WORLD NO. 1 (by year)

[pc1]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Hoad and Rosewall were friends since childhood, weren't they?

I have seen pictures of them at Hoad's place in Spain.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

kiki,

Why was Rosewall Hoad's Buddy?

And why was R. a mean guy?

They were like twins.Potential wise, I don´t think there has ever been a doubles team like the Wunderteam of the 1953-1957 years.

As for Rosewall, he was a very honest and decent guy, but he was very mean, too.He was called among the pros " pockets" ( no Muscles)

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by kiki

As for Rosewall, he was a very honest and decent guy, but he was very mean, too.He was called among the pros "pockets" (no Muscles).

What do pockets have to do with being mean?

[kiki]

Originally Posted by pc1

How was Rosewall mean? I think of them as friends and Rosewall as a great gentleman.

Of course, both were raised togehter since kids.They couldn´t be more different, tecnichally and personally.Maybe, that is why they were always close.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

What do pockets have to do with being mean?

He kept the money deep inside his pockets (which you can´t criticize since it was very little money by then as compared to the monstruous money journeymen make currently)

[kiki]

Laver and Emerson were also extremely close.They were raised in the same region and both came from humble and very strict farming families.

Laver was very very fond of Emerson and he describes him in a rather funny way in his book.

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

Ken Rosewall was and is a very humble man. He never asked for special treatments when he was No. 1 of the pro troup.

He never claimed "I am the greatest" as Budge and others have done...

He never belittled an opponent.

He was always friendly to spectators as I experienced myself.

There are rumors that he supported other players...

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

kiki,

Ken Rosewall was and is a very humble man. He never asked for special treatments when he was No. 1 of the pro troup.

He never claimed "I am the greatest" as Budge and others have done...

He never belittled an opponent.

He was always friendly to spectators as I experienced myself.

There are rumors that he supported other players...

Well, Ken Rosewall, as far as I know, is a human being, and being mean is not the worst shortcoming I have seen in human race...you know, he ain´t perfect.None of us are.

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

It's fine that you praise Hoad-Rosewall.

By the way, that combination was also very successful in the 1960s winning Wembley 4 times and French Pro also four times.

Arguably the best ever doubles formation.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

kiki,

It's fine that you praise Hoad-Rosewall.

By the way, that combination was also very successful in the 1960s winning Wembley 4 times and French Pro also four times.

Arguably the best ever doubles formation.

I am a long time doubles fan, and I have seen some of the finest doubles teams ever, although I missed some, too.My top ten would go:

1-.Newcombe/Roche
2-.Hewitt/Mc Millan
3-.Bromwich/Quist
4-.Sedgman/Mc Gregor
5-.Hoad/Rosewall
6-.Borotra/Cochet
7-.Fleming/Mac
8-.Edberg/Jarryd ( not on records, but a huge potential 9
9-.The Woodies
10-.Emerson/Stolle


I can tell you about 10-15 more great teams, but let´s leave it like that by now.
In fact, almost any doubles combination between Australian players from 1950 to 1970 makes an almost unbeatable team.It is completely owned by them.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by kiki

What a great buddy this Pancho.

Hoad and Gonzales travelled together in the same car with Hoad's wife, stayed at the same cheap motels, played pool together, and probably drank together.
They once had a supernatural encounter with a bright light while driving together between tour stops at night.

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

I'm sorry for my bad English: I confused Buddy with Caddy...

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

You overrate Hewitt/McMillan. They lost several matches at majors to Newcombe/Roche, Emerson/Laver, Rosewall/Stolle and Okker/Riessen.

Hewitt/ McMillan, of course a superb doubles formation, won the 1967 amateur Wimbledon and the 1972 Wimby in a boycott year...

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

Hoad and Gonzales travelled together in the same car with Hoad's wife, stayed at the same cheap motels, played pool together, and probably drank together.
They once had a supernatural encounter with a bright light while driving together between tour stops at night.

That is probably when Hoad started having serious problems....

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

kiki,

You overrate Hewitt/McMillan. They lost several matches at majors to Newcombe/Roche, Emerson/Laver, Rosewall/Stolle and Okker/Riessen.

Hewitt/ McMillan, of course a superb doubles formation, won the 1967 amateur Wimbledon and the 1972 Wimby in a boycott year...

1972 Boycott? Hewitt/Mc Millie won a record number of slams, that alone puts them in a league by their own.

Plus, no other team ( with the possible exception of Bromwich-Quist and Borotra-Cochet) played with so much touch, angles and deep knowledge of the position.They moved like they were one single man.

What is your problem, Mr Bobbyone?

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

I don't have a problem but I would ask you to be objective with Hewitt/McMillan.

Why so harsh? I respect you as a true expert.

Hewitt/McMillan don't have the record number in majors. They "only" have won five.
Newcombe/Roche have won 12 (official record)

Best record have Hoad/Rosewall with 15 majors!

You know that 1972 was a Wimbledon boycott year (pros did not play)...

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

kiki,

I don't have a problem but I would ask you to be objective with Hewitt/McMillan.

Why so harsh? I respect you as a true expert.

Hewitt/McMillan don't have the record number in majors. They "only" have won five.
Newcombe/Roche have won 12 (official record)

Best record have Hoad/Rosewall with 15 majors!

You know that 1972 was a Wimbledon boycott year (pros did not play)...

Hewitt-Mc Millan won more than 60 titles together and dominated for a whole decade, probably a bigger slot of time than Newk and Rochey 8 whom I rank nº1, as you could see).

In the 1978 final, they destroyed Fleming/Mc Enroe; no other team ever ( with the possible exception of Mc namara and Mc namee) have been able to achieve such a feat.

I don´t know if you ever saw them play when they were playing their best years.I did, and that is why I have few doubts about their status as a possible GOAT doubles team

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

1972 Wimby in a boycott year...

Boycott? That was in 1973. 1972 was a banning. The ILTF banned the contracted pros from their events from January to July 1972, which included the French Open and Wimbledon, and only amateurs and freelance pros could play ILTF events in this period. This action was the final straw before the ATP was formed.

[BobbyOne]

Mustard,

You are right. I used the wrong word. But it does not make a difference: The best players in the world (with exception of Smith, Nastase...) could not play. Especially the best doubles teams were absent with the Hewitt/McMillan duo as exception. Therefore it was rather easy to win at Wimbledon.

[BobbyOne]

kiki,

Unfortunately I have not impressed you much with the records I have given to you.

I have seen Hewitt/McMillan and was impressed. They surely were one of the best doubles but never No. 2. Hoad/Rosewall were stronger, f. i.

I have already written that in the first three open era years H/M lost deciding matches in the majors: to the three big Aussie formations plus even to Okker/Riessen.

They dominated only after the best doubles duos became old or had retired.

H/M won many South African titles with poor competition.