Lew Hoad-greatest imperfect player ever

[urban]

Lew Hoad is for me the greatest enigma in tennis history. He is idolized by his fellow players of that era, who see in him the perfection of tennis. He was the one, who had it all: the game, the charisma, the looks; he was called the 'blond Adonis', the Robert Mitchum in shorts, a sort of Sampras and Agassi combined. But like in Schuberts 'Die Unvollendete', in his record the last step to immortality seems to be missing. Was he a tragical underachiever, hampered by back and other (alcohol) problems?
He came up as a junior together with his very different twin Rosewall. Early in their amatuer careers, Ken was the more solid. Lew had some surprising losses at big stages to Drobny or Patty, but also had big wins at Davis Cup, notably against Tony Trabert. In his great amateur year 1956, he won almost everything including the European clay triple - almost, because he lost the last match of a potential Grand Slam at Forest Hills to Rosewall (and a nasty wind). In the pro ranks, he looked like overtaking the king Gonzalez in their World series 1958, but eventually missed out this big chance. In 1959, he probably was the Nr. 1 pro, going by the internal results over the year, but overall King Pancho was still recognized as the true champ. You had to ko the world champ, you couldn't win on points in those years. Lew had great wins at Forest Hills in 1959, in some Australian tournaments, but also lost a lot of US pro, RG and Wembley finals, mostly now to the underrated, but ever improving 'Little Master'. When the new gun, Laver, turned pro, Lew trained himself into good fitness again, and trounced him 7-0 in January 1963 in a doubleheader changing with Rosewall. He was 28 at that time, not old, but after his great start of 1963 he could not get near Nr. 1 on the pro tour. OK, he had some back and toe troubles, but was quite rapidly overtaken by Laver and Rosewall. Afterwards he had some notable comebacks, at Wimbledon 1967, when he beat his old foe Gorgo in a tough 3 setter, or at Rome in 1970, when he excelled before the admiring crowd at the Foro Italico.
So what remains: Resultwise - you can turn it back and forth - Lew Hoad isn't in the short list of alltime greats, going by majors, pro championships or even the sum of Nr 1. positions. But yet, he made an unbelievable impression on the fellow players - with the power and style of his game and the charisma of his personality. An enigma indeed.

 

[pc1]

Lew Hoad is for me the greatest enigma in tennis history. He is idolized by his fellow players of that era, who see in him the perfection of tennis. He was the one, who had it all: the game, the charisma, the looks; he was called the 'blond Adonis', the Robert Mitchum in shorts, a sort of Sampras and Agassi combined. But like in Schuberts 'Die Unvollendete', in his record the last step to immortality seems to be missing. Was he a tragical underachiever, hampered by back and other (alcohol) problems?
He came up as a junior together with his very different twin Rosewall. Early in their amatuer careers, Ken was the more solid. Lew had some surprising losses at big stages to Drobny or Patty, but also had big wins at Davis Cup, notably against Tony Trabert. In his great amateur year 1956, he won almost everything including the European clay triple - almost, because he lost the last match of a potential Grand Slam at Forest Hills to Rosewall (and a nasty wind). In the pro ranks, he looked like overtaking the king Gonzalez in their World series 1958, but eventually missed out this big chance. In 1959, he probably was the Nr. 1 pro, going by the internal results over the year, but overall King Pancho was still recognized as the true champ. You had to ko the world champ, you couldn't win on points in those years. Lew had great wins at Forest Hills in 1959, in some Australian tournaments, but also lost a lot of US pro, RG and Wembley finals, mostly now to the underrated, but ever improving 'Little Master'. When the new gun, Laver, turned pro, Lew trained himself into good fitness again, and trounced him 7-0 in January 1963 in a doubleheader changing with Rosewall. He was 28 at that time, not old, but after his great start of 1963 he could not get near Nr. 1 on the pro tour. OK, he had some back and toe troubles, but was quite rapidly overtaken by Laver and Rosewall. Afterwards he had some notable comebacks, at Wimbledon 1967, when he beat his old foe Gorgo in a tough 3 setter, or at Rome in 1970, when he excelled before the admiring crowd at the Foro Italico.
So what remains: Resultwise - you can turn it back and forth - Lew Hoad isn't in the short list of alltime greats, going by majors, pro championships or even the sum of Nr 1. positions. But yet, he made an unbelievable impression on the fellow players - with the power and style of his game and the charisma of his personality. An enigma indeed.

Hoad was a genius. Many still feel he is the greatest talent in the history of the game. I've heard about stories in which he returned huges serves on the rise and did nothing but hit winners but a period of time.

He was Laver's hero.

 

[Limpinhitter]

I have some great pics of Lew Hoad from an old tennis book. I'd love to post them here if I knew how. Any suggestions?

 

[treblings]

I have some great pics of Lew Hoad from an old tennis book. I'd love to post them here if I knew how. Any suggestions?

would love to seem them. you probably have to scan them into a computer first, but i´m sure more knowledgeable forum members than me will come to the rescue with sound advice.

great book about lew hoad is ´golden boy´by larry hodgson and dudley jones

 

[MAXXply]

Ken Rosewall has an arena named after him. Lew Hoad is merely memorialised by a small municipal grass reserve (not even a park), his name inscribed on an even smaller plaque and ignored by its community. The fumes and pollution of thousands of passing cars daily have left it bitten by the dust and hub-bub of the city.

Lew Hoad Reserve
Wigram Rd
GLEBE NSW
AUSTRALIA

 

[borg number one]

We've seen this pic before and Urban, I think you discussed the symbolism somewhat..it's really a nice pic. Even watching some old video, you can see how much talent and sheer firepower Hoad could play with. I would have loved to see him against some of the later wood era players like McEnroe and Borg too. Of course, it would have been great had he been more healthy, in order to better compete with Laver and Rosewall in later years as well. Look at this picture! Talk about a large, engaged, and I'm sure knowledegable tennis crowd! I think Hoad and Gonzalez are two players that don't get enough praise and attention these days. I agree, his story is fascinating, so much talent, enigmatic and some unrealized success (with much beyond his control). He definitely experienced some great times out there on the tennis court though.

 

[borg number one]

 

[Limpinhitter]

From the left: Pancho Segura, Pancho Gonzales, Lew Hoad, ???, Ken Rosewall, ???, Jack Kramer, ???

 

[urban]

Good pictures, Borg Nr.1. One question for people with better eyes: In the second picture on post 6, is Lew holding a cigarette in his hand, or just a string? Don't think, that Lew was a smoker (a good drink was a different thing). I know, that Pancho made some advertisements for cigarettes in his prime. The cigars in the last picture were obviously a joke (Besides the named players, i can identify Frank Sedgman, Mervyn Rose and Ashley Cooper)..

 

[Limpinhitter]

Good pictures, Borg Nr.1. One question for people with better eyes: In the second picture on post 6, is Lew holding a cigarette in his hand, or just a string? Don't think, that Lew was a smoker (a good drink was a different thing). I know, that Pancho made some advertisements for cigarettes in his prime. The cigars in the last picture were obviously a joke (Besides the named players, i can identify Frank Sedgman, Mervyn Rose and Ashley Cooper)..

Thanks for filling in the blanks, Urban!

 

[borg number one]

Good pictures, Borg Nr.1. One question for people with better eyes: In the second picture on post 6, is Lew holding a cigarette in his hand, or just a string? Don't think, that Lew was a smoker (a good drink was a different thing). I know, that Pancho made some advertisements for cigarettes in his prime. The cigars in the last picture were obviously a joke (Besides the named players, i can identify Frank Sedgman, Mervyn Rose and Ashley Cooper)..

It does look like a cig urban. Maybe on special occasions? Not sure why he would otherwise.

 

[kiki]

There is only one thing better in life than watching Lew Hoad play at his peak...watch he and Rosewall play together at their peak...the Wonderkids¡¡¡

 

[joe sch]

deleted post

 

[Frank Silbermann]

Perfect form on the forehand ground stroke follow-through. So much for those who claim that "the pros don't play this way."

 

[krosero]

A New York Times report on 1957 Wimbledon final, Hoad d. Cooper, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2

by Fred Tupper

Lew Hoad is still the best amateur in tennis. The 22-year-old Australian powerhouse today annihilated Ashley Cooper, rated the only man in the world with a chance to beat him....

Hoad's performance must rank as one of the fiercest hitting rampages in tennis history. Yet the Australian, playing without his favorite racket and bothered intermittently by a loose eyelash, said later: "I played as well here in the final with Rosewall last year, and I've played better at home."

....Hoad has been lethargic and lack-luster most of the Wimbledon fortnight. He fell behind Mervyn Rose in the quarter-finals and he threw a minor tantrum against Sweden's Sven Davidson in the semi-finals. Today he was a superb self, the self he apparently reserves for the big occasion like a national final or a Davis Cup tie.

From the time Cooper served his first ace until he weakly tapped into the net less than an hour later he was throttled by sheer speed. Cooper has come a long way since he was knocked off here last year by Allen Morris, an American who ranks far down in the first twenty. He has gained weight and strength, he hasn't a discernible weakness in his repertoire and he has been nerveless under match pressure.

Time and again Cooper threaded the needle into a hole that should have been open and wasn't. Yet he had every right to expect that the return would be defensive. It never was. Hoad flicked his writ and the ball was gone.

Hoad broke Cooper in the first game on a pair of backhands pasted against the line and broke him again to lead 4-1 by switching the backhand across to Cooper's feet. He had the set in eighteen minutes as his last lightning serve knocked Ashley's racket on the court.

In a staggering burst, he hit four direct winners to break Cooper at love in the second set and then held up play momentarily to have a linesman pry loose a hair in his eye. Four services for another love game and he changed his racket. He had broken his favorite bat in the morning and had sent his wife Jennifer to have it restrung. He was at 4-0 when he signaled the umpire again. Another linesman fiddled with his eye. Finally the set was his again in eighteen minutes.

Hoad's concentration wavered slightly in the third set. He double-faulted twice to trail 1-2. Cooper had a last chance to get in the match. Then Hoad belted a forehand drive so hard that it sent Cooper careening onto the turf. He lay there a second in misery, like a boxer on the verge of being counted out.

Then, exactly as he had done last year to end the final against Rosewall, Hoad hammered out five games running. The champion had repeated....

 

[krosero]

It's funny reading that Times article because I've been researching the famous Budge-von Cramm match, in which Budge remembered von Cramm twice breaking him at love with four straight return winners. That was his memory as written down years later, and it's contradicted in reports from the time of the match. I was skeptical, in any case, that this could be done in the wood era.

But here is a newspaper account of Hoad breaking Cooper with four straight winners. They are not specified as all being service returns, but it's impressive nonetheless.

I guess if anyone could do this, it would be Hoad.

 

[Limpinhitter]

It's funny reading that Times article because I've been researching the famous Budge-von Cramm match, in which Budge remembered von Cramm twice breaking him at love with four straight return winners. That was his memory as written down years later, and it's contradicted in reports from the time of the match. I was skeptical, in any case, that this could be done in the wood era.

But here is a newspaper account of Hoad breaking Cooper with four straight winners. They are not specified as all being service returns, but it's impressive nonetheless.

I guess if anyone could do this, it would be Hoad.

It could be done in the post Kramer wood racquet era because the men were S&Ving on every serve. A hot return game by a big hitter like Hoad rendering 4 against a net rusher doesn't come as that much of a surprise. Von Cramm doing it in the pre Kramer era against an athlete like Budge with his big serve seems less likely. But, if Budge said it, then I believe it.

 

[scotus]

Malfoy is all grown up!

Or is that Sean Penn?

 

[krosero]

It could be done in the post Kramer wood racquet era because the men were S&Ving on every serve. A hot return game by a big hitter like Hoad rendering 4 against a net rusher doesn't come as that much of a surprise. Von Cramm doing it in the pre Kramer era against an athlete like Budge with his big serve seems less likely. But, if Budge said it, then I believe it.

Yes I agree, it's not that big a surprise, not with someone like Hoad. Under the right conditions it would be rare, but possible.

Maybe Moose can remember something like this in all our stats. I do have Cash breaking Pernfors with 4 straight winners in the fifth set in Davis Cup. Only one of the winners was a groundstroke, and it was not a return -- but then again Hoad's winners may not have been groundies either; the Times does not specify.

Richard Krajicek broke Sampras in the first set of that '96 upset with 4 straight passing shots, one of which was a return.

Budge's account was published in '69, and there are a couple of very basic errors in it, which I mentioned in the Federer/Budge thread. As for von Cramm breaking twice with 4 straight winners, there's no way to prove or disprove it; but the New York Times mentions both games and specifically has Budge making groundstroke errors. He did get broken both times at love, that's certain; and there's nothing to say that von Cramm could not have made some return winners in those games. But 4 in a row, twice, all on first serves as Budge says -- I think the chance of all that being accurate is remote.

Incidentally, I don't put that down to anything except human error.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Maybe Moose can remember something like this in all our stats. I do have Cash breaking Pernfors with 4 straight winners in the fifth set in Davis Cup.

Think Sukova may have vs Martina at Easbourne.

Mecir hit 5 straight return winners vs Edberg(over 2 games) at Wimbledon.

Agassi hit 3 straight vs Edberg at '95 USO, maybe there was another non return winner in that game.

Q. Three straight service return winners to end the second set. Could you go over those for us?

ANDRE AGASSI: I just stepped it up. I started serving that ball into my wheel house (sic). I mean, that was a no-no, just kind of came a little bit too close.

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=1233

 

[krosero]

Think Sukova may have vs Martina at Easbourne.

Mecir hit 5 straight return winners vs Edberg(over 2 games) at Wimbledon.

Agassi hit 3 straight vs Edberg at '95 USO, maybe there was another non return winner in that game.

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=1233

There's Mecir again. Incredible return when zoning.

Connors said he hit 4 winners off Newk's serve, to break him at love, in their Challenge Match at Caesars Palace. It was at 2-4 in the third.

Perry, in his autobiography, recalled Budge hitting 4 return winners past him at Forest Hills in '36, breaking him at love. But the Miami News had Perry making 4 straight errors.

Lendl was reported to hit 7 straight winners against McEnroe at '89 AO, in the first tiebreak. The Age called them "seven clean winners." But I watched it, and two were forced errors (including a missed return).

 

[urban]

With the four straight return winners, i recall several accounts of the Laver-Osuna Sf US Champs 1962, that Laver in the last game hit 4 direct backhand return winners.

 

[Limpinhitter]

With the four straight return winners, i recall several accounts of the Laver-Osuna Sf US Champs 1962, that Laver in the last game hit 4 direct backhand return winners.

I read an account by Bud Collins in which he said that several of those returns knocked Osuna down.

 

[krosero]

New York Times
Sept. 10, 1962
By Allison Danzig

...Laver has won the Wimbledon, Australian and French championships this year, defeating Emerson in the finals of the last two. On the form he displayed yesterday in annihilating as gifted and facile a player as Rafael Osuna of Mexico, 6-1, 6-3, 6-4, it seems unlikely that Rod the Rocket will fall short of completing his sweep. He has been the runner-up here the past two years.

In forty-four minutes Laver crushed the player who had led Mexico to its first Davis Cup victory over the United States.

... In the final game, Rod the Rocket hit four volcanic topspin backhand returns of service, as electrifying a finish as could be imagined.

It was fantastic, as the smiling Osuna said when it was all over.

 

[kiki]

Coming back into topic, Lew Hoad was possibly the first player to maximize power and control, thanks to that powerful and flexible wrist of his...he, sometimes, reminds me a bit of what Laver,Borg and Lendl did afterwards.

 

[treblings]

in another thread, limpinhitter mentions that Lew Hoad hit heavy topspin from both sides, comparing him to Borg and Vilas amongst others.
having seen Hoad only on video, i´m surprised.
how would all of you describe his playing style?

 

[Limpinhitter]

Coming back into topic, Lew Hoad was possibly the first player to maximize power and control, thanks to that powerful and flexible wrist of his...he, sometimes, reminds me a bit of what Laver,Borg and Lendl did afterwards.

Two words: Don Budge!

 

[Limpinhitter]

in another thread, limpinhitter mentions that Lew Hoad hit heavy topspin from both sides, comparing him to Borg and Vilas amongst others.
having seen Hoad only on video, i´m surprised.
how would all of you describe his playing style?

And Nastase! My comments about Hoad were from written accounts of his stroke production and how Laver modeled his strokes after hoad, especially his backhand.

 

[treblings]

And Nastase! My comments about Hoad were from written accounts of his stroke production and how Laver modeled his strokes after hoad, especially his backhand.

thanks for answeringyeah, and Nastase. i´ll be watching a lot of youtube i guess to look for that topspin. not a bad thing though to have to look for.

 

[Limpinhitter]

thanks for answeringyeah, and Nastase. i´ll be watching a lot of youtube i guess to look for that topspin. not a bad thing though to have to look for.

Youtube sucks! Try www.britishpathe.com.

Here's a brief view with a couple of topspin bh returns, but, mostly S&V:
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/aussies-keep-davis-cup/query/lewis+hoad

 

[pc1]

Coming back into topic, Lew Hoad was possibly the first player to maximize power and control, thanks to that powerful and flexible wrist of his...he, sometimes, reminds me a bit of what Laver,Borg and Lendl did afterwards.

Kiki,

From what I understand Hoad did maximize power but I'm not so sure about control all the time. Jack Kramer thought that when Hoad first turned pro that he went for winners all the time off every shot. I think Kramer thought he was too wild a player. He did learn to play better percentage tennis but guys like Kramer, Budge, Rosewall and Gonzalez were more under control than Hoad.

I think Laver was a Hoad type with more control and moved faster but Hoad on his game may have been the best of all time. People said Hoad could take the ball almost on the half volley with great power, spin and angles. Add a powerful serve, great volley and his speed and strength and it's scary.

If Hoad had his power and great control he never would have lost.

 

[krosero]

Two words: Don Budge!

In his book Vines wrote that if Budge had faced off against Hoad, for once Budge would have found someone initiating power against him. He seemed to feel Hoad was Budge's only equal in this regard.

 

[krosero]

thanks for answeringyeah, and Nastase. i´ll be watching a lot of youtube i guess to look for that topspin. not a bad thing though to have to look for.

If you haven't seen this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf4wrrpzdYc

 

[Limpinhitter]

in another thread, limpinhitter mentions that Lew Hoad hit heavy topspin from both sides, comparing him to Borg and Vilas amongst others.
having seen Hoad only on video, i´m surprised.
how would all of you describe his playing style?

From "The Book of Tennis, How to Play the Game," 1965, the Lew Hoad topspin backhand, for your viewing pleasure.

 

[treblings]

If you haven't seen this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf4wrrpzdYc

thanks for the link. the tennis from both players is breathtaking.
is that a maxply, nastase is using?

 

[treblings]

From "The Book of Tennis, How to Play the Game," 1965, the Lew Hoad topspin backhand, for your viewing pleasure.

thanks, also for the britishpathe-link.
Lew Hoads bh reminds me more of Federer than Borg or Vilas, but it´s clearly a beautiful example of a topspin bh

 

[embot]

Gordon Forbes in his book, "A Handful of Summers", describe Lew Hoads game as similar to Laver's but with more power.

 

[treblings]

Gordon Forbes in his book, "A Handful of Summers", describe Lew Hoads game as similar to Laver's but with more power.

my favourite tennis book(´too soon to panic´ comes in a close second)

quoted from his book:´Select, if you like, the best tennis match ever played, and you will find quite unquestionably that Hoad played in it. And then brushed it aside with an understatement. Rod Laver is a carbon copy of the original Hoad. Only lefthanded and without the full majesty. The mighty power

 

[Limpinhitter]

thanks, also for the britishpathe-link.
Lew Hoads bh reminds me more of Federer than Borg or Vilas, but it´s clearly a beautiful example of a topspin bh

Hoad's backhand looks nearly identical to Laver's, but, looks nothing like Federer's, IMO. I've written many times, to nearly universal scorn, that Federer's backhand is flawed because Federer leads with the elbow, exactly what is admonished against in "Danger Spot" #4. Fed also uses a grip that nearly SW on his topspin backhand, not the Continental grip used by Hoad and Laver.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Gordon Forbes in his book, "A Handful of Summers", describe Lew Hoads game as similar to Laver's but with more power.

A more powerful serve. From the ground, or the net, no.

 

[treblings]

Hoad's backhand looks nearly identical to Laver's, but, looks nothing like Federer's, IMO. I've written many times, to nearly universal scorn, that Federer's backhand is flawed because Federer leads with the elbow, exactly what is admonished against in "Danger Spot" #4. Fed also uses a grip that nearly SW on his topspin backhand, not the Continental grip used by Hoad and Laver.

Hoads continental grip is clearly visible from the foto sequences in your post.
i was more refering to the stroke as a whole, which to me looks flatter, more drive-like if that makes sense. but í´m gonna watch lots of vids on britishpathe
i didn´t think of Federers bh as being flawed, but i will use the search
function to inform myself on that discussion. it interests me

 

[Limpinhitter]

Hoads continental grip is clearly visible from the foto sequences in your post.
i was more refering to the stroke as a whole, which to me looks flatter, more drive-like if that makes sense. but í´m gonna watch lots of vids on britishpathe
i didn´t think of Federers bh as being flawed, but i will use the search
function to inform myself on that discussion. it interests me

Hahaha! I've been in some wars in the tennis tips section about Fed's backhand. I can just see the jaws hitting the floor when I dare to criticize the great Federer, about anything.

IMO, his topspin backhand suffers from the same flaw Sampras' backhand suffered from - he swings too much from the elbow rather the shoulder, and doesn't get any where near the upper body rotation that Hoad, Laver, Ashe, Emerson, Edberg, Kuerten and a few of the other all time great topspin 1hb's got.

Look at Hoad's upper body, he gets almost 180 degrees of rotation. That's where his power, consistency and depth control came from. Notice that his arm doesn't move as much as his upper body does. He also gets great racquet acceleration from the pronation/suppination of his forearm as seen in the pictogram. Laver hit even harder with more topspin and perhaps a bit less depth control, a hazard of heavy topspin.

I know it's a different view, but, check out Laver's passing shot here. Laver is 38 in this video, but, I think his backhand is virtually identical to Hoad's, with a bit more top on it and a longer finish. You can stop the video at certain points, ie: the backswing with the open face, to compare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-VeBIal8TU&feature=player_detailpage#t=91s

 

[kiki]

Kiki,

From what I understand Hoad did maximize power but I'm not so sure about control all the time. Jack Kramer thought that when Hoad first turned pro that he went for winners all the time off every shot. I think Kramer thought he was too wild a player. He did learn to play better percentage tennis but guys like Kramer, Budge, Rosewall and Gonzalez were more under control than Hoad.

I think Laver was a Hoad type with more control and moved faster but Hoad on his game may have been the best of all time. People said Hoad could take the ball almost on the half volley with great power, spin and angles. Add a powerful serve, great volley and his speed and strength and it's scary.

If Hoad had his power and great control he never would have lost.

So there is just one answer...what is Hoad´s pro record against those 5 super top guys?

 

[kiki]

From "The Book of Tennis, How to Play the Game," 1965, the Lew Hoad topspin backhand, for your viewing pleasure.

How lovely¡¡¡¡...I am sure Laver had that much respect about Hoad..he never respected Gonzales or Rosewall so much¡¡¡

 

[kiki]

Which brings us to the best possible tennis match ever... top Laver vs top Hoad...or 1957 Hoad vs 1967 Laver, right?...

I expect none of you, old tennis experts, to believe that the recent AO final gave tennis its best match ever...

 

[Limpinhitter]

Which brings us to the best possible tennis match ever... top Laver vs top Hoad...or 1957 Hoad vs 1967 Laver, right?...

I expect none of you, old tennis experts, to believe that the recent AO final gave tennis its best match ever...

I can think of a few matches that were played at a higher level off the top of my head. But, what made that AO final so great was how close it was and the dogged competitiveness of the players.

 

[kiki]

Two words: Don Budge!

Three words: Rodney + George + Laver ¡¡¡

 

[kiki]

I can think of a few matches that were played at a higher level off the top of my head. But, what made that AO final so great was how close it was and the dogged competitiveness of the players.

Boredom...it was the greatest boredom ever¡¡¡

 

[embot]

my favourite tennis book(´too soon to panic´ comes in a close second)

quoted from his book:´Select, if you like, the best tennis match ever played, and you will find quite unquestionably that Hoad played in it. And then brushed it aside with an understatement. Rod Laver is a carbon copy of the original Hoad. Only lefthanded and without the full majesty. The mighty power

Love that book too. Really enjoy his stories of that era of tennis, and his humor. "Too Soon to Panic" is next on my reading list. Looking forward to reading that book.

 

[embot]

A more powerful serve. From the ground, or the net, no.

He did not exactly say where or how Hoad was more powerful than Laver. Here is what he wrote, and I'm quoting treblings quote, "Rod Laver is a carbon copy of the original Hoad. Only lefthanded and without the full majesty. The mighty power".