Rod Laver
Laver in 2015 | |
| Full name | Rodney George Laver |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) | Australia |
| Residence | Carlsbad, California, U.S. |
| Born | 9 August 1938 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia |
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)[1] |
| Turned pro | 1963 (amateur tour from 1956) |
| Retired | 1979 |
| Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$1,565,413 |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1981 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 1689–538 in pre Open-Era & Open Era[2] |
| Career titles | 200[3][4][5] (72 open era titles listed by ATP) |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (1961, Lance Tingay)[6] |
| 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%)[a] |
| Career titles | 28[a] |
| Highest ranking | No. 11 (per ATP) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1959, 1960, 1961, 1969) |
| French Open | W (1961) |
| Wimbledon | W (1971) |
| 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 professional tennis player. Laver was ranked as the world number 1 professional player indisputably for five years from 1965 to 1969, and by some sources also in 1964 and 1970. He was also ranked as the number 1 amateur in 1961 and 1962. Laver won 200 singles titles across his amateur and professional careers, the most won by any tennis player.[7]
Laver won 11 Grand Slam tournament singles titles and 8 Pro major titles. He completed the Grand Slam (winning all four majors in a calendar year) in singles twice, in 1962 and 1969; the latter remains the only time a man has done so in the Open Era. He also completed the Pro Slam (winning all three pro majors in one year) in 1967.[8][9] Laver won titles on all court surfaces of his time (grass, clay, hard, carpet, wood), and he contributed to five Davis Cup titles for Australia during a time when the Davis Cup was deemed as significant as the four majors.[10] The Rod Laver Arena (the main show court of the Australian Open) and the Laver Cup tournament are named after him.[11]
- ^ "Rod Laver". atptour.com. Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "Rod Laver: Career match record-pre open era and open era". thetennisbase.com. Tennismem SL. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- ^ "Rod Laver". Laver Cup. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "International Tennis Hall of Fame". Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Rod Laver Match Results, 200+ wins". www.tennisabstract.com. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 427.
- ^ "Rocket's Revolt: Rod Laver's miraculous Slam-winning summer of 1969". Tennis.com. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
- ^ Dave Anderson (30 August 2009). "The Greatest? Don't Forget Laver's Lost Years". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ "Rod Laver: Hall of Famers Inductee". tennisfame.com. International Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ Tignor, Steve (6 December 2013). "40 Years Ago: Look Out, Cleveland". tennis.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ "Dynamic Doubles Duo: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal to team up in inaugural Laver Cup". Tennis.com. 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
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