Editing Rod Laver (section)

=== Professional ===
==== Before the Open Era (1963–68) ====
In December 1962 Laver turned professional after winning the [[1962 Davis Cup|Davis Cup]] with the [[Australia Davis Cup team|Australian team]]. After an initial period of adjustment he quickly established himself among the leading professional players such as [[Ken Rosewall]], [[Lew Hoad]] and [[Andrés Gimeno]], and also [[Pancho Gonzales]] when Gonzales returned to a full-time schedule in 1964. During the next seven years, Laver won the [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships]] five times, including four in a row beginning in 1966.

In the beginning of 1963, Laver was beaten consistently by both Rosewall and Hoad on an Australasian tour. Hoad won the first eight matches against Laver, and Rosewall won 11 out of 13. However, Laver won the best-of-five set matches against Rosewall at Kooyong Stadium and at Adelaide's Memorial Stadium.{{sfnp|McCauley|2003|p=228|ps=}} By the end of the year, with six tournament titles, Laver had become the No. 2 professional player behind Rosewall.<ref>''The History of Professional Tennis'' by Joe McCauley : Chapter 27 title, p. 123 : "New pro Laver takes second place to Rosewall"</ref><ref>''Rod Laver – The red-headed rocket from Rockhampton'' by Betty Laver p. 61 and 153</ref><ref>Butch Buchholz in ''World Tennis'' Volume 13 Number 8 (January 1966) p. 38</ref> In the first phase of the World Series tour, Laver finished second, with a 25–16 record. The top two players Rosewall and Laver then played a series of matches against each other to determine the champion. Rosewall won 14–4.

Laver's gross earnings for 1963 were first among the pro players.<ref>{{cite news |title=Laver's $60,000 Tops Pro Tennis Earnings |work=[[New York Herald Tribune]] |date=9 January 1964 |page=9}}</ref>

In 1964, Laver and Rosewall both won seven important titles (in minor tournaments Laver won four and Rosewall won three), but Laver won 17 of 24 matches against Rosewall and captured the two most prestigious titles, the US Pro Championships over Gonzales and the [[Wembley Championships]] over Rosewall. In Tennis Week, Raymond Lee described the Wembley match, where Laver came from 5–3 down in the fifth set to win 8–6, as possibly their best ever and one that changed tennis history. Lee regards this win as the one that began and established Laver's long reign as world number one. The other prestige title, the French pro, was won by Rosewall. Rosewall finished top of the official points table in 1964 and after winning at Wembley, Laver said "I've still plenty of ambitions left and would like to be the world's No. 1. Despite this win, I am not there yet – Ken is."<ref>''The History of Professional Tennis'', by Joe McCauley, page 128</ref>
[[File:Tenniskampioenschappen in Noordwijk, Leaver (Australie) in actie, Bestanddeelnr 916-7881.jpg|thumb|Rod Laver at [[Noordwijk]] in 1964]]

In 1965, Laver was clearly the No. 1 professional player,<ref>Earl "Butch" Buchholz in ''World Tennis'' Volume 13 Number 8 (January 1966) p. 38</ref> winning 17 titles<ref name="bercow2015">{{cite book |last1=Bercow |first1=John |title=Tennis Maestros: The Twenty Greatest Male Tennis Players of All Time |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tTSzAwAAQBAJ&q=Rod+Laver |date=2 June 2014 |publisher=Biteback Publishing, Chapter 9 |isbn=9781849547659 |access-date=30 October 2015 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030225842/https://books.google.com/books?id=tTSzAwAAQBAJ&q=Rod+Laver#v=snippet&q=Rod%20Laver&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> and 13 of 18 matches against Rosewall. In ten finals, Laver won eight against the still dangerous Gonzales. Laver won the Wembley Pro, beating Gimeno in the final.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Observer, 19 September 1965 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/258009792 |website=newspapers.com |date=19 September 1965 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111645/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/258009792/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1966, Laver won 16 events,<ref name="bercow2015" /> including the US Pro Championships (beating Rosewall in a five-set final),<ref>{{cite web |title=Newport Daily News, 18 July 1966 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/56804346 |website=newspapers.com |date=18 July 1966 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111645/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/56804346/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the Wembley Pro Championship (beating Rosewall easily in the final),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Guardian, 19 September 1966 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259557298 |website=newspapers.com |date=19 September 1966 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111636/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259557298/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and eight other important tournaments.

In 1967, Laver won 19 titles,<ref name="bercow2015" /> including the [[Wimbledon Pro]] (beating Rosewall in straight sets in the final),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Miami Herald, 29 August 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/621586551 |website=newspapers.com |date=29 August 1967 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111631/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/621586551/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the US Pro Championships (beating Gimeno in the final),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Boston Globe, 18 July 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/434000202 |website=newspapers.com |date=18 July 1967 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111641/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/434000202/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the [[Wembley Championships|Wembley Pro Championships]] (beating Rosewall in the final),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Guardian, 30 October 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259832166 |website=newspapers.com |date=30 October 1967 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609111636/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259832166/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[French Pro Championship]] (beating Gimeno in the final),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Courier-Journal (Louisville), 16 October 1967 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/109357867 |website=newspapers.com |date=16 October 1967 |access-date=9 June 2020 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030225918/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/109357867/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which gave him a clean sweep of the four most important professional titles, a professional Grand Slam. The [[Wimbledon Pro]] tournament in 1967 was the only professional event ever staged on [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]'s [[Centre Court]] before the Open Era began.

==== During the Open Era (1968–76) ====
With the dawn of the [[Open Era]] in 1968, professional players were once again allowed to compete in [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] events. Laver became [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon's]] first Open Era champion in 1968, beating the best amateur, American [[Arthur Ashe]], in a semifinal and fellow-Australian [[Tony Roche]] in the final, both in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107061232 |title=Rod Laver 'Still The Greatest'. |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=5 July 1968 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia |access-date=28 January 2016 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030225845/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107061232 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107061335 |title=Wimbledon 'Cake-Walk' – Laver All The Way; 6–3 6–4 6–2. |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=6 July 1968 |page=32 |via=National Library of Australia |access-date=28 January 2016 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030225846/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107061335 |url-status=live }}</ref> Laver was also the runner-up to [[Ken Rosewall]] in the first French Open. In this first "open" year, there were only eight open events besides Wimbledon and the French Open, where professionals, registered players, and amateurs could compete against each other. The professionals mainly played their own circuit, with two groups – National Tennis League (NTL) and World Championships Tennis (WCT)&nbsp;– operating. Laver was ranked No. 1 universally, winning the [[1968 U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|US Professional Championships]] on grass and the French Pro Championship on clay (both over [[John Newcombe]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Rod Laver wins 4th title |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n-srAAAAIBAJ&pg=2623%2C5773552 |work=Kentucky New Era |agency=Associated Press |date=9 September 1968 |page=21 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621072417/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n-srAAAAIBAJ&pg=2623,5773552 |url-status=live }}</ref> Laver also won the last big open event of the year, the [[1968 Pacific Southwest Open|Pacific Southwest]] in Los Angeles on hard courts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rod Laver Captures Singles |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f7NeAAAAIBAJ&dq=laver%20rosewall%20pacific&pg=2612%2C4081105 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |date=23 September 1968 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621072416/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f7NeAAAAIBAJ&dq=laver%20rosewall%20pacific&pg=2612,4081105 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ashe regarded Laver's 4–6, 6–0, 6–0 final win over Ken Rosewall as one of his finest performances.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Deford, Frank |author2=Ashe, Arthur |title=Arthur Ashe: Portrait in Motion |year=1993 |publisher=Carroll & Graf Publishers |location=New York |page=198 |isbn=0-7867-0050-5}}</ref> Laver's post-match comment was, "This is the kind of match you always dream about. The kind you play at night in your sleep." Laver ranked No. 1 for 1968 by the panel of journalists for the '[[Martini and Rossi]]' Award,<ref>{{Cite news|date=1969-01-23|title=Laver chosen as the player of 1968|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259451859/|access-date=6 February 2022|archive-date=10 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110191231/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259451859/|url-status=live}}</ref> by an Ulrich Kaiser panel of 18 experts,<ref>{{cite magazine |date=February 1969 |title=Around the World... |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1969-02_16_9/page/70/ |magazine=World Tennis |location=New York |publisher= |volume=16 |issue=9 |page=70 |access-date=}}</ref> by Seagrams (a panel of 15 journalists),<ref>{{Cite news|date=1968-11-10|title=King, Laver Rated Best|page=21|work=[[Clarion Ledger]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/180560916/|access-date=6 February 2022|archive-date=17 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417112904/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/180560916/|url-status=live}}</ref> by ''World Tennis'',<ref>{{Cite news|date=1969-01-19|title=Gonzales ranked ninth|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/621962659/|access-date=6 February 2022|archive-date=23 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223021943/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/621962659/|url-status=live}}</ref> by Lance Tingay,<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|last=|url=https://archive.org/details/worldoftennis1990000unse/|title=World Of Tennis|publisher=Collins Willow|year=1990|isbn=9780002183550|editor-last=Barrett|editor-first=John|editor-link=John Barrett (tennis)|location=London|pages=235–237}}</ref> by Rino Tommasi,<ref name="Almanacco1989 694">Almanacco illustrato del tennis 1989, Edizioni Panini, p.694</ref> by Bud Collins{{sfnp|Collins|Hollander|1997|p=651|ps=}} and by ''The Times''.<ref>The Times (London), 25 September 1968, p. 13</ref>

In 1969, Laver won all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same calendar year for the second time, sealing the achievement with a four-set win over Roche in the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] final. He won 18 of the 32 singles tournaments he entered (still the [[Open Era tennis records – men's singles#Single season records|Open Era titles record]]) and compiled a 106–16 win–loss record. In beating Newcombe in four sets in the Wimbledon final, he captured the title at the [[All England Club]] for the fourth consecutive time that he had entered the tournament (and reached the final for the sixth consecutive time as he had been runner-up in 1959 and 1960). He set a record of 31 consecutive match victories at Wimbledon between 1961 and 1970, which lasted until 1980 when it was eclipsed by [[Björn Borg]]. Unlike his first Grand Slam year in 1962, Laver in 1969 played in events open to all the best professional and amateur players of the world. In the year's Grand Slam tournaments, Laver had five five-set-matches, twice coming back from two sets down in early rounds. In the four finals, however, he lost a total of only two sets. His hardest match was a marathon 90-game semifinal against Roche at the Australian Open under tropical hot conditions. Other opponents at the Australian Open included [[Roy Emerson]], [[Fred Stolle]], and [[Andrés Gimeno]]. At the French Open, Laver beat Gimeno, [[Tom Okker]], and Rosewall. At Wimbledon, Laver overcame strong challenges from [[Stan Smith]], [[Cliff Drysdale]], Ashe, and Newcombe. At the US Open on slippery grass courts, he defeated [[Dennis Ralston]], Emerson, Ashe, and Roche. Laver proved his versatility by winning the Grand Slam tournaments on grass and clay, plus the two most important hard court titles (South African Open at Ellis Park, Johannesburg and the US Professional Championships at Boston) and the leading indoor tournaments (Philadelphia US Pro Indoor and Wembley British Indoor). Laver ranked No. 1 for 1969 by the panel of 13 international journalists for the 'Martini and Rossi' Award,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fremont Argus, 16 December 1969|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38014136/|website=newspapers.com|date=16 December 1969|access-date=6 February 2022|archive-date=10 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110172434/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38014136/|url-status=live}}</ref> by Tingay,<ref name=":9" /> by Collins,{{sfnp|Collins|Hollander|1997|p=651|ps=}} by Tommasi,<ref name="Almanacco1989 694"/> by Frank Rostron<ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 1969 |title=Around The World |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1969-11_17_6/page/56/ |magazine=World Tennis |location=New York |publisher= |volume=17 |issue=6 |page=57 |access-date=}}</ref> and by ''World Tennis''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster), 19 November 1969|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/557989055|website=newspapers.com|access-date=6 February 2022|archive-date=26 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126181937/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/557989055/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the early 1970s, Laver lost his grip on the major tournaments. He played only five Grand Slam tournaments from 1970 through 1972. This was partly because of his contracts with NTL and WCT. But on the WCT tours, he remained the leading player and by far the leading prize money winner.

[[File:Rodney George Laver.jpg|thumb|right|Laver during the Top Tennis Tournament in Amsterdam in May 1969]]

[[File:ABN Wereldtennis in Ahoy Rotterdam Laver in aktie, Bestanddeelnr 928-4300.jpg|thumb|left|Rod Laver at the 1976 ABN World Tennis Tournament in [[Rotterdam]]]]

In 1970, Laver won 15 titles<ref name="bercow2015" /> and US$201,453 in prize money, including the rich "Tennis Champions Classic" and five other big events (Sydney Dunlop Open, Philadelphia, Wembley, Los Angeles, South African Open). Those were the equivalent of the modern day [[ATP Masters Series]] and most had 8 or more of the world's top ranked players participating. With only two majors played by all the best players (Wimbledon and the US Open), there was no clear-cut World No. 1 in 1970. Wimbledon champion Newcombe, US champion Rosewall, and Laver (who won the most titles and had a 3–0 win–loss record against Newcombe and a 5–0 record against Rosewall) were ranked the highest by different journalists and expert panels. The panel of 10 international journalists who voted for the 'Martini and Rossi' Award, ranked Rosewall No. 1 with 97 points over Laver (89 pts) and Newcombe (81 pts).<ref>{{cite web|work=The Des Moines Register|date=10 November 1970|title=Rosewall named netman of the year|page=2-S|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/338828902/|via=newspapers.com|url-access=limited|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-date=7 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107145755/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/338828902/|url-status=live}}</ref> The panel of 12 journalists which made the WCT draw for 1971 ranked Laver 1st, Rosewall 2nd and Newcombe 3rd.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Honolulu Advertiser, 18 December 1970|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/261073180/|website=newspapers.com|date=18 December 1970|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-date=20 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120101744/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/261073180/|url-status=live}}</ref> Rex Bellamy ranked Laver No. 1, with Rosewall No. 2.<ref>The Times (London), 22 December 1970, p. 12</ref> Judith Elian of ''L'Equipe'' Magazine (Paris) and Rino Tommasi<ref name="Almanacco1989 694"/> placed Rosewall No. 1, while Robert Geist co-ranked Rosewall, Laver and Newcombe No. 1.{{sfnp|Geist|1999|p=89|ps=}} Newcombe later wrote in his autobiography "Newk-Life On and Off the Court" (2002) that the top honour for 1970 belonged to Laver.<ref>Newk-Life On and Off the Court, John Newcombe, 2002, p.85</ref> Lance Tingay,<ref name=":9"/> John McCauley<ref>Muscles, Ken Rosewall as told to Richard Naughton, 2012, p.208</ref> and Bud Collins.{{sfnp|Collins|Hollander|1997|p=651|ps=}} ranked Newcombe ahead of Rosewall and Laver.

In 1971 Laver won seven titles,<ref name="bercow2015" /> including the Italian Open in Rome on clay over [[Jan Kodeš]], the reigning French Open champion. Laver successfully defended his title at the "Tennis Champions Classic", winning 13 consecutive winner-take-all matches against top opponents and US$160,000. For the year, Laver won a then-record US$292,717 in tournament prize money and became the first tennis player to surpass US$1&nbsp;million in career prize money. In 1971 and 1972, Laver finished as the points leader of the WCT tournament series but lost the playoff finals at Dallas to Rosewall. The last match is rated as one of the best of all time and drew a TV audience of over 20&nbsp;million.

In 1972, Laver cut back his tournament schedule, partly because of back and knee injuries and his tennis camp businesses, but he still won five titles<ref name="bercow2015" /> that year. In 1973, Laver won seven titles<ref name="bercow2015" /> and successfully participated in the semifinals and final of the [[Davis Cup]], where he won all six of his rubbers for Australia. In 1974 Laver won six titles<ref name="bercow2015" /> from 13 tournaments and ended the year as World No. 4 based on the ATP point system. At 36, he was the oldest player during the Open Era to have been included in the year-ending top five.

In 1975, Laver set a record for WCT tournaments by winning four titles and 23 consecutive matches but in 1976, he semi-retired from the main tour, playing only a few selected events. He also signed with [[World Team Tennis]], where he became "Rookie of the Year" at the age of 38 but won five titles<ref name="Player Details: Rod LAVER">{{cite web |title=Player's Details: Rod Laver |url=http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10002749 |website=itftennis.com |publisher=[[International Tennis Federation]] (ITF) |access-date=27 January 2016 |archive-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205130505/http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10002749 |url-status=dead }}</ref> overall that season.

Overall, despite turning 30 just months after the Open Era began, Laver had tremendous success, winning 74 singles titles, which remains [[Tennis players with most titles in the Open Era#Men|seventh most of the era]]. Plus, like most players of his day, he regularly played doubles, winning 37 titles.

Laver's career earnings were approximately $1,540,000.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Barrett |title=Riches at the rainbow's end |magazine=Financial Times|date=11 March 1978 |page=9}}</ref>