PETE ZIEBRON in INDIAN WELLS
Bud Collins and Rod Laver at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Pete Ziebron Images
Rod Laver shared the stage with Bud Collins at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Monday. Throughout the interview, Laver shared his insights about tennis in his prime as well as where the game stands today.
The conversation between Collins and Laver focused primarily on the greats of the game when Laver played, although he also discussed players that he thinks will rise to the top in the near future. Lew Hoad was proclaimed by Laver as the greatest player he ever watched.
I asked Laver about playing doubles and he shared that his favorite partner was Roy Emerson, primarily since Emerson made everyone he played with a better player when they teamed with him. Emerson, he explained, usually carried the team to victory.
Arthur Ashe got the nod as the toughest American that Laver ever played. Even though Laver won their first 11 matches and ended with a 12-2 career record against Ashe, the matches were always battles and Laver explained that the line score did not always reflect the closeness of their matches.
Laver reminisced that after winning Wimbledon one year, he received a firm handshake and a 20 British Pound Sterling voucher. He also expounded on the fact that he wore spikes on the grass court at a time when no one else even considered the tactic.
Lleyton Hewitt is the lone Aussie in the ATP top 100 and Laver is concerned about the fact that Australia is not better represented in the rankings. "The rest of the world has caught up and tennis is played everywhere now. Flying into Sydney at night, you can see 1,500 lit tennis courts. Tennis is our national sport. Parents need to be more involved in encouraging their children to play tennis." Laver explains.
Australian Bernard Tomic Pete Ziebron Images
Laver specifically mentioned 3 players to watch going forward, including Bernard Tomic, an Aussie currently ranked #187. Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine and Canadian Milos Raonic have also caught Laver's eye.
Rod Laver hopes to be able to return home to attend the 2012 Australian Open, since it will mark the 50th Anniversary of his first Grand Slam in 1962.