Did Newcombe and Laver get along ?

[atatu]

Just curious because I listened to the Craig Shapiro podcast with Newcombe and while he praised Rosewall, Roche and even Lew Hoad, he didn't mention Laver at all. Looking at their H2H it seems like it was a little lopsided with Laver winning 14 times to Newk's 4 times. I do recall they played doubles together in Davis Cup, just weird to me that Laver wasn't even mentioned.

 

[Dan Lobb]

Just curious because I listened to the Craig Shapiro podcast with Newcombe and while he praised Rosewall, Roche and even Lew Hoad, he didn't mention Laver at all. Looking at their H2H it seems like it was a little lopsided with Laver winning 14 times to Newk's 4 times. I do recall they played doubles together in Davis Cup, just weird to me that Laver wasn't even mentioned.

Newcombe was personal friends with Rosewall, Roche and Hoad (whose tennis ranch in Spain Newk visited). Maybe he just didn't hang out with Laver. Newcombe drank a lot by his own admission, perhaps Laver didn't.

 

[Cashman]

I wouldn't read too much into it.

As @Dan Lobb says, I get the impression Newcombe, Roche, Rosewall and Hoad are relatively close on a personal level. Quite probably this has a lot to do with the fact that they are all born-and-bred Sydney boys. Back in those days that meant they came up through the same clubs, shared the same coaches and knew the same people. Despite the age gaps, they would have all been around each other a fair bit in the local tennis scene when not touring (at least until Hoad went off to Spain in the mid-70s).

Laver on the other hand grew up in rural Queensland, and by the mid-60s (when Newcombe was starting to make an impact) he was already married and living in the US. Probably not surprising that Newcombe isn't as close to him the others.

I have never heard Newk say anything negative about Laver, or vice-versa - in fact quite the reverse. I reckon Newk would be horrified if he realised you were taking his lack of mention of Laver as him throwing shade.

 

[urban]

Both are close friends. In both autobiographical books by Newk and Laver, both were co written by the same co-writer Larry Writer, they have high praise for each other. Also in Lavers new book The Golden Generation, there are close connections. Their bond was especially founded in the Davis Cup tie 1973, when they won the deciding doubles.. Atfter beating the Yanks, they triumphed with a lot of beer. Newk tells the story, that he saw Laver standing like a statue in the bathroom with a beatific smile..