Ken Rosewall: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:14, 21 November 2006

Revision as of 14:54, 21 November 2006

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Next year until mid-September Rosewall and Laver were quite equal, the latter winning more tournaments including the US Pro Indoors at New York City and the Masters Pro at Los Angeles but Rosewall struck two great blows during the summer '''1965''' by winning very easily the U.S. Pro on the Longwood C.C (outside Boston) grass courts crushing Gonzales, 6-3 6-2 6-4, and Laver, 6-4 6-3 6-3, in the last rounds and again Laver, 6-3 6-2 6-4, in the French Pro on the fast wooden courts at Coubertin. But from Wembley to the end of the year, Laver became irresistible and Rosewall had to recognize Laver's supremacy.

'''1966''' was the year of the greatest rivalry between the two Australians who dominated all the other players. They shared all the titles and the finals of the sixfive greatest tournaments. Rosewall won the Madison Square Garden, (the Sanbiggest Rafaelprize money ever to date) and thehis cherish French Pro tournaments over Laver, the latter capturing Forest Hills Pro, the U.S. Pro (outside Boston) and Wembley Pro with Rosewall finalist (or second) each time. Of the main tournaments contested by the troupe, Laver won 9, Rosewall 8 and Gimeno 3. If we include lesser tournaments Laver won 15, Rosewall 9 and Gimeno 6. In head-to-head matches between Rosewall and Laver, Rosewall won 6 out of 13. Rosewall was then the clear undisputed vice-king of the courts.

Rosewall's decline began in '''1967''' when many players defeated several times Sydney's Little Master. Not only Laver reached the apogee of his career, almost invincible on fast courts and then the undisputed pros' king, but Gimeno threatened Rosewall's second place. The 20 main tournaments of the year where shared by a) Laver, ten titles including the 4 biggest ones, all played on fast courts (U.S. Pro outside Boston, French Pro, Wembley Pro, Wimbledon Pro, Madison Square Garden, World Pro in Oklahoma, Boston Pro ''(not to confuse with the U.S. Pro)'', Newport R.R., Johannesburg Ellis Park, Coubertin Pro in April ''(not to confuse 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 plus two small tours, 2) Rosewall 7 tournaments, 3) Stolle 4 tournaments and 4) Gimeno 3 tournaments. In head-to-head matches Rosewall trailed Laver 5-8 and was equal to Gimeno 7-7 (Gimeno-Laver : 4-12).