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Laver calls Federer the best in history
7/6/12 6:17 PM | Johan Lindahl
Grand Slam hero Rod Laver has dubbed Roger Federer the best to ever play the game on the eve of Wimbledon's wrapup weekend.
The 73-year-old Australian also told local media that Rafael Nadal is not far behind the Swiss in the all-time glory stakes. "Roger Federer certainly is my claim to be the best of all time if there is such a thing," said Laver.
"Roger's got all the shots, his anticipation is unbelievable, his timing off the groundstrokes with his shots, his single-handed backhand is one of the best there is. But at the same time, I look at Rafael Nadal and what he's done to win seven French Open titles and Wimbledon.
Laver, a four-time Wimbledon winner, was the last to complete the rare calendar-year across all four majors in 1969. He advised on the BBC that Andy Murray needs to play with much more aggression if he wants to become the first British man to win Wimbledon singles since Fred Perry in 1936.
"He plays a safe game a little bit too long," said Laver. "That allows an opponent to be more aggressive, rather than continually putting pressure on an opponent."
""That's the one thing I think maybe he's missing, being able to say 'I've got to win this point' or 'I've got to break serve here' or 'If I get a chance I'm not just going to play it back, I'm going to be aggressive'."
Source:
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20120706/Laver_calls_Federer_the_best_in_history_
7/6/12 6:17 PM | Johan Lindahl
Grand Slam hero Rod Laver has dubbed Roger Federer the best to ever play the game on the eve of Wimbledon's wrapup weekend.
The 73-year-old Australian also told local media that Rafael Nadal is not far behind the Swiss in the all-time glory stakes. "Roger Federer certainly is my claim to be the best of all time if there is such a thing," said Laver.
"Roger's got all the shots, his anticipation is unbelievable, his timing off the groundstrokes with his shots, his single-handed backhand is one of the best there is. But at the same time, I look at Rafael Nadal and what he's done to win seven French Open titles and Wimbledon.
Laver, a four-time Wimbledon winner, was the last to complete the rare calendar-year across all four majors in 1969. He advised on the BBC that Andy Murray needs to play with much more aggression if he wants to become the first British man to win Wimbledon singles since Fred Perry in 1936.
"He plays a safe game a little bit too long," said Laver. "That allows an opponent to be more aggressive, rather than continually putting pressure on an opponent."
""That's the one thing I think maybe he's missing, being able to say 'I've got to win this point' or 'I've got to break serve here' or 'If I get a chance I'm not just going to play it back, I'm going to be aggressive'."
Source:
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/news/20120706/Laver_calls_Federer_the_best_in_history_
