Australian tennis legend Rod Laver was in the crowd tonight for the Rafael Nadal-Tomas Berdych quarterfinal blockbuster in the arena that bears his name, after arriving in Melbourne today.
The Queenslander, who now resides in California, is in town on the 50th anniversary of winning the coveted calendar-year Grand Slam in 1962.
He is the only player in history to have won the Grand Slam twice, also sweeping tennis’ four major titles in 1969 as a professional after first achieving the feat in the amateur ranks.
Laver’s 1962 Australian Open triumph was the second of three Australian Open titles, with the tournament then played on grass and far better suited to his exquisite serve-and-volley style than the medium-paced Plexicushion that exists at Melbourne Park today.
It was Laver’s attacking game that is still rated by tennis pundits as one of the greatest ever seen. He won 11 major titles in his career and was an idol to many of the game’s top stars that followed him, including 14-time major winner Pete Sampras.
He may have won a lot more Grand Slam titles had he not been barred from major tournaments after turning professional the year after achieving his first Grand Slam.
Despite these accolades Laver remains a modest, polite, softly-spoken man, perhaps slightly at odds with the competitive and ruthless player that took to the courts all those decades ago.
It also belies an inner-strength and drive that was apparent since he suffered a stroke in 1998. Told he would not be able to play tennis again, Laver says this news was motivating rather than shattering.
“That’s what I wanted to hear. I could beat that,” he revealed.
Taking it step-by-step after he got out of a wheelchair, Laver began hitting balls on court from a stationary position before beginning to slowly regain his court movement.
“Tennis got me back because I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair all my life,” he said.
“I’ve been to (see) a lot of stroke victims ... and (I tell them) whatever you did prior you’ve got to get back and try to do it again.”
Known as one of the fittest players in the world under the tutelage of legendary Australian coach Harry Hopman, Laver still remarkably continues to maintain his fitness in his senior years thanks to regular sessions with a personal trainer at the La Costa Spa and Resort in Carlsbad, southern California.
Back in Australia to celebrate this milestone, Laver says he feels honoured that his career lasted so long and gained him several friends, including one-time rival Emerson who was with him at Melbourne Airport today.
“I have good friends,” he said.
“Back in those years, we did more than just compete against each other. We were friends off the court and helped each other.”
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