Players: Rod Lever and Tony Roche
- Rod “Rocket” Laver:the left-handed Australian genius
Rod “Rocket” Lever, born in 1938 in Queensland, Australia, set records early in his amateur career; achieving the impressive feat of completing the Grand Slam in 1962, while also being part of the Australian Davis Cup team that won the title from 1959-1962. In 1963, he was signed as a touring pro, and although his rookie year proved to be a rough start (19 losses). the best on the pro tour as well. In 1967, just before the Open Era, Lever completed the Pro Grand Slam by winning the season’s four major professional tournaments.
When the open era began, Lever was still at the peak of his form. Runner-up time Roland Garros In 1968, he won the first Open Grand Slam in tennis history a few weeks later at Wimbledon (defeating Tony Roche in the final, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2).
In 1969, he dominated the game as he won the first three Grand Slams of the year, defeating Andres Jimeno. Australian Open (6-3, 6-4, 7-5), Ken Rosewall at Roland Garros (6-4, 6-3, 6-4) and John Newcombe Wimbledon (6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4). He now had a chance to reach a second calendar Grand Slam if he won the US Open, where he had emerged as a heavy favorite, going unbeaten in his last 23 matches.
- Tony Roche, Australian singles and doubles star
Tony Roche, born in 1945 in New South Wales, Australia, started playing tennis at the age of 9. He reached his first Grand Slam final in 1965 as an amateur at Roland Garros, defeating compatriot Fred Stolle (3-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3). A year later, at the same venue, he won his first and only major singles title, defeating Istvan Guljas (6–1, 6–4, 7–5) in the final, after his opponent agreed to postpone the final for 24 hours to allow Roche to recover from a sprained ankle.
In 1968, Roche joined the US professional tour known as the Handsome Eight, and in the same year that the Open Era began, he finished runner-up to Rod Laver at Wimbledon. In 1969, he led the same Laver to an epic semi-final match at the Australian Open (lost 7-5, 22-20, 9-11, 1-6, 6-3). He also won seven Grand Slam doubles titles with partner John Newcombe.
The place. The West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills, New York
The US Open, formerly known as the US Nationals until the start of the Open era in 1968, was founded in 1881, and although it is the only Grand Slam tournament to have been played every year without interruption since its inception, it has moved to different locations several times in the 20th century. First held in August 1881 on the grass courts of the Newport Casino in Rhode Island, in 1915 the tournament moved to New York City, where it was played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills (except from 1921-1923, when the event was moved to Philadelphia).
Facts: Rod Laver is making history for the second time
1969 was the first full season of the Open Era, which began in the spring of 1968. For the first time in the history of tennis, professional and amateur players could participate in the same tournaments, including Grand Slams, which professionals had not been able to participate in before. For 30-year-old Rod Laver, who won all four majors as an amateur in 1962, it was extra motivation.
“It felt great to be able to compete all over again,” Lever said. according to tennishead.com. “Maybe a light fell on me that said: “You’re in this game for a reason, so compete hard and play hard.” I think it was seen in 1969.”
“Rocket” decided to participate in four Grand Slam tournaments, which not many of his peers did at the time; Australia was still too far away for many touring players. Laver began the season by winning the Australian Open, which was held that year in Brisbane, and discovering that his wife was pregnant and that the due date coincided with the US Open final.
Seven months later, the Australian left-hander arrived in New York as a father-to-be but also as a heavy favorite for the US Open, just a few wins away from a second Grand Slam on the calendar. However, Laver had a rough ride to win the first three majors of the year. In Australia, compatriot Tony Roche made him work hard to survive a four-hour semi-final clash played in scorching heat.
At Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he came back from two sets down twice in the early stages and won the trophy a few days later. After his win at the All England Club, Rocket was on fire, winning the 23 matches he played leading up to the US Open.
Lever, close to a Grand Slam and seemingly invincible, attracted a lot of attention, but as he would later explain, the thought of a pregnant wife took the pressure off. “Thinking about Mary certainly eased my worries about ending the calendar year at a Grand Slam,” he explained 50 years later, according to the ATP Tour website.
Laver settled near Charlton Heston on the Upper East Side and began the final leg of his journey. This time it was Dennis Ralston of the USA who pushed him to a five-set fourth round (6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3). In the semifinals, Laver defeated the current champion Arthur Ash (8-6, 6-3, 14-12). Now the last man standing between him and a Grand Slam was Tony Roche, who had given him so much trouble at the Australian Open.
“I wasn’t afraid to lose,” Lever said 50 years later. “But I knew it was going to be a very tough match, so I had to put my best foot forward.”
Due to phenomenal rain delays, the final was played on Tuesday 9th September. The grass was still slippery and Laver was allowed to take strokes by the umpire at the end of the first set, as it was the last match and it was no big deal if the court ended up in a slightly damaged state. “I ended up losing that set, but I had jumpers and I felt more comfortable.” It was a good decision for Rocket, who dominated the next three sets to win (7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2).
The new US Open champion jumped over the net to shake his opponent’s hand and quickly went to find a phone to check on his wife (not yet in labor) and tell him he had just finished his second Grand Slam of the calendar year.
What next? Laver never reaches another Grand Slam final
In the post-match press conference, Rod Lever told the press that he might be taking a step back from tennis after winning this amazing second calendar Grand Slam.
“I felt pretty happy and that I hadn’t been with my wife very often,” he told ATP. “I felt it was time I was supposed to be with Mary and my baby.”
His wife would give birth just three weeks later, allowing him to be by her side to meet their son.
In later years, Lever would focus mainly on the World Championship Tour, where he would remain one of the best players until the mid-70s. He would only compete in eight Grand Slams before his retirement in 1977, with the 1969 US Open remaining his last major victory.
No other male player would win four consecutive majors until Novak Djokovic in 2015-2016, and no other man would win a calendar Grand Slam again, which would only add to the aura of Rod Laver’s accomplishments. The center court of the Australian Open will be named after him in 2001, and in 2017, Roger Federer will establish a team tournament called the Lever Cup.
