January 16, 2009

Laver Says He's Not The Greatest: As the first Grand Slam of the year begins in Melbourne, a look back with the only player to have won all four Grand Slams in a single year. Twice. As an amateur and again as a professional. And he thinks Roger could do it...

posted by owlhouse to tennis at 05:06 AM - 5 comments

Laver is, as usual, being modest. He did what he did while playing with the traditional wooden racket on every sort of surface. The new young guys are great, certainly, but Rod's accomplishments are quite astonishing, and it is no accident that all modern players have failed to do what he did (so far, anyway). pbel

posted by pbel at 11:51 AM on January 16, 2009

I appreciate your humility, Rod, but you're wrong about that "greatest" thing...
Not only the greatest tennis player, among the greatest sportsmen.

posted by bobfoot at 09:01 PM on January 16, 2009

Back in my high school and college days, when I attempted to play tennis once in a while, must see TV around Labor Day was the US Open. In my xenophobic youth I used to root against Laver, but I always marveled at his game. He may deny being the greatest, but he sure fooled me.

posted by Howard_T at 01:38 PM on January 17, 2009

I disagree with Laver on both counts. Could Federer win the grand slam? Yes. Will he? No.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:51 PM on January 20, 2009

You're right, lbb - and not while Nadal is around, especially on clay.

Rafa looked pretty ominous last night in his first round tie. Not that it counts for much at this stage.

posted by owlhouse at 10:29 PM on January 20, 2009

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