 ) Boris Becker ( 1987 ) Pat Cash ( 1988 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1989 ) Boris Becker ( 1990 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1991 ) Michael Stich ( 1992 ) Andre Agassi ( 1993 ) Pete Sampras ( 1994 ) Pete Sampras ( 1995 ) Pete Sampras ( 1996 ) Richard Krajicek ( 1997 ) Pete Sampras ( 1998 ) Pete Sampras ( 1999 ) Pete Sampras ( 2000 ) Pete Sampras ( 2001 ) Goran Ivanišević ( 2002 ) Lleyton Hewitt ( 2003 ) Roger Federer ( 2004 ) Roger Federer ( 2005 ) Roger Federer ( 2006 ) Roger Federer ( 2007 ) Roger Federer ( 2008 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2009 ) Roger Federer ( 2010 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2011 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2012 ) Roger Federer ( 2013 ) Andy Murray ( 2014 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2015 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2016 ) Andy Murray ( 2017 ) Roger Federer US Open men 's singles champions ( 1968 ) Arthur Ashe ( 1969 ) Rod Laver ( 1970 ) Ken Rosewall ( 1971 ) Stan Smith ( 1972 ) Ilie Năstase ( 1973 ) John Newcombe ( 1974 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1975 ) Manuel Orantes ( 1976 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1977 ) Guillermo Vilas ( 1978 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1979 ) John McEnroe ( 1980 ) John McEnroe ( 1981 ) John McEnroe ( 1982 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1983 ) Jimmy Connors ( 1984 ) John McEnroe ( 1985 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1986 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1987 ) Ivan Lendl ( 1988 ) Mats Wilander ( 1989 ) Boris Becker ( 1990 ) Pete Sampras ( 1991 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1992 ) Stefan Edberg ( 1993 ) Pete Sampras ( 1994 ) Andre Agassi ( 1995 ) Pete Sampras ( 1996 ) Pete Sampras ( 1997 ) Patrick Rafter ( 1998 ) Patrick Rafter ( 1999 ) Andre Agassi ( 2000 ) Marat Safin ( 2001 ) Lleyton Hewitt ( 2002 ) Pete Sampras ( 2003 ) Andy Roddick ( 2004 ) Roger Federer ( 2005 ) Roger Federer ( 2006 ) Roger Federer ( 2007 ) Roger Federer ( 2008 ) Roger Federer ( 2009 ) Juan Martín del Potro ( 2010 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2011 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2012 ) Andy Murray ( 2013 ) Rafael Nadal ( 2014 ) Marin Čilić ( 2015 ) Novak Djokovic ( 2016 ) Stan Wawrinka ( 2017 ) Rafael Nadal Australian Open men 's doubles champions 1969 Rod Laver / Roy Emerson 1970 Bob Lutz / Stan Smith 1971 John Newcombe / Tony Roche 1972 Ken Rosewall / Owen Davidson 1973 John Newcombe / Malcolm Anderson 1974 Ross Case / Geoff Masters 1975 John Alexander / Phil Dent 1976 John Newcombe / Tony Roche 1977 ( Jan ) Arthur Ashe / Tony Roche 1977 ( Dec ) Ray Ruffels / Allan Stone 1978 Wojciech Fibak / Kim Warwick 1979 Peter McNamara / Paul McNamee 1980 Mark Edmondson / Kim Warwick 1981 Mark Edmondson / Kim Warwick 1982 John Alexander / John Fitzgerald 1983 Mark Edmondson / Paul McNamee 1984 Mark Edmondson / Sherwood Stewart 1985 Paul Annacone / Christo van Rensburg 1987 Stefan Edberg / Anders Järryd 1988 Rick Leach / Jim Pugh 1989 Rick Leach / Jim Pugh 1990 Pieter Aldrich / Danie Visser 1991 Scott Davis / David Pate 1992 Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde 1993 Danie Visser / Laurie Warder 1994 Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis 1995 Jared Palmer / Richey Reneberg 1996 Stefan Edberg / Petr Korda 1997 Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde 1998 Jonas Björkman / Jacco Eltingh 1999 Jonas Björkman / Patrick Rafter 2000 Ellis Ferreira / Rick Leach 2001 Jonas Björkman / Todd Woodbridge 2002 Mark Knowles / Daniel Nestor 2003 Fabrice Santoro / Michaël Llodra 2004 Fabrice Santoro / Michaël Llodra 2005 Wayne Black / Kevin Ullyett 2006 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2007 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2008 Jonathan Erlich / Andy Ram 2009 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2010 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2011 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2012 Leander Paes / Radek Štěpánek 2013 Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2014 Łukasz Kubot / Robert Lindstedt 2015 Simone Bolelli / Fabio Fognini 2016 Jamie Murray / Bruno Soares 2017 Henri Kontinen / John Peers Wimbledon ( Open Era ) gentlemen 's doubles champions ( 1968 ) John Newcombe / Tony Roche ( 1969 ) John Newcombe / Tony Roche ( 1970 ) John Newcombe / Tony Roche ( 1971 ) Roy Emerson / Rod Laver ( 1972 ) Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan ( 1973 ) Jimmy Connors / Ilie Năstase ( 1974 ) John Newcombe / Tony Roche ( 1975 ) Vitas Gerulaitis / Gene Mayer ( 1976 ) Brian Gottfried / Raúl Ramírez ( 1977 ) Ross Case / Geoff Masters ( 1978 ) Bob Hewitt / Frew McMillan ( 1979 ) Peter Fleming / John McEnroe ( 1980 ) Peter McNamara / Paul McNamee ( 1981 ) Peter Fleming / John McEnroe ( 1982 ) Peter McNamara / Paul McNamee ( 1983 ) Peter Fleming / John McEnroe ( 1984 ) Peter Fleming / John McEnroe ( 1985 ) Heinz Günthardt / Balázs Taróczy ( 1986 ) Joakim Nyström / Mats Wilander ( 1987 ) Ken Flach / Robert Seguso ( 1988 ) Ken Flach / Robert Seguso ( 1989 ) John Fitzgerald / Anders Järryd ( 1990 ) Rick Leach / Jim Pugh ( 1991 ) John Fitzgerald / Anders Järryd ( 1992 ) John McEnroe / Michael Stich ( 1993 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 1994 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 1995 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 1996 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 1997 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 1998 ) Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis ( 1999 ) Mahesh Bhupathi / Leander Paes ( 2000 ) Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde ( 2001 ) Donald Johnson / Jared Palmer ( 2002 ) Jonas Björkman / Todd Woodbridge ( 2003 ) Jonas Björkman / Todd Woodbridge ( 2004 ) Jonas Björkman / Todd Woodbridge ( 2005 ) Stephen Huss / Wesley Moodie ( 2006 ) Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan ( 2007 ) Arnaud Clément / Michaël Llodra ( 2008 ) Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjić ( 2009 ) Daniel Nestor / Nenad Zimonjić ( 2010 ) Jürgen Melzer / Philipp Petzschner ( 2011 ) Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan ( 2012 ) Jonathan Marray / Frederik Nielsen ( 2013 ) Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan ( 2014 ) Vasek Pospisil / Jack Sock ( 2015 ) Jean - Julien Rojer / Horia Tecău ( 2016 ) Pierre - Hugues Herbert / Nicolas Mahut ( 2017 ) Łukasz Kubot / Marcelo Melo Grand Slam / non-calendar year / career Grand Slam - winning singles / doubles tennis players Grand Slam Men 's singles 1938 : Don Budge 1962 : Rod Laver 1969 : Rod Laver Women 's singles 1953 : Maureen Connolly 1970 : Margaret Court 1988 : Steffi Graf Men 's doubles 1951 : Ken McGregor / Frank Sedgman Women 's doubles 1960 : Maria Bueno 1984 : Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver 1998 : Martina Hingis Mixed doubles 1963 : Margaret Court / Ken Fletcher 1965 : Margaret Court 1967 : Owen Davidson Non-calendar year Grand Slam Men 's singles 2015 -- 16 : Novak Djokovic Women 's singles 1983 -- 84 : Martina Navratilova 1993 -- 94 : Steffi Graf 2002 -- 03 : Serena Williams 2014 -- 15 : Serena Williams Men 's doubles 2012 -- 13 : Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan Women 's doubles 1949 -- 50 : Louise Brough 1986 -- 87 : Martina Navratilova / Pam Shriver 1992 -- 93 : Gigi Fernández / Natasha Zvereva 1996 -- 97 : Natasha Zvereva 2009 -- 10 : Serena Williams / Venus Williams Mixed doubles 1967 -- 68 Billie Jean King Career Grand Slam Men 's singles 1933 - 34 - 35 : Fred Perry 1937 - 38 : Don Budge 1960 - 61 - 62 : Rod Laver 1961 - 63 - 64 : Roy Emerson 1992 - 94 - 95 - 99 : Andre Agassi 2003 - 04 - 09 : Roger Federer 2005 - 08 - 09 - 10 : Rafael Nadal 2008 - 11 - 16 : Novak Djokovic Women 's singles 1951 - 52 - 53 : Maureen Connolly 1949 - 50 - 51 - 54 : Doris Hart 1951 - 56 - 57 : Shirley Fry Irvin 1960 - 62 - 63 : Margaret Court 1966 - 67 - 68 - 72 : Billie Jean King 1974 - 75 - 82 : Chris Evert 1978 - 81 - 82 - 83 : Martina Navratilova 1987 - 88 : Steffi Graf 1999 - 2002 - 03 : Serena Williams 2004 - 06 - 08 - 12 : Maria Sharapova Men 's doubles 1935 - 36 - 39 : Adrian Quist 1948 - 50 - 51 Frank Sedgman 1951 : Ken McGregor 1953 -- 56 : Lew Hoad / Ken Rosewall 1957 - 58 - 59 : Neale Fraser 1959 - 60 - 62 : Roy Emerson 1965 -- 67 : John Newcombe / Tony Roche 1962 - 64 - 67 - 77 : Bob Hewitt 1982 - 84 - 86 - 89 : John Fitzgerald 1983 - 87 - 89 : Anders Järryd 1994 - 95 - 98 : Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis 1989 - 92 -- 93 - 2000 : Mark Woodforde 1992 -- 93 - 95 - 2000 : Todd Woodbridge 1998 - 2002 - 03 - 05 : Jonas Björkman 2003 - 05 - 06 : Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan 2002 - 04 - 07 - 08 : Daniel Nestor 1999 - 2006 - 12 : Leander Paes Women 's doubles 1942 - 46 - 50 : Louise Brough Clapp 1947 - 48 - 50 - 51 : Doris Hart 1950 - 51 - 57 : Shirley Fry Irvin 1956 -- 1957 : Althea Gibson 1958 -- 60 : Maria Bueno 1961 -- 64 : Lesley Turner Bowrey 1961 - 63 - 64 : Margaret Court 1964 - 66 - 69 - 70 : Judy Tegart Dalton 1980 -- 81 : Kathy Jordan / Anne Smith 1975 - 76 - 77 - 80 : / Martina Navratilova 1981 - 82 - 83 - 84 : Pam Shriver 1989 - 90 - 93 : Helena Suková 1988 -- 90 - 91 - 92 : Gigi Fernández 1989 - 90 - 91 - 93 : / Natasha Zvereva 1989 - 90 - 94 : Jana Novotná 1996 - 97 - 98 : Martina Hingis 1999 - 2000 - 01 : Serena Williams / Venus Williams 2000 - 01 - 06 : Lisa Raymond 2012 - 13 - 14 : Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci Mixed doubles 1925 - 26 - 27 - 28 Jean Borotra 1949 -- 51 : Doris Hart / Frank Sedgman 1961 - 1963 : Margaret Court 1962 - 1963 : Ken Fletcher 1965 - 66 - 67 : Owen Davidson 1967 -- 68 : Billie Jean King 1969 -- 75 : Marty Riessen 1961 - 70 - 77 - 79 : Bob Hewitt 1992 -- 93 - 95 : Mark Woodforde 1990 - 93 - 94 - 95 : Todd Woodbridge 1974 - 85 - 2003 : Martina Navratilova 2001 - 02 - 05 : Daniela Hantuchová 1997 - 99 - 2005 - 06 : Mahesh Bhupathi 2002 - 04 - 08 - 10 : Cara Black 1999 - 2003 - 08 - 16 : Leander Paes 2006 - 15 - 16 : Martina Hingis Men 's tennis players who won two or more Grand Slam singles titles in one calendar year Four wins 1938 : Don Budge 1962 : Rod Laver 1969 : Rod Laver Three wins 1933 : Jack Crawford ( AC&FC&WI ) 1934 : Fred Perry ( AC&WI&US ) 1955 : Tony Trabert ( FO&WI&US ) 1956 : Lew Hoad ( AO&FO&WI ) 1958 : Ashley Cooper ( AC&WI&US ) 1964 : Roy Emerson ( AC&WI&US ) 1974 : Jimmy Connors ( AO&WI&US ) 1988 : Mats Wilander ( AO&FO&US ) 2004 : Roger Federer ( AO&WI&US ) 2006 : Roger Federer ( AO&WI&US ) 2007 : Roger Federer ( AO&WI&US ) 2010 : Rafael Nadal ( FO&WI&US ) 2011 : Novak Djokovic ( AO&WI&US ) 2015 : Novak Djokovic ( AO&WI&US ) Two wins 1903 : Laurence Doherty ( WI&US ) 1920 : Bill Tilden ( WI&US ) 1921 : Bill Tilden ( WI&US ) 1925 : René Lacoste ( FC&WI ) 1927 : René Lacoste ( FC&US ) 1928 : Henri Cochet ( FC&US ) 1932 : Ellsworth Vines ( WI&US ) 1935 : Fred Perry ( FC&WI ) 1936 : Fred Perry ( WI&US ) 1937 : Don Budge ( WI&US ) 1939 : Bobby Riggs ( WI&US ) 1947 : Jack Kramer ( WI&US ) 1950 : Budge Patty ( FC&WI ) 1951 : Dick Savitt ( AC&WI ) ) 1952 : Frank Sedgman ( WI&US ) 1953 : Ken Rosewall ( AC&FO ) 1959 : Alex Olmedo ( AC&WI ) 1960 : Neale Fraser ( WI&US ) 1961 : Roy Emerson ( AC&US ) 1963 : Roy Emerson ( AC&FC ) 1965 : Roy Emerson ( AC&WI ) 1967 : Roy Emerson ( AC&FC ) 1967 : John Newcombe ( WI&US ) 1973 : John Newcombe ( AO&US ) 1977 : Guillermo Vilas ( FO&US ) 1978 : Björn Borg ( FO&WI ) 1979 : Björn Borg ( FO&WI ) 1980 : Björn Borg ( FO&WI ) 1981 : John McEnroe ( WI&US ) 1982 : Jimmy Connors ( WI&US ) 1984 : John McEnroe ( WI&US ) 1986 : Ivan Lendl ( FO&US ) 1987 : Ivan Lendl ( FO&US ) 1989 : Boris Becker ( WI&US ) 1992 : Jim Courier ( AO&FO ) 1993 : Pete Sampras ( WI&US ) 1994 : Pete Sampras ( AO&WI ) 1995 : Pete Sampras ( WI&US ) 1997 : Pete Sampras ( AO&WI ) 1999 : Andre Agassi ( FO&US ) 2005 : Roger Federer ( WI&US ) 2008 : Rafael Nadal ( FO&WI ) 2009 : Roger Federer ( FO&WI ) 2013 : Rafael Nadal ( FO&US ) 2016 : Novak Djokovic ( AO&FO ) 2017 : Roger Federer ( AO&WI ) 2017 : Rafael Nadal ( FO&US ) AC = Australasian / Australian Championships, AO = Australian Open, FC = French Championships, FO = French Open, WI = Wimbledon, US = U.S. National Championships / US Open VIAF : 64527343 LCCN : n50037287 ISNI : 0000 0000 8250 9142 GND : 107556413 NDL : 00447003 IATH : w6bq65mk Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rod_Laver&oldid=799985026 '' Categories : Living people 1938 births Companions of the Order of Australia Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire Australian Championships ( tennis ) champions Australian Championships ( tennis ) junior champions Australian Living Treasures Australian male tennis players Australian Open ( tennis ) champions French Championships ( tennis ) champions French Open champions Grand Slam ( tennis ) champions in men 's doubles Grand Slam ( tennis ) champions in men 's singles Grand Slam ( tennis ) champions in mixed doubles International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees People from Carlsbad, California People from Rockhampton Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Tennis people from Queensland United States National champions ( tennis ) US Open ( tennis ) champions Wimbledon champions Wimbledon champions ( pre-Open Era ) World No. 1 tennis players Professional tennis players before the Open Era Queensland Greats Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from July 2009 Use Australian English from March 2014 All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English Use dmy dates from March 2014 Pages using infobox tennis biography with tennishofid All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from April 2014 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016 BLP articles lacking sources from July 2015 All BLP articles lacking sources Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Talk Contents About 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Question: when did the open era begin in tennis
Answer: 1968