Tennis Legend - Rod “Rockhampton Rocket” Laver
Hailed to be one of the most prolific players ever to have graced the world of professional tennis, Rodney George “Rod” Laver yet remains the only competitor to have sealed victory at all four Grand Slam singles events within the course of one season- twice. The Australian’s exploit comes across as all the more remarkable if one considers he was inactive at the majors from the time he turned professional in 1963 till 1968, when the Open era commenced. When Rod Laver did take to the All England Club Championship courts, the Australian made it to six successive finals, a tally paralleled only by the legendary Bjorn Borg. Many believe that had Laver not embarked on a spell of absence from the sport’s most prestigious events, the “Rockhampton Rocket” would have easily superseded Pete Sampras’ history-making record of 13 Grand Slam victories as well as triumphed at Wimbledon nine times in succession.
In terms of his playing demeanour, the left-handed Australian was a ferociously combative contestant. His strenuous and forceful ground strokes, complemented with a remarkable on-court maturity presented a lethal challenge for opponents. In an age defined by the adventurous and exuberant styles of Australian playmakers like John Newcombe and Ken Roswell, Rod Laver’s vicious playing fashion perhaps made him the vanguard of modern generation of tennis players. The tennis arena has seldom witnessed the flat out on-court belligerence that became Laver’s trademark. It was the Australian who set the precedent for today’s filthy rich tennis leading-men after becoming the first player to hit the millionaire mark.
Born on August 9th, 1938, in Queensland, Australia, Rod “Rockhampton Rocket” Laver was an unhealthy and skinny little boy who no one could have predicted would one day take the tennis world by storm and become acknowledged as perhaps the finest player of all times. Laver outgrew his childhood ill-health to grow up to become a robust and rugged player who, in 1962 mirrored Don Budge’s 1938 exploit of capturing the entirety of the four Grand Slam singles trophies during the same season as a novice. The Australian then proceeded to build on this success by extraordinarily repeating the feat once more in 1969 as a professional.
Rod Laver marked his first international victory during his very initial foreign outing in 1956, when he lifted the U.S. Junior championship trophy as a teenager. In 1960, Laver’s victory over Neale Fraser at the year’s Australian Open singles event marked a sign of the times to come. The Australian “Rocket” would go on win the home Grand Slam title twice more- in 1962 and 1969. Although Lever missed out to the 1959 and ’60 Wimbledon titles when he ended runner up at the SW19, any disappointment would have been short lived, for it was trophy the Australian would hoist an impressive four times- in 1961, ’62, ’68 and ’69. Although his style of play was more amenable to the swift Wimbledon grass courts, Laver was no slouch at the clay either. The Australian made his mark at the relatively slower, clay courts of Roland Garros after winning the French Open in 1962 and ‘69. The U.S. Open title also failed to elude him and Laver seized the title twice- 1962 and ‘69.
Over the course of his long, illustrious career that endured a remarkable 24 year stretch, Laver went on to develop celebrated feuds with fellow countrymen, Ken Roswell and Roy Emerson. Roswell defeated Laver in 1963 to triumph at the U.S. pro singles event, yet Laver famously avenged the loss by demolishing Roswell at the same competition the very next year.
“Rocket” Laver’s resume would be glaringly incomplete without a mention of his stunning Davis Cup record; the Australian lifted the prize an astonishing five times- in 1959, ’60, ’61, ‘62 and ‘73. It was the Australian Davis Cup captain, Harry Hopman, who mischievously labelled his unstoppable teammate a “Rocket”. Laver experienced a potentially life threatening stroke in 1998, but he recuperated in a spirit similar to that which cast him a champion so many years ago. Having bid farewell to the professional tennis arena in 1979, Laver today enjoys life having an occasional go at tennis and golf with friends.
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