Lefty Birthday – Tennis Player Rod Laver

Rodney George “Rod” Laver, MBE, is a former Australian tennis player. He was born on August 9, 1938, in Rockhampton, Australia. He was the World No. 1 player for seven consecutive years, from 1964 to 1970. He is the only tennis player to have twice won all four Grand Slam singles titles in the same year — first as an amateur in 1962, and second as a professional in 1969. He is the only male player during the open era to have won a calendar year Grand Slam. Laver is rated, along with Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Björn Borg as one of the greatest male tennis players of all time.

The four major championships are – the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open.  

A part of the Melbourne Park complex in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia has been named Rod Laver Arena (formerly called Centre Court), to honour Rod Laver. It is the venue for the Australian Open in tennis.