uscwang
Hall of Fame
Saying that Laver has two CYGS is a bit misleading, even on the bright side.
In 1962 of the close era, Laver played not only among amateurs, but just 5 matches in a 48-player Australian Open (39 of whom were Australian) and 6 matches in a 112-player French Open. Needless to say, all were played on grass except FO. To put the amateurship of the close era into perspective, in 1963, University of Southern California's men's tennis team had Richard Ralston as #1 singles player and Rafael Osuna (from Mexico, before the Wall is built) as #2. Osuna happened to have won that year's US Open (US National Championships) in singles and was ranked #1 in the world. Go figure.
In 1969, the first full year of the open era, Laver again played just 5 matches in a 48-player Australian Open (28 of whom were, you know, Australian). Australia had many top tennis players back then. But the AO simply was not an equal of the other three. It was more like a small draw ATP 1000 today.
It is indeed hard to match Laver's rather special 2 CYGS achievement.
Some more thoughts.
Tennis GS history can be roughly divided into four chapters.
A. The close era amateur GS (when there were Big 3 + AO, no hard court). Best players:
Roy Emerson (total 12)
Bill Tilden (total 10)
Don Budge (total 6, 6 in a row including CYGSc)
Rod Laver (total 6, CYGSc)
B. The close era pro GS (no AO, about 12-player tournament, no hard court). Best players:
Ken Rosewall (total 15, 5 in a row including CYGSp)
Pancho Gonzales (total 12)
Rod Laver (total 8, CYGSp)
C. The early open era GS (when there were Big 3 + AO, no hard court in most of the years). Best players:
Bjorn Borg (total 11 despite playing AO only once)
Jimmy Connors (total 8 despite playing AO only twice, and not playing FO in 5 of his prime years, 1x3GS/year when was not allowed to play FO)
Rod Laver (total 5, CYGSo)
D. The current open era GS (when there are Big 4 and 3 surfaces including hard court). Best players:
Federer (total 20, 2x3 in a row, 3x3/year)
Nadal (total 17, 1x3 in a row, 1x3/year, 11 FO titles and counting)
Djokovic (total 15, NCYGSo + 2x3 in a row, 2x3/year)
Sampras (total 14, 6 consecutive YE #1)
Rod Laver (aka Lacalendar) has been unique in that he won CYGS in three chapters: close era amateur, close era pro, and early open era. While his first (1962) and second CYGS (1967) were inferior to Budge's 6 in a row (1937-38), and Rosewall's 5 in a row (1962-63), respectively, his third CYGS (1969) stands alone.
Lacalendar (born in 1938) is one of the two best players of his time, the other being Ken Rosewall (born in 1934). Rosewall turned pro in 1957, Laver 1963. They only started playing each other in 1963, when Rosewall beat Laver 38-13. Since 1964, after Rosewall turned 30, Lacalendar beat him 76-37.
In the close era, Rosewall won 4 amateur and 15 pro titles (including 5 in a row and CYGSp, 1962-63). Lacalendar won 6 amateur titles (including CYGSc) and 8 pro titles (including CYGSp). If we believe pros represent the highest level of tennis in the close era (Laver won CYGSc in 1962, but got beaten by Rosewall 38-13 in the pro tour the next year), then Rosewall's record tops Lacalendar's by a margin.
In the early open era, which started when Rosewall was 34 and Laver 30, Rosewall won 4 titles to Laver's 5 (including CYGSo).
Rosewall has won a total of 23 GS titles (including 5 in a row and CYGSp), 19 of which were won competing with the best of the time. Laver has won a total of 19 GS (including CYGSc, CYGSp, CYGSo), 13 of which were won competing with the best. Considering their age difference, I would argue Rosewall is a better player than Laver, but Lacalendar got the greater fame for, you know, calendar.
In 1962 of the close era, Laver played not only among amateurs, but just 5 matches in a 48-player Australian Open (39 of whom were Australian) and 6 matches in a 112-player French Open. Needless to say, all were played on grass except FO. To put the amateurship of the close era into perspective, in 1963, University of Southern California's men's tennis team had Richard Ralston as #1 singles player and Rafael Osuna (from Mexico, before the Wall is built) as #2. Osuna happened to have won that year's US Open (US National Championships) in singles and was ranked #1 in the world. Go figure.
In 1969, the first full year of the open era, Laver again played just 5 matches in a 48-player Australian Open (28 of whom were, you know, Australian). Australia had many top tennis players back then. But the AO simply was not an equal of the other three. It was more like a small draw ATP 1000 today.
It is indeed hard to match Laver's rather special 2 CYGS achievement.
Some more thoughts.
Tennis GS history can be roughly divided into four chapters.
A. The close era amateur GS (when there were Big 3 + AO, no hard court). Best players:
Roy Emerson (total 12)
Bill Tilden (total 10)
Don Budge (total 6, 6 in a row including CYGSc)
Rod Laver (total 6, CYGSc)
B. The close era pro GS (no AO, about 12-player tournament, no hard court). Best players:
Ken Rosewall (total 15, 5 in a row including CYGSp)
Pancho Gonzales (total 12)
Rod Laver (total 8, CYGSp)
C. The early open era GS (when there were Big 3 + AO, no hard court in most of the years). Best players:
Bjorn Borg (total 11 despite playing AO only once)
Jimmy Connors (total 8 despite playing AO only twice, and not playing FO in 5 of his prime years, 1x3GS/year when was not allowed to play FO)
Rod Laver (total 5, CYGSo)
D. The current open era GS (when there are Big 4 and 3 surfaces including hard court). Best players:
Federer (total 20, 2x3 in a row, 3x3/year)
Nadal (total 17, 1x3 in a row, 1x3/year, 11 FO titles and counting)
Djokovic (total 15, NCYGSo + 2x3 in a row, 2x3/year)
Sampras (total 14, 6 consecutive YE #1)
Rod Laver (aka Lacalendar) has been unique in that he won CYGS in three chapters: close era amateur, close era pro, and early open era. While his first (1962) and second CYGS (1967) were inferior to Budge's 6 in a row (1937-38), and Rosewall's 5 in a row (1962-63), respectively, his third CYGS (1969) stands alone.
Lacalendar (born in 1938) is one of the two best players of his time, the other being Ken Rosewall (born in 1934). Rosewall turned pro in 1957, Laver 1963. They only started playing each other in 1963, when Rosewall beat Laver 38-13. Since 1964, after Rosewall turned 30, Lacalendar beat him 76-37.
In the close era, Rosewall won 4 amateur and 15 pro titles (including 5 in a row and CYGSp, 1962-63). Lacalendar won 6 amateur titles (including CYGSc) and 8 pro titles (including CYGSp). If we believe pros represent the highest level of tennis in the close era (Laver won CYGSc in 1962, but got beaten by Rosewall 38-13 in the pro tour the next year), then Rosewall's record tops Lacalendar's by a margin.
In the early open era, which started when Rosewall was 34 and Laver 30, Rosewall won 4 titles to Laver's 5 (including CYGSo).
Rosewall has won a total of 23 GS titles (including 5 in a row and CYGSp), 19 of which were won competing with the best of the time. Laver has won a total of 19 GS (including CYGSc, CYGSp, CYGSo), 13 of which were won competing with the best. Considering their age difference, I would argue Rosewall is a better player than Laver, but Lacalendar got the greater fame for, you know, calendar.
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