Have I found Rod Laver's 200th tournament win?

[timnz]

I note in Wikipedia (I know not a fool proof source of information - but a good place to start) that Rod Laver is sitting on 199 titles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Lav...eer_statistics

I think I have found 1 more not listed there.

http://www.vucommodores.com/sports/h...050411aab.html

Also at the same time the 6-2, 6-3 victory over
Ken Rosewall needs to be added to their head to head total page (because it isn't listed there):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laver%E...sewall_rivalry

Have I got it right? I know it seems like this was only a 4 man event - but aren't there other 4 man events in the wikipedia list of Rod's titles?

[urban]

Great find timnz. Yes, this could be a new win. Isn't in McCauley's book nor in the Wiki list. Don't know, if Andrew Tas has registered this matches. Never read about a Nashville win for Laver on 1968. Would make the hth with Rosewall 5-2 in 1968 (if i see it right), and overall i think 80-63. Would also change the hth against top tenners, which i presented in another recent thread.

[pc1]

Wonderful find Timnz. Wins over Gimeno and Rosewall is extremely tough for anyone despite it being a four man.

[urban]

Thanks very much for this information, Tim. I have always thought and written, that the numbers for the old pros - even after the McCauley-book- are still incomplete. Now, with the internet and new data bases, more surprising finds could emerge. Intresting are the detailled match descriptions, and the 6000 people in attendance show, that pro tennis became popular with the advent of open tennis.
Besides: One question to timnz. In an earlier thread, You asked for the Laver-Stolle hth. Have You more information in the meantime, especially for the year 1969? I am interested,, because Stolle was ranked top ten that year by several experts.

[timnz]

Originally Posted by urban

Thanks very much for this information, Tim. I have always thought and written, that the numbers for the old pros - even after the McCauley-book- are still incomplete. Now, with the internet and new data bases, more surprising finds could emerge. Intresting are the detailled match descriptions, and the 6000 people in attendance show, that pro tennis became popular with the advent of open tennis.
Besides: One question to timnz. In an earlier thread, You asked for the Laver-Stolle hth. Have You more information in the meantime, especially for the year 1969? I am interested,, because Stolle was ranked top ten that year by several experts.

Sorry to say Urban - I never did find out about that head to head. (Not sure where I would look either).

In the wikipedia list of Rod's tournament are there other 4 man events? If so, I'll get this Nashville event added and also to the laver/rosewall head to head.

[hoodjem]

Yes, it would seem that you have. 10 December 1968 in the Dixie Tennis Classic, Nashville, Tennesee.

200 for the Rocket!!

[Doug_Hartley_2012]

How large a field constitues a tournament? Is 2 enough? Or 4? Some events had very small fields. Is 8 acceptable? If you're including Masters or WCT Finals that seems a minimum cut-off. It does make records of titles difficult to compare.

What we can be sure of is that there are many, many matches lost to history. Is it really possible that anyone has played more competitive tennis than Rosewall, Laver, or Gonzalez? In the open era Connors is the benchmark for longevity but we don't know what we don't know about the four past greats.

[Doug_Hartley_2012]

Or Tilden.

[urban]

Many matches are lost, very sad situation and bad record keeping by the tennis institutions, even the pros themselves. What constitutes a tournament, is a difficult question. I have pleaded in the past for 8 men as minimum for a tournament, as Michel Sutter did in his book. Some four men events, however, had great fields, big prize money and built up some tradition, like some Australian pro events, the BBC 2 events at Wembley in spring, or the Pepsi Grand Slam Cup in Florida.

[Q&M son]

Great find, thanks.