Rod Laver

Who Is Rod Laver?

Rodney George “Rod” Laver is a retired Australian professional tennis player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

His nickname tells you everything. He was nicknamed “Rocket” by his Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman — a name that perfectly captured his explosive speed and ferocious power on court.

But speed alone does not define Rod Laver. He is the only player in tennis history to complete the Grand Slam — winning all four major singles titles in a single calendar year — twice. He achieved this first as an amateur in 1962 and again as a professional in 1969.

Furthermore, he won 200 career singles titles by 1976 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981. He is, quite simply, the benchmark by which all tennis greatness is measured.

Early Life: A Boy, a Backyard Court, and a Dream

Born in the Australian Bush

Rodney George Laver was born on 9 August 1938 in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. He was the third of four children born to Roy and Melba Laver. His father, Roy, worked as a cattleman and butcher.

The Laver family owned a 9,300-hectare property located in Marlborough, Queensland. Life on the land was tough. It was honest. Most importantly, it built character — and in Rod Laver’s case, it built a champion.

Laver’s mother, Melba, was named after Dame Nellie Melba. She was only five feet two inches tall but loved the outdoors and was very good with cattle. Laver and his mother share a special and close relationship.

Amongst his relatives were the cricketers Frank Laver and Jack Laver. Athletic genes, it seems, ran deep in the Laver bloodline.

The Homemade Court That Built a Legend

Although his parents were avid club players, Laver honed his initial skills independently through relentless play on a homemade surface, often hitting against a wall or garage door before formal instruction began. By age 11, in 1949, he entered his first junior tournaments through local school and club events in Rockhampton.

Rod Laver was so scrawny and sickly as a child in the Australian bush that no one could guess he would become a left-handed whirlwind who would conquer the tennis world.

However, what he lacked in size, he more than made up for in heart, determination, and extraordinary natural talent.

From Rockhampton to Brisbane: A Future Takes Shape

In 1951, Laver’s family relocated from Rockhampton to Brisbane to better support his burgeoning tennis talent, providing access to superior facilities and coaching.

Laver was a teenager when he left school to pursue a tennis career that lasted 24 years. He was coached in Queensland by Charlie Hollis and later by Australian Davis Cup team captain Harry Hopman, who gave Laver the nickname “Rocket.”

At 15, he came under the eye of Australia’s legendary Davis Cup Captain Harry Hopman, who suggested he leave school and move to Brisbane to concentrate on tennis.

Career Journey: From Amateur Prodigy to Professional Legend

Davis Cup Debut and Early Titles (1956–1959)

Within three years of Hopman’s guidance, by 1956, Laver was in the Davis Cup team.

Laver joined the Australian Davis Cup squad at 18 and toured overseas in 1956. His early achievements included winning the Australian doubles championship with Robert Mark and the Wimbledon mixed doubles with Darlene Hard in 1959.

These early victories were signs of things to come. However, even the most optimistic observers could not have predicted how spectacular those things would be.

The First Grand Slam Title (1960)

His first Grand Slam singles title came in 1960. He won the Australian singles championship in 1960.

This was the beginning. The tennis world had found its next giant.

The Amateur Grand Slam (1962): History Is Made

Then came the year that changed everything.

In 1962, Rod Laver won all four major singles titles in a single calendar year — the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Championships — becoming only the second male player to achieve this feat.

He emulated Don Budge by making the second male Grand Slam in 1962 as an amateur.

At just 23 years old, Laver had done something only one man had ever done before him. Moreover, he was about to do it again — in even more remarkable circumstances.

Turning Professional (1963): The Exile Years

Turning professional in 1963, he dominated with his skill. However, his professional status rendered him ineligible for Grand Slam tournaments from 1963 to 1968.

This was one of tennis history’s great injustices. Had he been allowed to compete in the Grand Slams during this period, his Slam tally might well have been even higher than it already is.

Despite this, Laver dominated the professional circuit completely. He paved the way for future generations of agile, powerful left-handers like John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.

The Return of the Open Era (1968)

In 1968, tennis changed forever. The Open Era began. Professionals could finally compete alongside amateurs in Grand Slam events.

In 1968, with the advent of the Open Era, the distinction between amateurs and professionals disappeared, and Laver was again able to compete in Grand Slam events until the end of his career in 1977.

Rod Laver returned. And he did so with a vengeance.

The Professional Grand Slam (1969): The Impossible Done Twice

He became the only double Grand Slammer seven years later, taking the major singles — Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open — as a professional in 1969.

In 1969, he won 31 consecutive tournament contests at the age of 31. That same year, his son Rick was born in late 1969, shortly after Laver completed his Grand Slam.

No player before him had won two Grand Slams. No player since has come close. Laver is the only player in the Open Era to have won the Calendar Grand Slam, and the only player in all of history to have done it twice.

Grand Slam Finals Record

Rod Laver competed in 17 Grand Slam singles finals between 1959 and 1969, securing 11 victories and suffering just 6 defeats. His Grand Slam career win percentage stands at 82.94% — one of the highest in history.

The Million-Dollar Milestone (1971)

In 1971, Rod Laver became the first tennis player in history to exceed $1,000,000 in career prize money.

This was a landmark moment. It proved that tennis was becoming a genuinely lucrative professional sport — and that Laver was its biggest star.

Playing Style: Left-Handed Thunder and Topspin Brilliance

Rod Laver is possibly the only high-profile male player in tennis history who had a perfectly fluid game and absolutely no weaknesses. He could do pretty much everything on a tennis court. He could attack, defend, volley, and patiently construct points with equal competence. He could change his strategy on a dime — often in the middle of a match.

He was aggressive. He used his power and accuracy to pin opponents into corners of the court. His speed allowed him to come to the net and finish them off.

The Australian’s topspin-heavy groundstrokes were also the foundation stone for the evolution of the game into its current avatar. His textbook technique on practically all shots is still used in many coaching manuals today.

Although his curling, left-arm topspin was created on grass courts, he won in all conditions and on all surfaces.

In his own words: “The time your game is most vulnerable is when you’re ahead. Never let up.”

Davis Cup Glory: A Team Player at Heart

Beyond his individual brilliance, Laver was also a devoted team competitor.

Laver contributed to Australia’s Davis Cup victories in 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1973, posting a 20–4 singles record and a perfect 4–0 in doubles.

He led Australia to five Davis Cup victories over the course of his career. These team achievements were just as dear to him as his individual Grand Slam glories.

Grand Slam Titles Summary

Tournament	Titles	Years Won
Australian Open	3	1960, 1962, 1969
French Open	2	1962, 1969
Wimbledon	4	1961, 1962, 1968, 1969
US Open	2	1962, 1969
Total Grand Slam Titles	11	—
Pro Slam Titles	8	—
Davis Cup Victories	5	1959–62, 1973
Total Career Singles Titles	200	—

Personal Life: Love, Loss, and Resilience

Mary Benson: A Love Story

Rod Laver married Mary Benson on June 20, 1966, in San Rafael, California. Mary, born Mary Shelby Peterson on January 23, 1928, in DeKalb, Illinois, was a divorcée ten years Laver’s senior. She brought three children — Ron, Steve, and Ann — from her previous marriage.

Their marriage raised eyebrows in 1966 because Mary was ten years Laver’s senior and already had three children. However, Laver never wavered. Rod met his wife Mary at a charity event in Los Angeles. According to Rod, Mary had beautiful dark hair, green eyes, and a deep tan.

After their wedding ceremony, well-known tennis players in attendance — including Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Roy Emerson, Mal Anderson, and Barry MacKay — stood outside and raised their tennis rackets to create an archway for the newlyweds to walk beneath.

The couple had one son together, Rick. Their marriage lasted 46 years until Mary’s death from a long illness on November 12, 2012, at age 84 in Carlsbad, California.

A Stroke and a Comeback (1998)

In 1998, while being interviewed for an ESPN documentary on the greatest athletes of the twentieth century, Laver suffered a moderate stroke. He was taken to the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center for recovery. The stroke affected his right arm and shoulder primarily. He relearned how to play tennis to rehabilitate himself.

This was perhaps his greatest comeback. Even off the court, Rod Laver refused to give up.

Life After Mary

Since Mary’s passing in 2012, Laver has been in a relationship with Susan Johnson. The two began dating officially in 2018 after decades of knowing each other. Laver resides in Carlsbad, California, but maintains close ties to Australia through events like the Australian Open.

Legacy and Honours: A Name That Lives On Forever

Rod Laver’s legacy extends far beyond trophies. His name is literally embedded in the landscape of global tennis.

Rod Laver Arena (2000)

Australia honored Laver in 2000 by renaming the centre court of the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne the Rod Laver Arena. This iconic venue hosts the Australian Open each year. It is where champions are crowned. It is where Laver’s name echoes every January.

The Laver Cup (2017–Present)

The annual Laver Cup team competition was established in 2017 to honor his achievements.

The Laver Cup was created to honour the greatest player of the twentieth century — Rod Laver. Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer played a key role in the tournament’s inception. Today, it is one of the most watched team events in global tennis, featuring the world’s best players competing on its prestigious stage.

Halls of Fame and National Honours

Laver’s legacy endures through numerous honors, including induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981, the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 — elevated to Legend status in 2002. He received the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1970 and the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2016 for his contributions to tennis.

The Australian government has also named him the country’s “Living Treasure.” He has been felicitated with the Australian Sports Medal and is remembered through the annual Rod Laver Queensland Junior Championships.

Australia Post Stamp (2003)

In 2003, Australia Post put his portrait on a stamp as part of its Australian Legends Award — a fitting tribute to a man who is quite literally a legend of the nation.