Laver's 1967 year - the best year ever for a male tennis player?

[timnz]

Hello,

What a year Laver had in 1967. In my opinion it was by far is strongest year. He won every single major Pro event including:

1/ U.S. Professional Indoor Championships, New York City

2/ Madison Square Garden Professional Championships, New York City

3/ World Professional Championships, Oklahoma City (did this event deserve this name? - does anyone know why it was called this?)

4/ U.S. Professional Championships, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

5/ Wimbledon World Professional Championships (I feel that even though this event was a one-off it should be regarded as a Pro-Slam event because it probably was the most prestiguous Pro-Event of the whole of the 1960's).

6/ French Professional Championships, Paris

7/ London Indoor Professional Championships, Wembley Arena, London

Laver won a total of 18 titles that year.

If it had been an open tennis year, I feel that Laver would have won the Grand Slam plus all the major titles outside of the Grand Slam as well. (Equivalent to winning today the Grand Slam + all of the Super 9 events).

What are people's thoughts. Do they know of a more dominant year for men's tennis in history?

 

[urban]

According to the findings of Andrew Tas, Laver won even one more title at Montreal, where he beat Gonzales and Ralston. The Oklahoma event had the tag World Champs like some other pro events in those years. It was justified for the Wimbledon World Champs event at Centre Court, which in my view was a real major, maybe the most significant pro event of all the 60s, because it paved the way to Open Wimbledon. It could well be, that Laver was at his prime in this year. And it it is to be remembered, that with Stolle and Ralston two of the best 5 amateurs of 1966 were playing on the pro circuit. The 1969 Grand Slam overshadows the 67 season, because it is better covered by the media, and it consisted of the traditional Grand Slam events with big draws.

 

[jimbo333]

To quote myself from another thread, "Laver was without a doubt a GOOSE, a GOOP and definitely the GOAT"

 

[hoodjem]

1967 is the year of Laver's Pro Slam: equivalent to a Grand Slam among the pros--who were the best players in the world by far.

Was it better than 1969? Tough call.