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{{Short description|Australian tennis player (born 1934)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name = Ken Rosewall<br /><small>[[Order of Australia|AM]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]</small>
|fullname = Kenneth Robert Rosewall
|image = Ken Rosewall portrait.jpg
|caption = Rosewall in the mid-1950s
|country = {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Australia]]
|residence = [[Sydney]], New South Wales, Australia
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1934|11|2}}
|birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
|height = {{height|m=1.70|precision=0}}
|turnedpro = 1956<br />(amateur since 1950)
|retired = 1980
|plays = Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
|careerprizemoney = US$1,602,700
|tennishofyear = 1980
|tennishofid = ken-rosewall
|singlesrecord = {{tennis record|won=1811|lost=710}} <ref>{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Ken Rosewall: Career match record|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=ROSEWALL%2C+KEN&player_input=ROSEWALL%2C+KEN&sub=2#aSubmenu|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=22 September 2021|___location=Madrid, Spain}}</ref>
|singlestitles = {{nowrap|147 <ref name="Record-Most-Titles">{{cite web|title=Record: Most Titles|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=records&id=VKFAFFEYGY|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher= Tennis Base|access-date=31 October 2017}}</ref> (40 listed by the ATP)}}
|highestsinglesranking = [[World number 1 ranked male tennis players|No. '''1''']] (1961, ''[[L'Équipe]]'')
|AustralianOpenresult = '''W''' ([[1953 Australian Championships – Men's singles|1953]], [[1955 Australian Championships – Men's singles|1955]], [[1971 Australian Open – Men's singles|1971]], [[1972 Australian Open – Men's singles|1972]])
|FrenchOpenresult = '''W''' ([[1953 French Championships – Men's singles|1953]], [[1968 French Open – Men's singles|1968]])
|Wimbledonresult = F ([[1954 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1954]], [[1956 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1956]], [[1970 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1970]], [[1974 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1974]])
|USOpenresult = '''W''' ([[1956 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1956]], [[1970 US Open – Men's singles|1970]])
|Othertournaments = yes
|Proother = yes
|TOCresult = F ([[Tournament of Champions (tennis)#Forest Hills 1958|1958]]<sup>FH</sup>)
|MastersCupresult = RR – 3rd ([[1970 Pepsi-Cola Masters – Singles|1970]])
|WCTFinalsresult = '''W''' ([[1971 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles|1971]], [[1972 World Championship Tennis Finals – Singles|1972]])
|Promajors = yes
|USProresult = '''W''' ([[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1963|1963]], [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1965|1965]])
|WembleyProresult = '''W''' ([[Wembley Championship#1957|1957]], [[Wembley Championship#1960|1960]], [[Wembley Championship#1961|1961]], [[Wembley Championship#1962|1962]], [[Wembley Championship#1963|1963]])
| FrenchProresult = '''W''' ([[French Pro Championship#1958|1958]], [[French Pro Championship#1960|1960]], [[French Pro Championship#1961|1961]], [[French Pro Championship#1962|1962]], [[French Pro Championship#1963|1963]], [[French Pro Championship#1964|1964]], [[French Pro Championship#1965|1965]], [[French Pro Championship#1966|1966]])
|doublesrecord = 211–113 (Open Era)
|doublestitles = 14 listed by the ATP
|highestdoublesranking=
|AustralianOpenDoublesresult = '''W''' (1953, 1956, 1972)
|FrenchOpenDoublesresult = '''W''' (1953, 1968)
|WimbledonDoublesresult = '''W''' (1953, 1956)
|USOpenDoublesresult = '''W''' (1956, 1969)
| Mixed = yes
| mixedrecord = 21–6
| mixedtitles = 1
| AustralianOpenMixedresult =
| FrenchOpenMixedresult = SF (1953)
| WimbledonMixedresult = F (1954)
| USOpenMixedresult = '''W''' (1956)
| OthertournamentsMixedDoubles =
| WHCCMixedDoublesresult =
| WCCCMixedDoublesresult =
| OlympicMixedDoublesresult =
|Team = yes
|DavisCupresult = '''W''' ([[1953 Davis Cup|1953]], [[1955 Davis Cup|1955]], [[1956 Davis Cup|1956]], [[1973 Davis Cup|1973]])
}}
'''Kenneth Robert Rosewall''' {{Post-nominals|post-noms=[[Order of Australia|AM]] [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]}} (born 2 November 1934) is an Australian former [[World number one male tennis player rankings|world No. 1]] professional [[tennis]] player. Rosewall won 147 singles titles, including 23 majors: a record 15 [[Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era#Professional majors|Pro Majors]] and eight [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments|Grand Slam tournament]]s. He also won 15 Pro Majors in doubles and nine Grand Slam doubles titles. Rosewall achieved a [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Pro Slam|Pro Slam]] in singles in 1963 by winning the three Pro Majors in one year, and completed the [[Grand Slam (tennis)#Career Grand Slam|career Grand Slam]] in doubles.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=256–257|ps=}}
Rosewall had a renowned [[backhand]] and enjoyed a long career at the highest levels from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. He was ranked as the world No. 1 men's tennis player by multiple sources from 1961 to 1964,<ref>(1961 ranking) 1961 Robert Roy's rankings in l'Équipe in January 1962 reproduced in Tennis de France N°106, Fevrier 1962, page 17 "Un classement open"</ref><ref>(1961 ranking) Tennis de France N°106 FEVRIER 1962, editorial page 1</ref>{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=121|ps=}}<ref>(1961-64 rankings) {{cite magazine|title=Time magazine, 14 May 1965|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,898832,00.html|magazine=Time|date=14 May 1965}}</ref>{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=123, 125|ps=}}{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=126, 235|ps=}}<ref>(1964 ranking) {{cite web|title=The Age (Melbourne), 21 December 1964|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122337116|website=newspapers.com|date=21 December 1964 }}</ref> multiple sources in 1970,<ref>(1970 rankings) Almanacco Illustrato del tennis 1989, Edizioni Panini, p.694</ref><ref>1970 Martini and Rossi award</ref> and Rino Tommasi in 1971 and 1972.<ref>(1971-72 rankings) Almanacco Illustrato del tennis 1989, Edizioni Panini, p.694</ref> Rosewall was first ranked in the top 20 in 1952,<ref>Bud Collins' Modern Encyclopedia of Tennis (1994), Lance Tingay 1952 rankings, p. 614</ref> and last ranked in the top 20 in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 31 December 1977|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1977-12-31&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> Rosewall is the only player to have simultaneously held Pro Slam titles on three different surfaces (1962–63). At the [[1971 Australian Open – Men's singles|1971 Australian Open]], he became the first man in the [[Open Era]] to win a Grand Slam tournament without dropping a set. Rosewall won world professional championship tours in 1963, 1964, and the WCT titles in 1971 and 1972.
==Early
Rosewall was born on 2 November 1934 in [[Hurstville, New South Wales|Hurstville]], Sydney. His father, Robert Rosewall, was a grocer in [[Penshurst, New South Wales]], and when Ken was one year old, they moved to [[Rockdale, New South Wales|Rockdale]] where his father bought three clay tennis courts.{{sfnp|Rosewall|Rowley|1976|p=15|ps=}} Ken started playing tennis at age 3 with a shortened racket and using both hands for forehand and backhand shots.{{sfnp|Rosewall|Rowley|1976|p=1|ps=}} They practiced early in the morning, focusing on playing one type of shot for a period of weeks. He was a natural left-hander but was taught to play right-handed by his father. He played his first tournament when he was nine and lost to the eventual winner. At age eleven Rosewall won the Metropolitan Hardcourt Championships for under fourteen.{{sfnp|Rosewall|Rowley|1976|p=2|ps=}}
In his youth, Rosewall often played [[Lew Hoad]], and they became known as the Sydney "twins", but they had very different physiques, personalities and playing styles. Their first match in Sydney in January 1947 (when both were aged 12) was played as an opener of an exhibition match between Australia and America. Rosewall won 6–0, 6–0. The two played again a few weeks later, and Rosewall won again in straight sets. Rosewall beat Hoad twice later in 1947 in state age-group championships. "At this stage the consistent baseline strategy of Rosewall was able to doggedly unravel any questions asked by his more aggressive, hard-hitting rival".<ref>Muscles, Ken Rosewall as told to Richard Naughton, Slattery Media Group, 2012, p.17-18</ref> In 1949, at age 14, Rosewall became the junior champion at the Australian Hardcourt Championships in Sydney, the youngest player to win an Australian title.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131238116 |title=Tennis Title to N.S.W. |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]] |___location=Adelaide |date=3 September 1949 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47678884 |title=Lawn Tennis. |newspaper=[[The West Australian]]|___location=Perth |date=25 October 1949 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
==Tennis career==
===Amateur career: 1950 to 1956===
;1950
In September 1950, at the age of 15, and still a junior player, Rosewall reached the final of the 1950 New South Wales Metropolitan hard court championships, where he lost to Jim Gilchrist.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Daily Telegraph, 4 September 1950|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/248533289|website=trove.nla.gov.au}}</ref> In October, Rosewall reached the semifinals of the 1950 New South Wales Metropolitan grass court Championships (not to be confused with the [[Sydney International|New South Wales Championships]]), where he was defeated by the world-class adult player [[Ken McGregor]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134390199 |title=Straight Sets Win to Worthington. |newspaper=[[Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate]] |date=12 October 1950 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
[[File:Ken Rosewall 1946.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Rosewall, as a 12-year-old at [[White City Stadium (Sydney)|White City]], Sydney (1946)]]
;1951
Rosewall won his first men's tournament in Manly, New South Wales in January against Gilchrist and was "the youngest player ever to capture the seaside title. It was also Rosewall's first important win in a tennis tournament. Rosewall played almost flawless ground shots. When he did come into the net, he made no mistake about volleying his winners. Rosewall's only weakness was his smash. He seemed to hurry this shot, and in the second set, he missed eight consecutive smashes."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 January 1951|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123794944|website=newspapers.com|date=7 January 1951 }}</ref> Rosewall beat [[Adrian Quist]] in the semifinals of the Brisbane exhibition tournament in August,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 1951|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126128273|website=newspapers.com|date=10 August 1951 }}</ref> but he lost the final to [[Lew Hoad]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Sun, 11 August 1951|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230225748|website=trove.nla.gov.au}}</ref> Ken lost in the final of Metropolitan Hardcourt championships at Naremburn to George Worthington in September.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 September 1951|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/126105721|website=newspapers.com|date=3 September 1951 }}</ref> In the New South Wales championships in November, Rosewall pushed reigning Australian and Wimbledon champion [[Dick Savitt]] to four sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 November 1951|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123319239|website=newspapers.com|date=20 November 1951 }}</ref>
;1952
In 1952, still only 17, Rosewall reached the quarterfinals of the [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]], upsetting the top-seeded [[Vic Seixas]] in the fourth round in five sets and then losing to [[Gardnar Mulloy]] in five sets.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,816985-1,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122163104/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,816985-1,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 November 2007 |title=Bright Australian Future |magazine=TIME |date=15 September 1952 |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> In his end-of-year rankings, the British tennis expert [[Lance Tingay]] ranked Rosewall and [[Lew Hoad]], his equally youthful doubles partner, jointly as the tenth best amateur players in the world.<ref name=collins>{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Bud|title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis|year=2010|publisher=New Chapter Press|___location=New York|isbn=978-0942257700|pages=717, 718|edition=2nd}}</ref>
;1953
Rosewall was only 18 years old when he won his first singles title at a Grand Slam event in 1953, defeating American [[Vic Seixas]] in the semifinals and compatriot [[Mervyn Rose]] in the final of the [[1953 Australian Championships|Australian Championships]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69431337 |title=Singles Title To Rosewall. |newspaper=[[The Advocate (Tasmania)|The Advocate]] |___location=Burnie, Tas. |date=19 January 1953 |page=5 |via=[[National Library of Australia]]}}</ref> He also won the [[French Championships]], beating Seixas in the final in four sets, when "the young Australian's mastery in all phases of the game disheartened Seixas as Rosewall beat him repeatedly with perfectly placed shots".<ref>{{cite web|title=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 31 May 1953|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/6039334|website=newspapers.com|date=31 May 1953 }}</ref> Rosewall was the top seed at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], but lost in the quarterfinals to [[Kurt Nielsen]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,806700,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001001329/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,806700,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 October 2007 |title=A Carnation for Victor |magazine=TIME |date=13 July 1953 |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> Rosewall reached the semifinals at the U.S. Championships, where he was defeated by [[Tony Trabert]] in straight sets.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,858272,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225142/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,858272,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 September 2007 |title=Melbourne Preview? |magazine=TIME |date=14 September 1953 |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> At the [[Pacific Southwest Championships]] Rosewall beat Trabert in the semifinals and Seixas in the final in five sets and in the end "Rosewall's superior backhand probably decided the match."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times, 21 September 1953|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/386193930|website=newspapers.com|date=21 September 1953 }}</ref> Rosewall lost to Trabert in the Challenge Round of the [[Davis Cup]] in Melbourne in three sets. Rosewall, however, won the fifth and deciding rubber of this tie, defeating Seixas in four sets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daviscup.com/en/results/tie/details.aspx?tieID=10000736 |title=Davis Cup, World Group Challenge Rounds, 1953 |publisher=Daviscup.com |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> In early September, Tingay placed Trabert first and Rosewall second in his annual amateur rankings.<ref>Bud Collins' Modern Encyclopedia of Tennis (1994), p. 614</ref> The editors of Tennis de France magazine ranked Rosewall third behind Hoad and Trabert in a full season ranking for 1953. Harry Hopman ranked Rosewall third behind Hoad and Trabert in a full season ranking.<ref>{{cite news|date=15 January 1954|title=HOAD JUST HEADS TRABERT|page=13|newspaper=[[The Herald (Melbourne)]]|issue=23,912|___location=Victoria, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245148632|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=25 November 2021}}</ref>
;1954
In 1954, Rosewall lost in the semifinals of the Australian championships to Rose.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Hartford Courant, 31 January 1954|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/370406477|website=newspapers.com|date=31 January 1954 }}</ref> Rosewall played "a fine net game" in beating [[Mal Anderson]] in the final of the Darling Downs tournament in April.<ref>{{cite web|title=Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 20 April 1954|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57316237|website=trove.nla.gov.au}}</ref> He defeated Trabert in a five-set semifinal at Wimbledon but lost the final to crowd-favorite [[Jaroslav Drobný]] in four sets.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,860987,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714052021/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,860987,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2007 |title=Old Drob |magazine=TIME |date=12 July 1954 |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref> At the U.S. Championships, Rosewall lost in the semifinals to [[Rex Hartwig]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Chicago Tribune, 6 September 1954|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/372687432|website=newspapers.com|date=6 September 1954 }}</ref> At the Victorian championships in December, Rosewall won the title, beating Seixas in the final (the seventh victory by Rosewall in eight meetings between the two players).<ref>{{cite web|title=Townsville Daily Bulletin, 6 December 1954|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62543643|website=trove.nla.gov.au}}</ref>
;1955
Rosewall won the singles title at the Australian Championships for the second time in 1955, defeating Hoad in the final in three sets. Rosewall's "angled shots rattled Hoad and his returns of service were a match-winning factor. Hoad made 74 errors to Rosewall's 52."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 February 1955|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123624363|website=newspapers.com|date=February 1955 }}</ref> Ken did not play in the [[1955 French Championships (tennis)|1955 French Championships]] because it did not fit in the preparation of the Australian team for the Davis Cup. At Wimbledon, Rosewall lost in the semifinals to unseeded Kurt Nielsen. At the U.S. Championships, Trabert defeated Rosewall in the final in three sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Orlando Sentinel, 12 September 1955|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/236749739|website=newspapers.com|date=12 September 1955 }}</ref>
;1956
In 1956, Rosewall and Hoad captured all the Grand Slam men's doubles titles except at the French Championships, from which Rosewall was absent. For several years in their youthful careers, Rosewall and Hoad were known as "The [[Gold Dust Twins]]." In singles, Rosewall lost to Hoad in the final of two Grand Slam tournaments. At the Australian Championships, Hoad defeated Rosewall in four sets<ref>{{cite web|title=The Gazette and Daily (York), 31 January 1956|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/64652160|website=newspapers.com|date=31 January 1956 }}</ref> and at Wimbledon, Hoad won in four sets. Rosewall, however, prevented Hoad from winning the Grand Slam when Rosewall won their final at the U.S. Championships in four sets. "Rosewall owner of the best backhand in the game, ripped the lines with his passing shots, sent trickly lobs into the swirling winds and caught Hoad flat-footed with stop volleys and drop shots. Frequently Hoad would stop and shake his head in disbelief at some of Rosewall's returns."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Troy Record, 10 September 1956|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/58827581|website=newspapers.com|date=10 September 1956 }}</ref>
Tingay and the editors of Tennis de France both ranked Rosewall No. 2 behind Hoad for 1956.
During his amateur career, Rosewall helped Australia win three Davis Cup Challenge Rounds ([[1953 Davis Cup|1953]], [[1955 Davis Cup|1955]] and [[1956 Davis Cup|1956]]). Rosewall won 15 of the 17 Davis Cup singles rubbers he played those years, including the last 14 in a row.
===Professional career: 1957 to March 1968===
[[File:Hoad Rosewall South Orange 1954.jpg|thumb|Rosewall (front) and Lew Hoad in the 1954 final of the [[South Orange Open|Eastern Grass Court Championships]] in South Orange, N.J., USA.]]
Promoter and former tennis great [[Jack Kramer (tennis)|Jack Kramer]] tried unsuccessfully to sign the "Whiz Kids" ([[Lew Hoad]] and Rosewall) to professional contracts in late 1955. But one year later, Rosewall accepted Kramer's offer on 30 December 1956.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rosewall turns professional |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259539161/ |work=The Manchester Guardian |date=31 December 1956 |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rosewall turns professional |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122236145/ |work=The Age |date=31 December 1956 |page=1 |quote=Twenty-two-year-old Davis Cup tennis star Ken Rosewall announced in Adelaide yesterday that he had turned professional. He has accepted an offer by American promoter Jack Kramer guaranteeing a minimum of £30,000 for a 13-months' world professional tour. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref> Rosewall, during the Challenge Round of the [[Davis Cup]], tried to convince his partner Hoad to do the same, but he rejected the proposition.{{sfnp|Hoad|Pollack|1958|p=184|ps=}}
====1957====
Rosewall played his first professional match on 14 January 1957 at [[Kooyong Stadium]] in Melbourne against [[Pancho Gonzales]], the reigning king of professional tennis, who won a close five-set match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71776230 |title=He starts a bit shakily, but then... our Ken gives US star fight of his life. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |___location=Melbourne |date=15 January 1957 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The following day, Rosewall defeated Gonzales in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71776416 |title=A fighting Ken makes it one-all. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |___location=Melbourne |date=16 January 1957 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Gonzales opened a lead of 5 to 1 in the Australian series.<ref>The Age, 11 January 1958</ref> Rosewall explained later that there was a huge gap between the amateur level and the professional level. In their head-to-head world series<ref>{{cite web|title=The News and Observer, Raleigh, 28 April 1957|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/652047433|website=newspapers.com|date=28 April 1957 }}</ref> tour in Australia and the U.S. (until May), Gonzales won 50 matches to Rosewall's 26. During this period, Rosewall also entered two tournaments, the Ampol White City [[Tournament of Champions (tennis)|Tournament of Champions]] at Sydney in February and the [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967|U.S. Pro]] in Cleveland, Ohio] in April. At both events, he was defeated in the semifinals in straight sets; by [[Frank Sedgman]] (second best pro in 1956) and [[Pancho Segura]] (third best pro in 1956), respectively.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=206|ps=}} At the Forest Hills [[Tournament of Champions (tennis)|Tournament of Champions]], a round-robin event held in New York, Rosewall defeated Segura and Hoad but lost to Gonzales, Sedgman and Trabert to finish in joint third place.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=206|ps=}}
In September, Rosewall won the [[Wembley Championships|Wembley Pro]] title, beating Segura in a five-set final. This was a significant victory for Rosewall because, of the top professional players, only Sedgman and [[Tony Trabert]] did not play. At the end of the year, Rosewall won an Australian tour featuring [[Lew Hoad]], Sedgman, and Segura.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=207|ps=}} Rosewall was offered an undercard position against Trabert for the 1958 world championship tour, but declined.
====1958====
At the Kooyong Tournament of Champions at Kooyong in January, the richest tournament of the era, Rosewall finished in fourth place, beating Trabert and Segura, but losing to Sedgman, Hoad, and Gonzales.
Rosewall was the runner-up at the Forest Hills Tournament of Champions in June. Both he and Gonzales won five round-robin matches and lost one, but Gonzales claimed the title as he won their head-to-head encounter. Rosewall tied for second (with [[Pancho Gonzales]] and Sedgman) behind an undefeated Segura in the Masters Round Robin Pro in Los Angeles in July. These tournaments were among the more important of the year. Kramer designated Forest Hills, Kooyong, Sydney, and Los Angeles as the four major pro tennis tournaments.<ref>World Tennis, November 1958</ref>{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=209|ps=}} In September, Rosewall had the opportunity to show that he was still one of the better players on [[clay courts|clay]]. The previous year, no French Professional Championships (also known as the World Pro Championships on Clay when organised at [[Stade Roland Garros]]) had been held. This tournament returned in 1958, and Rosewall beat [[Jack Kramer]], [[Frank Sedgman]], and an injured [[Lew Hoad]] in four sets to claim the title.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=211|ps=}} At the Wembley Pro, Rosewall lost a close five-set semifinals to Trabert.
====1959====
In the Ampol Open Trophy points standings after February, part of a fifteen tournament world series, Rosewall was second with 12 points behind Hoad with 13.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=90–91, 211|ps=}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103090581 |title=Sedgman Leads Professionals. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=28 January 1959 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=99|ps=}} For the first time since he turned professional, Rosewall had a favourable 6–5 win–loss record against [[Pancho Gonzales]] for the year. Rosewall won both editions of the Queensland Pro Championships in Brisbane, both included in the Ampol series, defeating [[Tony Trabert]] in the January final in five sets and Gonzales in the December final in four sets.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=211, 215|ps=}} At the Forest Hills Tournament of Champions, Rosewall lost a semifinals to Hoad in four sets, and beat Trabert to win third place.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=212–213|ps=}} At the Roland Garros World Professional Championships, Rosewall lost in the semifinals to Trabert, and was beaten by Hoad in the third place match.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=214|ps=}}
At the White City Tournament of Champions in Sydney in early December, Rosewall lost in the semifinals to Gonzales in three straight sets.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=215|ps=}} In the final Ampol series tournament, played at Kooyong from 26 December 1959 to 2 January 1960, Rosewall finished runner-up to Hoad, losing the deciding match to Hoad in four long sets. Kramer acclaimed this match as one of the greatest ever played. Rosewall finished third in the Ampol series with 41 bonus points, behind Hoad in first place (51 bonus points), and Gonzales in second place (43 bonus points). Rosewall's winning percentage on the 1959 Ampol series was 62% (26/42). Rosewall was 2 wins and 6 losses against Hoad and 3 wins and 1 loss against Gonzales during the series. Kramer's personal list ranked Rosewall world No. 3 professional tennis player behind Gonzales and Sedgman, but ahead of Hoad.<ref>"Around the World...". World Tennis. Vol. 7, no. 7. December 1959. p. 44.</ref>
====1960====
[[File:Hoad Rosewall Wimbledon.jpg|thumb|Rosewall (right) and Hoad playing doubles at the [[Wimbledon Championships]] in the mid-1950s]]
Rosewall was incorporated in a new World Pro tour, from January to May, featuring Gonzales, Segura and new recruit [[Alex Olmedo]]. This tour was perhaps the peak of Gonzales's entire career. The final standings were: 1) Gonzales 49 matches won – 8 lost, 2) Rosewall 32–25, 3) Segura 22–28, 4) Olmedo 11–44. Rosewall was therefore far behind Gonzales on this tour, the American having won almost all their direct confrontations (20 wins for Gonzales to 5 wins for Rosewall).
Rosewall began the tour slowly, dropping briefly in early February to fourth place in the overall standings behind Segura and Olmedo, and rising to second place in early March.<ref>{{cite web|title=1960 World Pro. Ch. Series |url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=tournament&accion=draw&torneoSearchEnc=WORLD%20PRO%20CH.%20SERIES&year=1960|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennis Base|access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Rosewall has hit stride after slow start |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/856592792/ |work=The Sunday Ledger-Enquirer |date=13 March 1960 |page=C-2 |quote=Kenny Rosewall, the young Australian netter, was off to a slow start on Jack Kramer's professional tennis tour this year but he is now at his best and capable of giving the other three members fits. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref> Halfway through the North American part of the tour the standings were Gonzales 23–1 (his only match lost in three sets to Olmedo in Philadelphia), Segura 8-9, Rosewall 11–13.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=99|ps=}} British Lawn Tennis reported, "While Kenny hasn't yet nailed Pancho, he has come within a couple of points several times. Rosewall finally got his serve working better, and he is now the tough little player he was last year. He'll get some wins over Big Pancho before long."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Competitive Fire Still Burns Brightly in Gonzales |magazine=British Lawn Tennis and Squash |date=April 1960 |page=15 |author=Myron McNamara}}</ref> As described in a later report, "Ken started very slowly against Gonzales, Segura and Olmedo but finished in second place behind Gonzales [and] more than held his own the last 20 matches with him, after getting over a physical problem."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ken Rosewall |magazine=United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association 1963 Year Book |date=1 January 1963 |page=40}}</ref>
In 1960 Rosewall won six tournaments including the two main tournaments of the year, the French Pro at Roland Garros, defeating Hoad in the final in four sets, and Wembley Pro, defeating Segura.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=102, 218|ps=}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136939335 |title=Rosewall Gets £1,300 For Tennis Wins. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=27 September 1960 |page=23 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Hoad won four tournaments in 1960, defeating Rosewall in all four finals.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=216–219|ps=}}
Kramer's personal list ranked Rosewall world No. 3 professional tennis player behind Gonzales and Sedgman, but ahead of Hoad.
====1961====
After 10 years of World touring, Rosewall decided to take several long breaks in order to spend time with his family and entered no competitions in the first half of 1961, withdrawing from Kramer's World Series tour. He trained his long-time friend Hoad when the pros toured in Australia where Gonzales, back to the courts after a {{frac|7|1|2}}-month retirement, won another World tour featuring Hoad (withdrew with injury), Olmedo (replacing Rosewall), Gimeno and the two new recruits MacKay and Buchholz (Segura, Trabert, Cooper and Sedgman sometimes replaced the injured players).
In the summer Rosewall returned to the circuit and won the two biggest tournaments (all the best players participating{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=111|ps=}}<ref>{{cite news |author1=Jack Kramer |title=Offcourt with Jack Kramer; Rosewall Is One of the Greats |url=https://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/Olive/APA/INA/Default.aspx#panel=document |work=[[Irish Press]] |date=22 December 1962 |page=15|via=Irish Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription}}</ref>): the French Pro (clay) and Wembley Pro (wood). At the French he captured the title by beating Gonzales in the final in four sets, and at Wembley he defeated Hoad in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103087956 |title="Wonder Kids" At It Again. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=19 September 1961 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In the summer Rosewall won a short head-to-head tour of France over Gonzales 4-2 and had a 7-4 edge over Gonzales for the entire year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall Player Activity 1961|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_top_enc=ROSEWALL%2C+KEN&player_input_top=&sub=3&idjugador=48287&year=1961&surface=&tipo_de_torneo=&ronda=&tipoRanking=ATP&tm_category=&tm_torneo=&anno_from=&anno_to=&hand=&codpais=&rondaplus=&con_wj1wj2=&ranking_from=&ranking_to=#aSubmenu|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennis Base|access-date=30 June 2019}}</ref>
Rosewall teamed with Hoad to win the inaugural Kramer Cup trophy (the pro equivalent of the Davis Cup) in South Africa. Rosewall lost to Trabert in the first rubber, but defeated MacKay to set up the fifth and deciding rubber between Hoad and Trabert. After having won on clay and on wood Rosewall ended the season by winning on grass at the New South Wales Pro Championships in Sydney, defeating [[Butch Buchholz]] in the final, cementing his status as the best all-court player that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105855459 |title=Easy Singles Win For Ken Rosewall. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=11 December 1961 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Although Gonzales had won Kramer's 1961 World Series tour, later in the year Rosewall won both Wembley Pro and French Pro,<ref>{{cite news |author1=Robert Daley |title=Rosewall Conquers Gonzales in 4-Set Tennis Final at Paris; Aussie Captures World Pro Title |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/18/118926754.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=ArticleEndCTA®ion=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=42 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=18 September 1961 |page=42|url-access=subscription}}</ref> where Gonzales was reported in one source to lose his title.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gonzalez to Quit Pro Tennis Play |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/09/21/97246905.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=ArticleEndCTA®ion=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=45 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=21 September 1961 |page=45|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The USPLTA reported Rosewall as the world No. 1 ranked pro followed by Gonzales and Trabert.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=1961 World Professional Rankings |magazine=United States Professional Lawn Tennis Association 1962 Year Book |date=1 January 1962 |page=69}}</ref> Robert Roy of L'Équipe,<ref>1961 Robert Roy's rankings in l'Équipe in January 1962 reproduced in Tennis de France N°106, Fevrier 1962, page 17 under the title "Un classement open"</ref> Kléber Haedens and Philippe Chatrier of Tennis de France,<ref>Tennis de France N°106 FEVRIER 1962, editorial page 1</ref> Michel Sutter (who has published "Vainqueurs 1946–1991 Winners"),<ref>"Les Meilleurs du Tennis de Rosewall à Borg 50 champions"(éditions Olivier Orban) page 37</ref> [[Peter Rowley]]<ref>Rosewall: Twenty Years at the Top, Peter Rowley with Ken Rosewall (1976), p. 77</ref> and Robert Geist{{sfnp|Geist|1999}} considered Rosewall as the new No. 1 in the world.
====1962====
[[File:Ken Rosewall at Noordwijk 1956 cropped.jpg|thumb|Rosewall at an exhibition in Noordwijk in July 1956]]
In 1962, Rosewall was the leading pro, winning most pro tournaments of all the players during the year.<ref name="autogenerated2000">{{cite book |last1=McCauley |first1=Joe |last2=Trabert |first2=Tony |last3=Collins |first3=Bud |title=The History of Professional Tennis |date=2000 |publisher=The Short Run Book Company Limited |___location=Windsor, England }}</ref> He retained his Wembley Pro and French Pro titles and also won tournaments at Adelaide, Melbourne, Christchurch, Auckland, Geneva, Milan and Stockholm.<ref name="autogenerated2000"/> There was no World Series tour in 1962, and many of the top pros (Rosewall included) did not play pro matches in the U.S. during the year.<ref name="autogenerated2000"/>
Per records found, Rosewall lost seven matches in 1962: Hoad (in the Adelaide Professional Indoor Tournament), Gimeno, Ayala, Buchholz, Segura, Anderson and Robert Haillet. Rosewall was ranked world No. 1 pro by Robert Geist{{sfnp|Geist|1999|p=89|ps=}} and in a ''Time'' magazine article.<ref name="time1965">{{cite magazine|title=Tennis:Rocket off the pad|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,898832,00.html|magazine=Time|date=14 May 1965}}</ref>
====1963====
In an Australasian tour (Australia and New Zealand) played on grass for the Australian portion, Rosewall defeated [[Rodney George Laver|Rod Laver]] 11 matches to 2.
A US tour followed with Rosewall defending his world pro title<ref>{{cite news |author1=Robert L. Naylor |title= Net Troupe Here Feb. 17 |url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/376725701 |work=[[Baltimore Sun]] |date=21 December 1962 |page=17|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Laver Loses to Mackay in Pro Debut |url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/56739123 |work=[[Newport Daily News]] |date=9 February 1963 |page=8|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Rosewall Defeats Laver Before 500 Tennis Fans Here |url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/250245039 |work=[[Muncie Evening Press]] |date=8 May 1963 |page=21|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Ken Rosewall (10-2) Pro Net Tour Leader |url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/520642076 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun|The Evening Sun]] |date=26 February 1963 |page=8|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref> against Laver, Gimeno, Ayala and two Americans: Butch Buchholz and Barry MacKay (Hoad was recovering from a shoulder injury). Rosewall entered as defending world pro titlist. In the first phase of this tour, lasting two and a half months, each player faced each other about eight times. Rosewall ended first (31 matches won – 10 lost in front of Laver (26–16), Buchholz (23–18), Gimeno (21–20), MacKay (12–29) and Ayala (11–30)). In this round-robin phase Rosewall beat Laver in the first 5 meetings, ensuring thus a 12-match winning streak (in counting the last 7 matches in Australasia) and Laver won the last 3. Then a second and final phase of the tour opposed the first (Rosewall) and the second (Laver) of the first phase to determine the final winner (the third (Buchholz) met the fourth (Gimeno)). In 18 matches Rosewall beat Laver 14 times to conquer the US tour first place (Gimeno beat Buchholz 11–7) and thus successfully defended his world pro title.<ref>{{cite news |title= Rosewall Wins Crown Again |url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/357777192 |work=[[Austin American-Statesman]] |date=24 May 1963 |page=39|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref>
In mid-May, the tournament season started. In those occasions Rosewall only beat Laver 4–3 and won 5 tournaments (the same as Laver), but in particular he won the three main tournaments of the year 1963: chronologically the U.S. Pro at Forest Hills (without Gimeno and Sedgman) on grass where he defeated Laver in three straight sets, neither Rosewall nor Laver receiving any payment for the event.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article109895894 |title=Laver Loses To Rosewall. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=2 July 1963 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> the French Pro at Coubertin on wood where his opponent in the final was again Laver who later praised his victor: "I played the finest tennis I believe I've ever produced, and he beat me",<ref>''The Education of a Tennis Player'', by Rod Laver, page 151</ref> Rosewall won the Wembley Pro for the fourth consecutive time after a four-sets win against Hoad in the final. In those tournaments Rosewall won three times while Laver reached two finals and one quarterfinals (Wembley). Rosewall beat Laver 34 matches to 12. Rosewall was voted world number one pro by The International Professional Tennis Players Association.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fresno Bee|date= 7 January 1964|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/702542293/|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref>
====1964====
In early 1964, Rosewall finished third behind Hoad and Laver in a four-man, 24-match tour of New Zealand.<ref>New Zealand Herald, 29 February, March 1964 / Christchurch Star, 16 March 1964</ref>
In 1964, Rosewall won one major pro tournament: the French Pro over Laver on an indoor wood surface (at Coubertin). At the end of the South African tour in October, Rosewall also beat Laver in three straight sets in a special challenge match, on cement, held in Ellis Park, Johannesburg.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rosewall tops Laver |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/142194793/ |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |agency=UPI |date=1 November 1964 |page=9E |quote=Australia's Ken Rosewall won the world professional tennis championship challenge match today when he downed fellow countryman Rod Laver, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref> In the pro points rankings, Rosewall ended as the official No. 1 in 1964 ahead of Laver and Gonzales.{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=235}}
The majority of tennis observers (Joe McCauley, [[Norris McWhirter]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 December 1964|title=Rosewall Tops Pro. Listing With Laver|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123891928/}}</ref> Michel Sutter and ''British Lawn Tennis'' magazine<ref>{{cite news |title=Rosewall rated top |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123824829/ |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |agency=AAP |date=30 November 1964 |page=16 |quote=Readers of the monthly magazine "British Lawn Tennis" have voted Australian professional Ken Rosewall as the world's top player this year. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref>) and the players themselves agreed with this points rankings for they considered Rosewall the number one in 1964. Rod Laver after his triumph over Rosewall at the Wembley Pro 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. I may have beaten him more often than he has beaten me this year but he has won the biggest tournaments except here. I've lost to other people but Ken hasn't."{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|p=128}}
Laver had a great season and could also claim the top rank. He captured two of the major pro tournaments: a) the U.S. Pro (outside Boston) over Rosewall (suffering from food poisoning) and Gonzales<ref>{{cite web|title=The Boston Globe, 14 July 1964|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/433472165|website=newspapers.com|date=14 July 1964 }}</ref> and b) Wembley Pro over Rosewall.<ref>{{cite news |author1=David Gray |title=Rosewall worn down by Laver at Wembley |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/259637198/ |work=The Guardian |date=21 September 1964 |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref>
In 1964, Rosewall beat Gonzales 13 times out of 17, most of the matches taking place in Italy on clay, and Laver was beaten by Gonzales 7 times out of 12. In 1964, Laver had a leading win–loss record against Rosewall of 17–7.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Tennis Base|url=https://thetennisbase.com/|___location=Madrid, Spain}}</ref>
====1965====
In early 1965 the pro circuit toured Australia and a number of defeats to Laver and Gonzales created some doubt about the continuation of Rosewall's dominance.{{sfnp|Naughton|2012|p=147|ps=}} In late April-early May Rosewall competed in the US Pro Indoors, held at the [[Seventh Regiment Armory]] in New York and part of a nine-tournament US circuit. He was the No. 1 seeded player but was overpowered by Gonzales in the semifinals and lost in straight sets.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gonzales impressive in semis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/434514624/ |work=El Paso Tomes |agency=AP |date=2 May 1965 |page=4-D |quote=Gonzales overpowered the top-seeded Australian Ken Rosewall 6-4, 6-2, with his whiplash service and pin-pointed passing shots. |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref>{{sfnp|Naughton |2012|p=147|ps=}}{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=131, 236|ps=}} Fellow pro [[Mal Anderson]] commented in the July 1965 issue of ''World Tennis'' that Rosewall had too many responsibilities with the player's association while also defending his world number one ranking.{{sfnp|Naughton|2012|loc=p. 147: "He was treasurer, vice-president and director of the association, and had to make decisions and play matches. When he wasn't playing he was answering the phone; when the matches were over, he checked the tickets and counted the money. He was doing the work of two men and trying at the same time to maintain his position as the world's best player."}}
Until mid-September, Rosewall and Laver were quite equal, the latter winning more tournaments, including the US Pro Indoors and the Masters Pro at Los Angeles but Rosewall won the U.S. Pro, played on grass courts at the Longwood Cricket Club outside Boston, defeating Gonzales in the semifinals and Laver in the final, both in three straight sets<ref>{{cite news |author1=Bud Collins |title=Rosewall takes Pro title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/433793336/ |work=The Boston Globe |date=20 July 1965 |pages=17, 19 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=limited}}</ref> and Rosewall again beat Laver in three sets in the French Pro final on the fast wooden courts at Coubertin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Johnson City Press-Chronicle, 13 September 1965|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/589527112|website=newspapers.com|date=13 September 1965 }}</ref>
====1966====
Laver and Rosewall shared all the titles and the finals of the five greatest tournaments. Rosewall won the Madison Square Garden Pro<ref>{{cite web|title=The Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 27 March 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/21922153|website=newspapers.com|date=27 March 1966 }}</ref> and the French Pro tournaments over Laver,<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily News (New York), 3 October 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/462044161|website=newspapers.com|date=3 October 1966 }}</ref> the latter capturing Forest Hills Pro,<ref>{{cite web|title=Tampa Bay Times, 13 June 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/316435432|website=newspapers.com|date=13 June 1966 }}</ref> the U.S. Pro (outside Boston)<ref>{{cite web|title=The Boston Globe, 18 July 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/433826390|website=newspapers.com|date=18 July 1966 }}</ref> and Wembley Pro,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Guardian, 19 September 1966|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/259557298|website=newspapers.com}}</ref> with Rosewall finalist (or second) each time.
====1967====
The 20 main tournaments of the year were shared by a) Laver, ten titles including the five biggest ones, all played on fast courts (U.S. Pro, French Pro, Wembley Pro, [[Wimbledon Pro]], Madison Square Garden, World Pro in Oklahoma, Boston Pro (not to be confused with the U.S. Pro), Newport R.R., Johannesburg Ellis Park, Coubertin Pro in April (not to be confused with the French Pro at Coubertin in October), b) Rosewall, six titles (Los Angeles, Berkeley, U.S. Pro Hardcourt in St Louis, Newport Beach, Durban and Cape Town), c) Gimeno, three titles (Cincinnati, East London, Port Elizabeth) and d) Stolle, one tournament (Transvaal Pro). Including lesser tournaments Laver's supremacy was even more obvious: 1) Laver 18 tournaments,<ref name="Professional Tennis p. 137">The History of Professional Tennis, Joe McCauley (2003 reprint edition), p. 137</ref> plus two small tours 2) Rosewall seven tournaments<ref name="Professional Tennis p. 137"/> 3) Stolle four tournaments and 4) Gimeno three tournaments. In head-to-head matches, Rosewall trailed Laver 5–8 and was equal with Gimeno 7–7.
Before 1967, Gimeno always trailed Rosewall in direct confrontations, but that year they split their matches. Rosewall defeated Gimeno in Los Angeles, Madison Square Garden, St Louis, Newport, Johannesburg (challenge match), Durban and Wembley whereas Gimeno won in Cincinnati, U.S. Pro, East London, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg (tournament), Marseille, French Pro.
Forbidden to contest the greatest traditional events, Davis Cup and Grand Slams, during nearly 11 and a half years from 1957 to 30 March 1968, Rosewall reached his best level during this period, in particular from 1960 to 1966, by winning at least 62 tournaments (including 16 less-than-eight-man events) and seven small tours.
===Open-closed career: April 1968 to July 1972===
====1968====
During the 1968 season several categories of players coexisted:
* Amateur players, dependent on their national and international federations, allowed to play the amateur events and open events but forbidden to receive official prize money<ref>Love Game: A history of tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon, Elizabeth Wilson (2016), p. 158</ref>
* Registered players, also dependent on their national and international federations, eligible to play the Davis Cup and forbidden to play pro events as an amateur, but authorised to take prize money in the open events (e.g. Okker)<ref name="Love Game 2016 p. 159">Love Game: A history of tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon, Elizabeth Wilson (2016), p. 159</ref>
* Professionals under contract with the [[National Tennis League]] (NTL)<ref name="Love Game 2016 p. 159"/>
* Professionals under contract with the [[World Championship Tennis]] (WCT)<ref name="Love Game 2016 p. 159"/>
* Freelance professionals (e.g. Hoad, Ayala, [[Owen Davidson]] and [[Mal Anderson]]).<ref name="Love Game 2016 p. 159"/>
[[File:Ken Rosewall 1970.jpg|thumb|210px|left|Rosewall (1970)]]
In 1968 there were a) an amateur circuit including the Davis Cup (closed to any "contract" professional until 1973) and the Australian Championships b) two pro circuits: WCT and NTL, which met at four tournaments and c) an open circuit (with a little more than 10 tournaments). At the beginning of the open era, WCT founder Dave Dixon did not allow his players to enter tournaments where NTL players were present: There were no WCT players at the first two open tournaments, the [[1968 British Hard Court Championships|British Hard Court Championships]] and [[1968 French Open|French Open]], and all the NTL players were present. The first tournament where NTL and WCT players competed against each other was the [[1968 U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro]], held at Longwood in June. Several events still were reserved to the amateur players between 1968 and 1972.
Two tournaments were at the top in 1968: [[1968 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] (a 128-man field),<ref>{{cite web|title=Wimbledon draws archive|url=https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/draws_archive/index.html|website=wimbledon.com}}</ref> and the [[1968 US Open (tennis)|US Open]] (a 96-man field),<ref>{{cite web|title=1968 U. S. Open men's singles draw, ATP website|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/us-open/560/1968/draws?matchType=singles|website=atptour.com}}</ref> both played on grass, where all the best players competed. Other notable tournaments that year were the [[1968 Queen's Club Championships|Queen's Club tournament]] and the greatest pro tournaments where all the NTL and WCT pros competed (but without amateur or registered players) as the [[1968 U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro]] (outside Boston, on grass), the [[French Pro Championship|French Pro]] (coming back to Roland Garros after the 5-edition interlude at Coubertin), the first [[1968 Pacific Southwest Open|Pacific Southwest Open]] in Los Angeles (64-man field) with all the best players present, the indoor professional championships at Wembley in November and the Madison Square Garden Pro in December with the four best pros of each organisation.
In this context Rosewall played almost all NTL pro tournaments in 1968, the four "NTL-WCT" tournaments and some open tournaments. He entered his first open tournament at 33 years old at [[1968 British Hard Court Championships|Bournemouth]] on clay (the WCT players did not take part) and defeated Gimeno and Laver,<ref>{{cite web|title=Chillicothe Gazette, 29 April 1968|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/292782126|website=newspapers.com|date=29 April 1968 }}</ref> to win the first open tennis title. At the [[1968 French Open|French Open]], the first Grand Slam tournament of the [[Open Era]], Rosewall confirmed his status of best claycourt player in the world by defeating Laver in the final in four sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107056534 |title=Rosewall takes French title. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=10 June 1968 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Defeats followed against some of the upcoming 1967 amateur players (Roche twice on grass at the US Pro and at Wimbledon, Newcombe on clay at the French Pro and Okker on grass at the U.S. Open in the semifinals<ref>{{cite web|title=1968 U. S. Open men's singles draw, ATP website|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/us-open/560/1968/draws?matchType=singles|website=atptour.com}}</ref>). Rosewall was finalist to Laver at the Pacific Southwest Open, defeating [[Arthur Ashe]], the US Open winner, and in November, captured the Wembley Pro tournament over WCT player John Newcombe. At age 34, Rosewall was sranked No. 3 in the world behind Laver and Ashe according to [[Lance Tingay]] and [[Bud Collins]].<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616">Bud Collins' Modern Encyclopedia of Tennis (1994), p. 616</ref> Rino Tommasi ranked Rosewall no. 2 behind Laver.<ref name="ReferenceA">Almanacco illustrato del tennis 1989, p. 694</ref>
====1969====
Rosewall was no longer the best clay court player as Laver had taken his crown in the final of the [[1969 French Open|French Open]] at Roland Garros. At Wimbledon, Rosewall lost in the third round to Bob Lutz and "confessed that for the first time in his career the fans disturbed his concentration".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Charleston Daily Mail, 27 June 1969|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/36758999|website=newspapers.com|date=27 June 1969 }}</ref> At the US Open, Rosewall lost in the quarterfinals to Arthur Ashe.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tampa Tribune, 6 September 1969|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/331651647|website=newspapers.com|date=6 September 1969 }}</ref> Rosewall was ranked No. 4 that year by Bud Collins<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> and 6 by Rino Tommasi.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He won three tournaments (Bristol, Chicago, Midland).
====1970====
Being an NTL player at the beginning of 1970 he didn't play the [[1970 Australian Open|Australian Open]] held at the [[White City Stadium (Sydney)|White City Stadium]] in Sydney in January because NTL boss George McCall and his players thought that the prize money was too low for a Grand Slam tournament.<ref>{{cite web|title="Famous birthdays: Ken Rosewall turns 83", Daily Mercury, 2 November 2017|url=https://m.dailymercury.com.au/news/famous-birthdays-on-this-day/3243957/|website=dailymercury.com}}</ref> In March, a tournament, sponsored by Dunlop, was organised at the same site, with a higher quality field because of better prize-money and a better date. Some of the same players as in the Australian Open were present and in addition not only the NTL pros participated but also some independent pros, such as [[Ilie Năstase]], who usually did not make the trip to Australia. Laver won the tournament after defeating Rosewall in a five-set final watched by a crowd of 8,000.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107915506 |title=Tennis thriller – Laver wins 'greatest game ever'. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=23 March 1970 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> As both the NTL and the WCT boycotted the Roland Garros tournament because it refused to pay guarantees Rosewall also missed the second Grand Slam tournament of the year.<ref name="wot1971p79">{{cite book|title=World of Tennis '71 : a BP yearbook|year=1971|publisher=Queen Anne Press|___location=London|isbn=978-0-362-00091-7|editor=[[John Barrett (tennis)|John Barrett]]|page=79}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110324651 |title=European men dominate tennis. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=3 June 1970 |page=32 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> All the best players met again at [[1970 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]]. This time, a rested Rosewall reached the final and took Newcombe, his junior by {{frac|9|1|2}}-years, to five sets but ultimately succumbed.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=It almost came up roses for Rosewall|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=13 July 1970|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1970/07/13/611142/it-almost-came-up-roses-for-rosewall}}</ref> In July, Rosewall became a WCT player after that organisation took over the NTL and its players.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110334654 |title=Tennis takeover. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=30 July 1970 |page=28 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Two months later at the U.S. Open, one of the two 1970 Grand Slams with all the best players, Rosewall won over Newcombe in their semifinals in three straight sets before defeating [[Tony Roche]] in the final to win his sixth Grand Slam tournament.
[[File:Ken Rosewall (1970).jpg|thumb|210px|right|Rosewall in Scheveningen (1970)]]
To fight against the WCT and NTL promoters, who controlled their own players and did not
After his 1967–1969 steady decline, 1970 saw a rejuvenated Rosewall who was just one set short of winning the Wimbledon and U.S. Open double. 1970 was a year where no player dominated the circuit, the seven leading tournaments were won by seven different players, and different arguments were given to designate the World No. 1. Rino Tommasi ranked Rosewall number 1<ref name="ReferenceA"/> as did Judith Elian.<ref name=":elian70">{{cite magazine |date=March 1971 |title=Around the world... |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_tennis-illustrated_1971-03_18_10/page/74/ |magazine=World Tennis |___location=New York |publisher= |volume=18 |issue=10 |page=75 |access-date=}}</ref> Bud Collins ranked him 2 behind Newcombe.<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> In his book Robert Geist ranked the three Australians Laver, Newcombe and Rosewall equal number ones.<ref>{{harvnb|Geist|1999}}: "Dreiundzwanzig Jahre also hielt sich Rosewall unter den besten zehn Spieler, davon 18 Jahre unter den ersten Fünf (!), 15 Jahre unter den ersten Drei; 13 Jahre lang war er Bester oder Zweitbester; neun Jahre stand er an der absoluten Spitze der Weltrangliste : 1961 – 1963 allein dominierend, 1959 und 1960 gemeinsam mit Gonzales, 1964 und 1965 ex æquo mit Laver, '''1970 zusammen mit Laver und Newcombe''', 1971 gemeinsam mit Newcombe und Smith."</ref> Rosewall was ranked world No. 1 by the panel of 10 international journalists for the 'Martini and Rossi' Award, with 97 points (out of 100), with Laver second (89 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}}</ref>
====1971====
After his runner-up finishes at Sydney and [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] and his victory at the [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] in 1970, Rosewall continued his good performances in 1971 in the great grass court tournaments. One year after the first Dunlop Open was held in Sydney, Rosewall was back in Sydney in March, this time for the [[1971 Australian Open|Australian open]] held on the [[White City Stadium (Sydney)|White City]] courts. Because it was sponsored by Dunlop in 1971, all the [[World Championship Tennis]] (WCT) players (including the National Tennis League players since spring 1970) entered ([[John Newcombe]], Rosewall, [[Rod Laver]], [[Tony Roche]], [[Tom Okker]], [[Arthur Ashe]]) as well as some independent pros. Only [[Stan Smith]] (Army's service), [[Cliff Richey]], [[Clark Graebner]], and the clay specialist players [[Ilie Năstase]] and [[Jan Kodeš]] were missing. Rosewall won the tournament,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Casper Star-Tribune, 15 March 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/446100114|website=newspapers.com|date=15 March 1971 }}</ref> his second consecutive Grand Slam win and his seventh overall Grand Slam title, without losing a set and defeated [[Roy Emerson]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 March 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123969727|website=newspapers.com|date=12 March 1971 }}</ref> and Okker before beating Ashe in the final in straight sets.
Rosewall and most other WCT players did not play the French Open; yet, Rosewall still tried to reach his 1970s goal by winning Wimbledon. In the quarterfinals, Rosewall needed about four hours to defeat Richey in five sets,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 July 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122835378|website=newspapers.com|date=July 1971 }}</ref> whereas Newcombe quickly defeated [[Colin Dibley]]. In the semifinals, the older Rosewall was no match for the younger Newcombe and lost in straight sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Star Tribune (Minneapolis), 2 July 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/184876753|website=newspapers.com|date=2 July 1971 }}</ref> Later in the summer, Rosewall and some other WCT players (Laver, [[Andrés Gimeno]], Emerson, [[Cliff Drysdale]], [[Fred Stolle]], and Roche) did not play the US Open because of the growing conflict between the [[International Tennis Federation|International Lawn Tennis Federation]] (ILTF) and the WCT. The illnesses of both his sons was an additional reason for Rosewall not playing this tournament.<ref>Rosewall: Twenty years at the top, Peter Rowley (1976), p. 131</ref>
As a contract pro, Rosewall was not allowed to play the [[Davis Cup]], and he concentrated mainly on the WCT circuit organised similarly to the Grand Prix circuit which was the equivalent for the independent pros: 20 tournaments (including the Australian Open), each giving the same points amount. The top eight players in ranking points were invited to the WCT Finals, an eight-man tournament, equivalent of the Grand Prix Masters for the WCT players, played in November in Houston and Dallas. When the WCT players were off, they could play tournaments on the Grand Prix circuit. The war between the ILTF and WCT climaxed in a ban by the ILTF beginning on 1 January 1972 of the WCT players from the Grand Prix circuit.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Jacksonville Daily Journal, 10 December 1971|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/32314601|website=newspapers.com|date=10 December 1971 }}</ref>
Rosewall ended third on the 1971 WCT circuit behind Laver and Okker and qualified for the [[1971 World Championship Tennis Finals|WCT Finals]]. He won the title, beating Newcombe in the quarterfinals, defeating Okker in the semifinals and beating Laver in a four-set final in what was considered at the time as the best match, with their 1970 Sydney final, between the two rivals since their 1968 French Open final.<ref name=wot1972>{{cite book|title=World of Tennis '72|year=1972|publisher=Queen Anne Press|___location=London|isbn=9780362001037|oclc=86035663|pages=147–148, 152|editor=[[John Barrett (tennis)|John Barrett]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Winner Takes $50,000 Loser, $1 Million|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=6 December 1971|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/12/06/615050/winner-takes-50000-loser-1-million}}</ref> As a WCT player Rosewall played few Grand Prix tournaments but he had earned enough points to play the [[1971 Pepsi-Cola Masters|Grand Prix Masters]] held about ten days after his WCT Finals. He refused the invitation as he was tired after a long season and took his holidays at the end of the year.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}
In 1971, Rosewall won eight tournaments and 76 out of 97 matches (78%) and in direct confrontations trailed Newcombe 1–3, Laver 2–3 but led Smith 1–0. Collins<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> ranked Rosewall third after Newcombe and Smith. Tingay ranked Rosewall 4th,<ref>World of Tennis yearbook, 1972</ref> Rino Tommasi 1st.<ref name="ReferenceB">Almanacco illustrato del Tennis 1989, p. 694</ref> Geist ranked Rosewall co-No. 1 tied with Newcombe and Smith.<ref>{{harvnb|Geist|1999}}: "Dreiundzwanzig Jahre also hielt sich Rosewall unter den besten zehn Spieler, davon 18 Jahre unter den ersten Fünf (!), 15 Jahre unter den ersten Drei; 13 Jahre lang war er Bester oder Zweitbester; neun Jahre stand er an der absoluten Spitze der Weltrangliste : 1961 – 1963 allein dominierend, 1959 und 1960 gemeinsam mit Gonzales, 1964 und 1965 ex æquo mit Laver, 1970 zusammen mit Laver und Newcombe, '''1971 gemeinsam mit Newcombe und Smith.'''"</ref> That year, as in 1970, there was no clear undisputed World No. 1.
====1972====
1972 saw a return to separate circuits because all traditional ILTF events held from January to July were forbidden to the WCT players. This included the Davis Cup but also the French Open and Wimbledon. The [[1972 Australian Open]] organisers used a trick to avoid the ban of the WCT players. They held the tournament from 27 December 1971, four days before the ban could be applied, to 3 January 1972. Thus all contract as well as independent pros could enter but few were interested because it was held during Christmas and New Year's Day period. The draw included only eight non-Australian players. Rosewall reached the final in which he defeated [[Mal Anderson]] to win his fourth Australian title and the eighth, and last, Grand Slam title of his career and<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101751330 |title=Rosewall is still champion. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=4 January 1972 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Dave Seminara|title=A Surprising Victory in 1972 Stands the Test of Time|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/tennis/ken-rosewalls-1972-australian-open-victory-is-still-one-for-the-aged.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|work=The New York Times|date=16 January 2012}}</ref> became the oldest Grand Slam male champion (37 years and 2 months old) in the Open Era.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall Tennis Hall of Fame profile|url=https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/ken-rosewall|website=tennisfame.com}}</ref>{{efn|name=oldest|[[Arthur Gore (tennis)|Arthur Gore]] won Wimbledon at the age of 41 years in the year 1909 and is the oldest Grand Slam singles winner in the history of tennis.}}
A fragile agreement in the spring of 1972 let the WCT players come back to the traditional circuit in August<ref>{{cite web|title=Public Opinion, Chambersburg, 5 July 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/451333928|website=newspapers.com|date=5 July 1972 }}</ref> (in Merion, WCT players Okker and Roger Taylor played). The US Open, won by Ilie Năstase, was the greatest event of the year as only in this tournament were all the best players present with the exception of Tony Roche who suffered from a tennis elbow. Later that year two other tournaments had good fields with WCT and independent pros: the Pacific Southwest Open at Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, Stockholm, both won by Stan Smith.
In many 1972 rankings there were six or seven WCT players in the world top 10<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> (the three or four independent pros were Smith, Năstase, Orantes and sometimes Gimeno) so the season-ending [[1972 World Championship Tennis Finals|WCT Finals]] held in May in Dallas were considered as one of the major events of the year. The final, played between Rosewall and Laver, was considered one of the two best matches played in 1972, the other being the Wimbledon final, and the best Rosewall-Laver match of the open era. It was broadcast nationally in the U.S., viewed by 23 million people, and became known as the "match that made tennis in the United States." Rosewall won the last major title of his long career by defeating Laver in an epic five-set match which was decided by a tiebreak.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rosewall at 37 Still Has Enough Tennis|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1jcdAAAAIBAJ&pg=3447%2C3345346|work=The Milwaukee Journal|date=15 May 1972|page=12}}</ref><ref name=wot73>{{cite book|title=World of Tennis '73 : a BP and Commercial Union yearbook|year=1973|publisher=Queen Anne Press|___location=London|isbn=9780671216238|pages=45–51|editor=[[John Barrett (tennis)|John Barrett]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Steve Tignor|title=1972: The Rod Laver vs. Ken Rosewall WCT Final in Dallas|url=http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/03/1972-rod-laver-vs-ken-rosewall-wct-final-dallas/54333/|website=www.tennis.com|publisher=Tennis.com|date=12 March 2015}}</ref> (Laver wrote that the two Australians had played better matches between them in the pre-open days, citing their 1963 French Pro final as the pinnacle; McCauley considered their 1964 Wembley final).
Because of the ILTF's ban once again Rosewall could not enter Wimbledon.
===Open career: August 1972 to 1980 (and 1982)===
====1972====
From August 1972 players could enter almost all the tournaments they wanted. The [[Association of Tennis Professionals]] (ATP) was created during the US Open.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Central New Jersey Home News, 8 September 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/316395514|website=newspapers.com|date=8 September 1972 }}</ref> Rosewall won seven tournaments in 1972, including the depleted Australian Open. Rosewall was ranked 2 in 1972 by Bud Collins<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> and number 1 by Rino Tommasi.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> He lost in the second round of the 1972 U.S. Open to Mark Cox. "Rosewall was the picture of dismay and frustration, often looking to the gray, leaden skies as if seeking help. He once pounded his fist on the rain-slicked grass after missing a shot, several times batting balls angrily away after Cox had scored a point."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Austin American, 3 September 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/386633076|website=newspapers.com|date=3 September 1972 }}</ref>
====1973====
At the 1973 Australian Open (again with a weak field because as in 1972 among the top 20 only Rosewall and Newcombe participated), top-seeded Rosewall was defeated by "virtual unknown" German [[Karl Meiler]] in his first match (second round) in straight sets in a big upset.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rosewall and Anderson go out|work=The Age|date= 27 December 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123428878}}</ref> "It just wasn't the vintage Rosewall stuff we have come to expect from the Little Master. He seldom middled the ball, and was generally out-manoeuvred by the West German. Rosewall would not have said that he had been taking antibiotics for a throat infection unless he had been asked. Nor would he have admitted to feeling poorly when he played unless he had been asked."<ref>{{cite web|title=Rosewall and Anderson go out|work=The Age|date=27 December 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/123428878}}</ref> Between May 1972 (victory at Dallas) and April 1973 (victory at Houston, River Oaks) Rosewall captured only two minor titles, Tokyo WCT (not giving points for the WCT Finals) and Brisbane (in December 1972) where he was the only top 20 player.
Rosewall did not play [[1973 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] that year as the edition was boycotted by the ATP players. After an absence of 17 years, Rosewall returned to Davis Cup play in November when he played a doubles match with [[Rod Laver]] in the [[1973 Davis Cup|interzonal final against Czechoslovakia]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110623234 |title=Rosewall set for Davis Cup. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=1 December 1972 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
His best performances in 1973 were firstly his semifinals at the US Open (as in 1972 the greatest event of the year) and secondly his third place at the WCT Finals (he was beaten by Ashe in the semifinals and defeated Laver for 3rd place). He also won at Houston WCT, Cleveland WCT, Charlotte WCT, Osaka and Tokyo. He was still ranked in the top 10. Tommasi ranked Rosewall 4,<ref>''Almanacco illustrato del tennis 1989'', p. 694</ref> Tingay 6,<ref>''World of Tennis'' annual 1974</ref> ATP 6<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 14 December 1973|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1973-12-14&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> and Collins 5.<ref>''Bud Collins' Modern Encyclopedia of Tennis'' (1994), p. 616</ref>
====1974====
1974 was the first year since 1952 that Rosewall did not win a single tournament. However, he entered nine tournaments (the one at Hong Kong not finished because of rain) and reached three finals including [[1974 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] and [[1974 US Open (tennis)|US Open]]. At Wimbledon, Rosewall beat Newcombe in the quarterfinals in four sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The San Francisco Examiner, 3 July 1974|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/460837050|website=newspapers.com|date=3 July 1974 }}</ref> In the semifinals against Stan Smith, Rosewall was behind 0–2 sets 3–5 in games, and 5–6 in the tiebreaker at match point, but won three points in succession to take the set and went on to win in five sets to reach the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Boston Globe, 6 July 1974|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/435951286|website=newspapers.com|date=6 July 1974 }}</ref> This was his last Wimbledon final, at the age of 39. Despite the strong support of the crowd, who were eager to see him claim a Wimbledon title, he lost to [[Jimmy Connors]].<ref>{{cite web|author1=Jon Henderson|title=Connors blows away graceful Rosewall|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jan/07/tennis.features3|work=[[The Observer]]|date=7 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Connors Tops Rosewall For Wimbledon Crown|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vP8jAAAAIBAJ&pg=6596%2C2393532|work=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]|agency=AP|date=7 July 1974|page=1C}}</ref> He was ranked between second (Tingay)<ref>World of Tennis yearbook, 1975</ref> and seventh place (Collins)<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> by many tennis journalists. He ranked only 9th in the ATP rankings<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 20 December 1974|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1974-12-20&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> because he played too few tournaments due to playing World Team Tennis (Rosewall coached the [[Pittsburgh Triangles]] team in 1974.<ref>The Best Pittsburgh Sports Arguments, John Mehno (2007), p. 277</ref>)
====1975–1982====
Rosewall still stayed in the top 10 (number 6 according to ATP,<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 15 December 1975|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1975-12-15&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> 10 according to Collins<ref name="Bud Collins 1994 p. 616"/> and 8 according to Tommasi<ref name="ReferenceB"/>) in 1975 winning 5 tournaments (Jackson, Houston-River Oaks, Louisville, Gstaad, Tokyo Gunze Open) and his two singles in Davis Cup against New Zealand (this event was opened to contract pros in 1973 : that year Rosewall was selected by [[Neale Fraser]] for the semifinals doubles). Rosewall made his last attempt at Wimbledon, at over 40, and as in his first Wimbledon Open (in 1968) he lost in the same round (4th) and against the same player (Tony Roche).
In 1976, Rosewall dropped out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings but stayed in the top 20,<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 12 December 1976|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1976-12-12&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> as he won three tournaments: Brisbane, [[Tennis South Invitational|Jackson WCT]] and [[Hong Kong Open (tennis)|Hong Kong]] (over Năstase then the 3rd player in the world).
1977 was Rosewall's last year in the top 20 in the ATP rankings<ref>{{cite web|title=ATP rankings, 31 December 1977|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=1977-12-31&rankRange=0-100|website=atptour.com}}</ref> (his first year in the top 10 was in 1952).<ref name=collins/> In January he reached the semifinals of the [[1977 Australian Open (January)|1977 Australian Open]], losing in four sets to eventual champion [[Roscoe Tanner]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Tanner, Vilas in Finals Of Australian Tourney|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ySUsAAAAIBAJ&pg=1427%2C1230715|work=Times Daily|agency=[[UPI]]|date=9 January 1977|page=24}}</ref> He won his last two titles in Hong Kong and Tokyo (Gunze Open) respectively at the age of 43.<ref name=atpprofile>{{cite web|title=ATP player profile – Ken Rosewall|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Ro/K/Ken-R-Rosewall.aspx|website=www.atpworldtour.com|publisher=ATP}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=$13,000 win to veteran Ken|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YvpUAAAAIBAJ&pg=5672%2C4105019|work=[[The Age]]|date=14 November 1977|page=29}}</ref> Rosewall played in the [[1977 Custom Credit Australian Indoor Championships|Sydney Indoor Tournament]] in October 1977. Approaching his 43rd birthday he beat the No. 3 in the world [[Vitas Gerulaitis]] in a straight-sets semifinals and lost to [[Jimmy Connors]] in the final in three straight sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall 1977 Player activity|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/ken-rosewall/r075/player-activity?year=1977|website=atptour.com}}</ref> The following year he lost in the semifinals at 44 years of age.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall 1978 Player activity|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/ken-rosewall/r075/player-activity?year=1978|website=atptour.com}}</ref> Afterwards, he gradually retired. In October 1980 at the Melbourne indoor tournament, at nearly 46 years of age, Rosewall defeated American [[Butch Walts]], ranked world No. 49, in the first round, then lost to [[Paul McNamee]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall 1980 Player activity|url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/ken-rosewall/r075/player-activity?year=1980|website=atptour.com}}</ref> Rosewall made a brief comeback at 47 years of age in a non-ATP tournament, the New South Wales Hardcourt Championships in Grafton in February 1982, where he reached the final, losing to Brett Edwards in two sets.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 February 1982|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/122643631|website=newspapers.com|date=15 February 1982 }}</ref>
In 1972, Rosewall had been the second tennis pro to pass $1 million career earnings.<ref>{{cite news |author=Bill Sanders |title=TSI On Tap Wednesday With Star-Studded Draw |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/186070402 |work=[[Clarion-Ledger]] |date=23 March 1975 |page=C5|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Bud Collins |title=Time waits for no man except, maybe, for Rosewall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/435863438 |work=The Boston Globe |date=7 September 1973 |page=30|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=limited}}</ref> In early 1978, his career earnings were $1,510,267.<ref>{{cite news |author=John Barrett |title=Riches at the rainbow's end |magazine=Financial Times|date=March 11, 1978 |page=9}}</ref>
== Rivalries ==
{{Main|Laver–Rosewall rivalry|Gonzales–Rosewall rivalry}}
Gonzales and Laver are the two players that Rosewall most often met. His meetings with Laver are better documented and detailed than those with Gonzales.
Except the first year (1963) and the last year they played (1976), the statistics of their meetings show a domination by Laver. In the Open Era, a match score of 23–9 in favour of Laver can be documented, overall a score of 89–75.
Including tournaments and one-night stands, Rosewall and Gonzales played at least 204 matches, all of them as professionals. A match score of 117–87 in favor of Gonzales can be documented.
==Playing style and assessment==
In his 1979 autobiography, Kramer wrote that "Rosewall was a backcourt player when he came into the pros, but he learned very quickly how to play the net. Eventually, for that matter, he became a master of it, as much out of physical preservation as for any other reason. I guarantee you that Kenny wouldn't have lasted into his forties as a world-class player if he hadn't learned to serve and volley." His sliced backhand was his strongest shot, and along with the very different backhand of former player [[Don Budge]], has generally been considered one of the best, if not the best, backhands yet seen.<ref>[http://www.cap.tennis.com/features/greatestshots/greatestshots.aspx?id=108756 Greatest Shots in Tennis History, The Backhand: Ken Rosewall]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He also had a first volley that was the best in the game.<ref name="Bloke">{{cite web | url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1972/05/01/just-a-decent-bloke | title=Just a decent bloke | accessdate=2 February 2024}}</ref>
His [[one-handed backhand]], which he usually played with backspin, was rated as one of the great backhands in the history of the game.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Peter Burwash|title=Learning from the Past: Ken Rosewall's Backhand|url=http://www.tennis.com/your-game/2013/09/learning-past-ken-rosewalls-backhand/49183/|website=Tennis.com|date=17 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Clay Iles|title=A slice of history|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/2381150/A-slice-of-history.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/2381150/A-slice-of-history.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|date=20 June 2004}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author1=Steve Tignor|title=Catching the Tape: The Artist Known as Muscles|url=http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2012/10/catching-tape-artist-known-muscles/39730/#.|website=www.tennis.com|publisher=Tennis.com|date=10 October 2012}}</ref>
He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time.<ref>[http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=503656 Greatest Player of All Time: A Statistical Analysis by Raymond Lee, Friday] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628080700/http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=503656 |date=28 June 2009 }}, 14 September 2007</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_00_12_23.html |title=Ray Bowers on Tennis Server (2000) |publisher=Tennisserver.com |access-date=17 May 2011}}</ref>
Kramer included the Australian in his list of the 21 greatest players of all time, albeit in the second echelon.{{efn|name=kramer|Writing in 1979, Kramer considered the best to have been either [[Don Budge]] (for consistent play) or [[Ellsworth Vines]] (at the height of his game). The next four best were, chronologically, [[Bill Tilden]], [[Fred Perry]], [[Bobby Riggs]], and [[Pancho Gonzales]]. After these six, came the "second echelon" of [[Rod Laver]], [[Lew Hoad]], Ken Rosewall, [[Gottfried von Cramm]], [[Ted Schroeder]], [[Jack Crawford (tennis)|Jack Crawford]], [[Pancho Segura]], [[Frank Sedgman]], [[Tony Trabert]], [[John Newcombe]], [[Arthur Ashe]], [[Stan Smith]], [[Björn Borg]], and [[Jimmy Connors]]. He felt unable to rank [[Henri Cochet]] and [[René Lacoste]] accurately, but felt they were among the very best.}}
In 1988, a panel consisting of Bud Collins, [[Cliff Drysdale]], and [[Butch Buchholz]] ranked their top five male tennis players of all time. Buchholz and Collins both listed Rosewall number three on their lists (Collins listed Rod Laver and John McEnroe above Rosewall and Buchholz listed Laver and Bjorn Borg above Rosewall). Drysdale did not list Rosewall in his top five.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Miami News, 10 March 1988|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/298214058|website=newspapers.com|date=10 March 1988 }}</ref>
During his long playing career he remained virtually injury-free, something that helped him to still win tournaments at the age of 43 and remain ranked in the top 15 in the world. Although he was a finalist four times at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], and also at the Wimbledon Pro in 1967, it was the one major tournament that eluded him.
Rosewall was a finalist at the 1974 [[US Open (tennis)|US Open]] at 39 years 310 days old, making him the oldest player to participate in two Grand Slam finals in the same year. Before that, in 1972 Rosewall won the Australian Open final at age 37 and 2 months making him the oldest male player to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era as of 2021.
In 1995 Pancho Gonzales said of him: "He became better as he got older, more of a complete player. With the exception of me and [[Frank Sedgman]], he could handle everybody else. Just the way he played, he got under Hoad's skin, but he had a forehand weakness and a serve weakness." In 202 matches against Gonzales, he won 87 and lost 117. In 135 matches against Lew Hoad, he won 84 and lost 51.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall: Rivalries|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=ROSEWALL%2C+KEN&player_input=&sub=10&idjugador=48287#aSubmenu|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennis Base|access-date=5 July 2019}}</ref>
In the 2012 Tennis Channel series "100 Greatest of All Time", Rosewall was ranked number 13 among all time male tennis players, with only two Australian tennis players ranked ahead of him: Laver and Emerson.<ref>100 Greatest of All Time</ref>
==Career statistics==
{{Main|Ken Rosewall career statistics}}
===Major titles performance timeline===
Ken Rosewall joined professional tennis in 1957 and was unable to compete in 45 Grand Slam tournaments until the open era arrived in 1968. Summarizing Grand Slam and Pro Slam tournaments, Rosewall won 23 titles, and he has a winning record of 246–46, which represents 84.24% spanning 28 years.
{{Performance key|short=yes|active=no}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! rowspan="2" style="width:100px;"| '''[[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam tournament]]'''
! colspan="6" | Amateur
!| Professional
! colspan="12" | Open Era professional
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | SR
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | {{Tooltip| W–L | Win–loss}}
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | Win %
|-
! 1951 !! 1952 !! 1953 !! 1954 !! 1955 !! 1956 !! 1957–1967 !! 1968 !! 1969 !![[1970 Grand Prix (tennis)|1970]]!![[1971 Grand Prix (tennis)|1971]]!![[1972 Grand Prix (tennis)|1972]]!![[1973 Grand Prix (tennis)|1973]]!![[1974 Grand Prix (tennis)|1974]]!![[1975 Grand Prix (tennis)|1975]]!![[1976 Grand Prix (tennis)|1976]]!! style="width:10px;" colspan="2"| [[1977 Grand Prix (tennis)|1977]] !! [[1978 Grand Prix (tennis)|1978]]
|-
|{{nowrap|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[Australian Open]]}}
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1951 Australian Championships – Men's singles|1R]]
| style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[1952 Australian Championships – Men's singles|QF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1953 Australian Championships – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1954 Australian Championships – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1955 Australian Championships – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1956 Australian Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| colspan="2"|A
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1969 Australian Open – Men's singles|3R]]
| A
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1971 Australian Open – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1972 Australian Open – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1973 Australian Open – Men's singles|2R]]
| A
| A
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1976 Australian Open – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1977 Australian Open (January) – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[1977 Australian Open (December) – Men's singles|QF]]
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 Australian Open – Men's singles|3R]]
| 4 / 14
| 43–10
| 81.13
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[French Open]]
| A
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1952 French Championships – Men's singles|2R]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1953 French Championships – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1954 French Championships – Men's singles|4R]]
| A
| A
| A
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1968 French Open – Men's singles|W]]'''
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1969 French Open – Men's singles|F]]
| A
| A
| A
| A
| A
| A
| A
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|A
| A
| 2 / 5
| 24–3
| 88.89
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
| A
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1952 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|2R]]
| style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[1953 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|QF]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1954 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1955 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1956 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| A
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1968 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|4R]]
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1969 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|3R]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1970 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1971 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|SF]]
| A
| A
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1974 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1975 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|4R]]
| A
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|A
| A
| 0 / 11
| 47–11
| 81.03
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[US Open (tennis)|US Open]]
| A
| style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[1952 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|QF]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1953 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1954 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1955 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|F]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1956 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|W]]'''
| A
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1968 US Open – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:#ffebcd;"|[[1969 US Open – Men's singles|QF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[1970 US Open – Men's singles|W]]'''
| A
| style="background:#afeeee;"|[[1972 US Open – Men's singles|2R]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[1973 US Open – Men's singles|SF]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[1974 US Open – Men's singles|F]]
| A
| A
| style="background:#afeeee;" colspan="2"|[[1977 US Open – Men's singles|3R]]
| A
| 2 / 12
| 57–10
| 85.07
|-
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" align="left"|'''Win–loss'''
| 0–1
| 8–4
| 21–2
| 17–4
| 16–2
| 17–2
|
| 15–2
| 13–4
| 13–1
| 10–1
| 6–1
| 5–2
| 12–2
| 3–1
| 4–1
|colspan=2| 9–3
| 2–1
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"| {{nowrap|'''8 / 42'''}}
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"| {{nowrap|'''171–34'''}}
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"| '''83.41'''
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! rowspan="2" style="width:100px;"| '''[[Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era|Pro Slam tournament]]'''
! colspan="11" | Professional
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | SR
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | {{Tooltip| W–L | Win–loss}}
! rowspan="2" style="width:45px;" | Win %
|-
! 1957 !! 1958 !! 1959 !! 1960 !! 1961 !! 1962 !! 1963 !! 1964 !! 1965 !! 1966 !! 1967
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1957|SF]]
| A
| A
| A
| A
| A
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1963|W]]'''
| style="background:yellow;"|[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1964|SF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1965|W]]'''
| style="background:thistle;"|[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1966|F]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships draws, 1946–1967#1967|SF]]
| 2 / 6
| 12–4
| 75.00
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[French Pro Championship|French Pro]]
| style=color:#767676| NH
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1958|W]]'''
| style="background:yellow;"|[[French Pro Championship Draws#1959|SF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1960|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1961|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1962|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1963|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1964|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1965|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[French Pro Championship Draws#1966|W]]'''
| style="background:yellow;"|[[French Pro Championship Draws#1967|SF]]
| 8 / 10
| 30–2
| 93.75
|-
|style="text-align:left;background:#EFEFEF;"|[[Wembley Championship|Wembley Pro]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1957|W]]'''
| style="background:yellow;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1958|SF]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1959|SF]]
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1960|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1961|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1962|W]]'''
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1963|W]]'''
| style="background:thistle;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1964|F]]
| style="background:yellow;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1965|SF]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1966|F]]
| style="background:thistle;"|[[Wembley Professional Championships Draws#1967|F]]
| 5 / 11
| 29–6
| 82.86
|-
| colspan="12" style="text-align:right;"| '''Total:'''
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|{{nowrap|'''15 / 27'''}}
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|{{nowrap|'''71–12'''}}
| style="background:#EFEFEF;"|'''85.54'''
|- style="background:#efefef;"
|-
|}
=== Grand Slam tournament finals ===
===Singles: 16 (8 titles, 8 runner-ups)===
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:40px"|Year
!style="width:200px"|Championship
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:150px"|Opponent
!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1953 || [[Australian Championships]] || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Mervyn Rose]] || 6–0, 6–3, 6–4
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1953 || [[French Championships]] || Clay || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Vic Seixas]] || 6–3, 6–4, 1–6, 6–2
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1954 || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || Grass || {{flagicon|EGY|1922}} [[Jaroslav Drobný]] || 11–13, 6–4, 2–6, 7–9
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1955 || Australian Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Lew Hoad]] || 9–7, 6–4, 6–4
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1955 || [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Tony Trabert]] || 7–9, 3–6, 3–6
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1956 || Australian Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Lew Hoad || 4–6, 6–3, 4–6, 5–7
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1956 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Lew Hoad || 2–6, 6–4, 5–7, 4–6
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win|| 1956 || U.S. Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} Lew Hoad || 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="6"|↓ Open Era ↓
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1968 || French Open || Clay || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Rod Laver]] || 6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1969 || French Open || Clay || {{flagicon|Australia}} Rod Laver || 4–6, 3–6, 4–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1970 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[John Newcombe]] || 7–5, 3–6, 2–6, 6–3, 1–6
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win|| 1970 || US Open || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Tony Roche]] || 2–6, 6–4, 7–6<sup>(5–2)</sup>, 6–3
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1971 || Australian Open || Grass || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Arthur Ashe]] || 6–1, 7–5, 6–3
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1972 || Australian Open || Grass || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Malcolm Anderson]] || 7–6<sup>(7–2)</sup>, 6–3, 7–5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1974 || Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jimmy Connors]] || 1–6, 1–6, 4–6
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1974 || US Open || Grass || {{flagicon|USA}} Jimmy Connors || 1–6, 0–6, 1–6
|}
===Pro-Slam tournament finals ===
'''* Singles : 15 titles, 4 runner-ups'''
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:40px"|Year
!style="width:200px"|Tournament
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:150px"|Opponent
!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1957 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|Ecuador}} [[Pancho Segura]] || 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–4
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1958 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Clay || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lew Hoad]] || 3–6, 6–2, 6–4, 6–0
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1960 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Clay || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lew Hoad]]
|| 6–2, 2–6, 6–2, 6–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1960 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|Ecuador}} [[Pancho Segura]]
| 5–7, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1961 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Clay || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Pancho Gonzales]]
|| 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 8–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1961 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lew Hoad]]
|| 6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1962 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Clay || {{flagicon|ESP|1945}} [[Andrés Gimeno]]
|| 3–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–2
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1962 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lew Hoad]]
|| 6–4, 5–7, 15–13, 7–5
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1963 || [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro Championship]] || Grass || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]] || 6–4, 6–2, 6–2
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1963 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Wood (i) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]]
|| 6–8, 6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1963 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lew Hoad]]
|| 6–4, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1964 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Wood (i) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]]
|| 6–3, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1964 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]] || 5–7, 6–4, 7–5, 6–8, 6–8
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1965 || [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro Championship]] || Grass || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]] || 6–4, 6–3, 6–3
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1965 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Wood (i) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]]
|| 6–3, 6–2, 6–4
|- style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1966 || [[French Pro Championship]] || Wood (i) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]]
|| 6–3, 6–2, 14–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1966 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]]
|| 2–6, 2–6, 3–6
|- style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1966 || [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships|U.S. Pro Championship]] || Grass || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]] || 4–6, 6–4, 2–6, 10–8, 3–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss|| 1967 || [[Wembley Championship]] || Indoor || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rod Laver]] || 6–2, 1–6, 6–1, 6–8, 2–6
|}
* * '''other events''' (Tournament of Champions, Wimbledon Pro – important professional tournaments – 2 runners-up)
==Records==
===All-time records===
{|class=wikitable
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! width="200" |Championship !! Years !! style="width:360px;" |Record accomplished !! width="120" |Player tied
|-
||[[Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era|Pro Slam]]||1963||Won the calendar year Professional Grand Slam{{Sfnp|Geist|1999|page=137}}<ref name="RLee">{{cite journal | title=Greatest Player of All Time: A Statistical Analysis | author=Lee, Raymond | journal=Tennis Week Magazine |date=September 2007}}</ref>||[[Rod Laver]]
|-
| rowspan="1"|[[Major professional tennis tournaments before the Open Era|Pro Slam]] and [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] ||1953–1974||52 combined Major semifinals overall||'''Stands alone'''
|-
| rowspan="6" |Pro Slam tournaments ||1957–1967||27 appearances overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1957–1966||15 titles overall <ref name="dailydsports1">{{cite news|title=Kenneth Robert Rosewall set the standard for enduring excellence in men's tennis.|url=http://dailydsports.com/ken-rosewall/|access-date=14 December 2017|work=The Daily Dose|publisher=Daily Dose Sports Publications|date=3 January 2017}}</ref>{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=256–257|loc=chpt. 35 – records section: past results of the three major pro events|ps=}}|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1957–1967|| 19 finals overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1957–1967|| 27 semifinals overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1957–1967|| 27 quarterfinals overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1957–1967|| 85.54% (71–12) match win percentage overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
| rowspan="2" |Grand Slam||1953–1955||Youngest player to reach each Grand Slam final<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lord|first1=David|title=Can Roger Federer emulate the longevity of Ken Rosewall?|url=http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/10/17/can-roger-federer-emulate-longevity-ken-rosewall/|website=The Roar|publisher=The Roar, 17 October 2017|access-date=14 December 2017|date=17 October 2017}}</ref>|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1953–1972||Won a Grand Slam title in three different decades<ref name="Ken Rosewall">{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall|url=https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/ken-rosewall/|website=International Tennis Hall of Fame|access-date=13 December 2017}}</ref>|| [[Novak Djokovic]] [[Rafael Nadal]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Australian Championships]]||1953||Youngest singles champion (18 years, 2 months)<ref name="AOrecords" />|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1953–1972||19 year gap between first and last singles title <ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall|url=https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/ken-rosewall/|website=International Tennis Hall of Fame|publisher=International Hall of Fame|access-date=13 December 2017}}</ref> || '''Stands alone''' <ref>{{cite web|last1=Pearce|first1=Linda|title=Ken Rosewall, a professional gentleman|url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/12/1041990178642.html|date=13 January 2003|work=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=21 January 2015}}</ref>
|-
|1971||Won title without losing set <ref name="dailydsports1"/> || [[Don Budge]]<br>[[John Bromwich]]<br>[[Roy Emerson]]<br>[[Roger Federer]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[French Professional Championship|French Pro-Championship]]||1958–1966|| 8 titles overall || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1960–1966|| 7 consecutive titles <ref name="dailydsports1"/>|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1958–1967|| 93.75% (30–2) match win percentage|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
||[[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]]||1956–1970||14 year gap between first and last singles title <ref>{{cite web|title=Ken Rosewall|url=https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/ken-rosewall/|website=International Tennis Hall of Fame}}</ref>|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|[[Wembley Professional Championships|Wembley Pro-Championships]]||1960–1963|| 4 consecutive titles{{sfnp|McCauley|2000|pp=256–257|loc=chpt. 35 – records section: past results of the three major pro events|ps=}} || Rod Laver
|-
| rowspan="6" |[[Overall tennis records – Men's singles|All tournaments]]||1951–1970||20 wood court titles|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1951–1977|| 25 seasons winning a singles title || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1953–1973|| 21 consecutive seasons winning a title || Rod Laver
|-
|1952–1976|| 25 consecutive years ranked in the worlds top 10 <ref>{{cite news|last1=Seminara|first1=Dave|title=A Surprising Victory in 1972 Stands the Test of Time|work=The New York Times |date=16 January 2012 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/tennis/ken-rosewalls-1972-australian-open-victory-is-still-one-for-the-aged.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=21 January 2015}}{{clarify|date=May 2020}}</ref>|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1949–1982|| Most matches played (2282)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gracia|first1=Gabriel|title=Tennis records book. MOST MATCHES PLAYED|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=records|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=13 December 2017|___location=Madrid. Spain}}</ref> || '''Stands alone'''
|-
|1949–1982|| Most matches won (1665)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Record: Most Matches Won Career|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=records&id=UTLHSPTVHB|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=13 December 2017|___location=Madrid, Spain}}</ref>|| '''Stands alone'''
|}
===Open Era records===
* These records were attained in [[Open Era]] of tennis.
{|class=wikitable
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! width="200" |Championship !! Years !! width="360" |Record accomplished !! width="120" |Player tied
|-
| rowspan="2" |Australian Open||1971||[[List of Grand Slam men's singles champions#Grand Slam|Won title without losing a set]]||[[Roger Federer]]
|-
|1972||Oldest singles champion (37 years, 2 months)<ref name=AOrecords>{{cite web|title=Great AO Champions|url=http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/great_ao_champions.html|access-date=4 February 2012|publisher=AustralianOpen.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022163526/http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/event_guide/history/great_ao_champions.html|archive-date=22 October 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> || '''Stands alone'''
|-
| rowspan="2" |US Open||- |1974|| Oldest player in a Grand Slam final (39 years, 10 months)|| '''Stands alone'''
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[WCT Finals]]||1971–1972||2 consecutive titles||[[John McEnroe]]
|-
|1971–1973|| 87.50% (7–1) winning percentage|| '''Stands alone'''<ref>{{cite web|title=TBT, 1972 WCT Finals: Rosewall-Laver classic draws 21 million viewers|url=https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/tbt-1972-wct-finals-rosewall-laver-classic-draws-21-million-viewers|access-date=14 May 2020|publisher=tennis.com}}</ref>
|}
Note: ''The draw of Pro majors was significantly smaller than the traditional Grand Slam tournaments; usually they only had 16 or even fewer professional players, this meant only four rounds of play instead of the modern six or seven rounds.''
==Personal life==
Rosewall married Wilma McIver, a former representative tennis player for Queensland, at [[St John's Cathedral (Brisbane)|St John's Cathedral, Brisbane]] on 6 October 1956. It was described in press reports as Brisbane's society wedding of the year with over 2000 people in attendance outside the church, and 800 guests in the Cathedral.<ref>''The Sun Herald'' (Sydney), 7 October 1956.</ref> The couple then moved to [[Turramurra]] in [[Sydney]], educating his two sons at [[Barker College]], [[Hornsby, New South Wales|Hornsby]]. They moved to live in Queensland. His wife died on 27 April 2020 in Sydney.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Courtney Walsh |title=Tennis in mourning after death of Wilma Rosewall, wife of Ken Rosewall |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/tennis-in-mourning-after-death-of-wilma-rosewall-wife-of-ken-rosewall/news-story/f2b5778ae07e802e7f7b0e0d80615027 |website=[[The Australian]] |date=27 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennis.com.au/news/2020/04/27/remembering-wilma-rosewall|title = Remembering Wilma Rosewall}}</ref>
Rosewall was a non-executive director of the failed stockbroking firm [[BBY Limited|BBY]] and his son, Glenn Rosewall, was the company's executive director.<ref>{{cite news | title=BBY administration leaves brokers, investors and staff in limbo | author=Elysse Morgan, Michael Janda and Ian Verrender | date=19 May 2015 | work=ABC News | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-19/bby-administration-leaves-brokers-high-and-dry/6481832}}</ref>
==Honours==
In the [[1971 Birthday Honours|Queen's Birthday Honours of 1971]], he was appointed a Member of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (MBE).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131811795 |title=Is new knights and two Dames. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=12 June 1971 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In the [[1979 Australia Day Honours|Australia Day Honours of 1979]], he was appointed a [[Member of the Order of Australia]] (AM).<ref name="AD79">{{cite web|title=AD79|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD79.pdf|accessdate=29 July 2022|publisher=Governor General's Office of Australia|archive-date=22 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322141545/http://gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/AD79.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Rosewall was inducted into the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1980. In 1985 he was inducted into the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/ken-rosewall/|title=Ken Rosewall|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame |access-date=2023-09-20}}</ref> He is an [[Australian Living Treasures|Australian Living Treasure]].
To honour his service to tennis, the centre court at the [[Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre]] was renamed the Ken Rosewall Arena in 2008.<ref>https://ausopen.com/history/great-champions/ken-rosewall | Retrieved 20 September 2023</ref>
Rosewall was invited to present the Men's Singles trophy at the 2023 Australian Open Championship to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of his first Australian single's championship victory.
==See also==
{{Portal|Tennis}}
* [[Tennis male players statistics]]
* [[All-time tennis records – Men's singles]]
* [[Open Era tennis records – Men's singles]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==
{{Reflist}}
===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last1=Hoad|first1=Lew|last2=Pollack|first2=Jack|title=The Lew Hoad Story|year=1958|publisher=Prentice-Hall|___location=Englewood Cliffs|oclc=398749}}
* {{cite book|last1=Rosewall|first1=Ken|last2=Rowley|first2=Peter T.|title=Ken Rosewall: Twenty Years at the Top |publisher=Cassell |___location=London |year=1976 |isbn=0-304-29735-6 }}
* {{cite book|title=The Game : My 40 Years in Tennis|year=1981|publisher=Deutsch|___location=London|isbn=0233973079|oclc=59152557|ol=17315708M|author=Jack Kramer with Frank Deford}}
* {{cite book|last=Geist|first=Robert|title=Der Grösste Meister. Die denkwürdige Karriere des australischen Tennisspielers Kenneth Robert Rosewall|year=1999}}
* {{cite book|last=McCauley|first=Joe|title=The History of Professional Tennis|year=2000|publisher=The Short Run Book Company Limited|___location=Windsor}}
* {{cite book|last1=Naughton|first1=Richard|editor-last=Alexander|editor-first=Helen|title=Muscles|date=2012|publisher=Slattery Media Group|___location=Richmond, Vic.|isbn=9781921778568|oclc=810217024}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{ATP}}
* {{ITF profile}}
* {{Davis Cup player}}
* {{Tennis Hall of Fame}}
* {{Tennis Australia}}
{{Tennis Career Grand Slam Champions}}
{{Men's tennis players who won two or more Grand Slam singles titles in one calendar year}}
{{navboxes|title=Ken Rosewall in the [[grand slam (tennis)|Grand Slam tournaments]]
|list1=
{{Australian Open men's singles champions}}
{{French Open men's singles champions}}
{{US Open men's singles champions}}
{{Australian Open men's doubles champions}}
{{French Open men's doubles champions}}
{{Wimbledon men's doubles champions}}
{{US Open men's doubles champions}}
{{U.S. National Championships mixed doubles champions}}
{{Australian Championships boys' singles champions}}
{{French Championships boys' singles champions}}
{{Australian Championships boys' doubles champions}}
}}
{{WCT year-end championships winners}}
{{International Tennis Hall of Fame members}}
<!-- Note: when Rosewall won some of his titles, Grand Slam events weren't yet "Open". -->
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Australian Championships (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Australian Championships (tennis) junior champions]]
[[Category:Australian male tennis players]]
[[Category:Australian Open (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:French Championships (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:French Open champions]]
[[Category:International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Tennis players from Sydney]]
[[Category:United States National champions (tennis)]]
[[Category:US Open (tennis) champions]]
[[Category:Wimbledon champions (pre-Open Era)]]
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles]]
[[Category:Professional tennis players before the Open Era]]
[[Category:Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in boys' singles]]
[[Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in boys' doubles]]
[[Category:World number 1 ranked male tennis players]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Tennis players who won titles in both the Amateur and Open Eras]]
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