The seven biggest rivalries in men's tennis history, part 1: Rod Laver vs. Ken Rosewall

We look back on rivalries that have shaped tennis. Part one of our, of course extremely subjective, review: the duels of the Australians Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall .

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Two Australians, grown up on lawn, decorated with a total of 19 Grand Slam victories in singles, meet in exactly two finals at majors: 1968 and 1969, both times on the ashes of Roland Garros. In the first attempt, Rosewall prevails, becoming the premiere champion of the “Open Era” in professional men's tennis. A year later, Rod Laver won the title at the Bois de Boulogne, it should be the first of four in this calendar year 1969. A feat that Laver himself had already accomplished in 1962 - and after him no one else in the men's circus. No wonder that "The Rocket" was last honored with an exhibition at the 2019 US Open to mark the 50th anniversary of its second Grand Slam.

51 matches between Laver and Rosewall in one year

Eleven titles at the four biggest events on the tennis calendar were at the end of Rod Laver's career, who, like his competitor Ken Rosewall, could not take part in the Grand Slam tournaments as a professional between 1963 and 1967. Without this break, the now 81-year-old would have held the all-time record for major victories.

Ken Rosewall, on the other hand, had only tried unsuccessfully to sign on the list of winners for a major: despite four appearances in the final, Wimbledon did not want to succeed, the last time there was a chance for Rosewall in 1974. Jimmy Connors had other ideas. Just like a few weeks later at the US Open.

Rod Laver against Ken Rosewall, this duel can be found in the ATP annals 21 times, with 13 wins for Laver, who is four years younger. The first encounter in the Open Era was on clay in Bournemouth in 1968, the last in Houston in 1976. However, if you look back a few years, the picture is much broader: In 1963 alone, the year in which Rod Laver switched to professionals, the two Australians played a fabulous 51 matches against each other. Rosewall won 38 of them. Until 1976, however, this was to be the last year in which Rosewall had a positive annual balance against his friend Laver.

Roger Federer honors Rod Laver

Anyone who (with good reason) looks at 38-year-old Roger Federer today, who is still part of the world elite, can say that Ken Rosewall ended his career at the age of 46 with a loss to compatriot Paul McNamee at the indoor tournament at that time in Melbourne. Rod Laver let it end a little more quietly, retired peu á peu from the tennis circus from 1975. But came back in 2017 with a new impetus: as the namesake of the Laver Cup, which is driven by Federer and actively supported by Tennis Australia

The facts:

Encounters on the ATP tour: