Ken Rosewall

Kenneth Robert (" Ken") Rosewall (born the November 2nd, 1934 with Sydney, Australia) is one of the great champions of the history of the Tennis whose strong point was the Revers. It belonged to the twenty best players of the world (mixed amateurs and professionals) each year of 1952 with 1977 is during more than one quarter century without interruption: it was probably one of the two best players of the world during approximately nine years and best the of first half of the Années 1960.

Rosewall was born in a family which practiced tennis all the more assiduously as it had a court in her property. Naturally left-handed (Rosewall was always more powerful of the left arm) Rosewall preferred despite everything to play its reverse of the right hand and as his/her father was opposed to any use of blows with two hands, Rosewall learned how to play tennis of the right hand. Its reverse became a reference in the history of tennis whereas its service forever be a natural blow and was not as powerful as if he had chosen the left hand. Measuring approximately 5 feet 7 inches (approximately 1,70 m) and weighing about 135-140 books (61-63 kg), Rosewall was quickly called “Muscles” by its fellow-members of Coupe Davis to joke in connection with its small gauge. Nevertheless it was extremely fast, nimble, very enduring and while becoming professional it acquired an extraordinary flight. Its best blow was the reverse (generally slicé) which one compared with that Don Budge.

The career amateur

As the very large majority of the tennis players who began their career before the open era, Rosewall started on the traditional circuit amateur managed by the International federation of lawn tennis and by the national federations with in particular the Coupe Davis which was the main objective of the players of this time (tournaments of the Large Slam important but at the time often secondary being certainly compared with the test created by Dwight Davis).

Rosewall in particular appeared for the first time at 15 years and 11 months when it reaches, in October 1950 , the semi-finals of New South Wales Metropolitan Championships (not to be confused with the New South Wales Championships) , beaten by Ken McGregor then the 2nd Australian amateur behind Frank Sedgman.

In January 1951 Rosewall gained its first tournament with Manly close to Sydney.

In 1952 it probably became for the first time one of the 20 best players of the world (confused amateurs and professionals): in its classification only reserved to the amateurs, Lance Tingay of the Daily Telegraph of London classified it 10th ex-aequo with its partner of double Lew Hoad. Rosewall inter alia had reached the quarterfinals of the International amateurs of the United States with Forest Hills by beating in particular in eighth the American head of series n° 1, Vic Seixas (at the time the tournament indicated American heads of series and foreign heads of series). It had just been 18 years old when it accepted the trophy of the International amateurs of Australia, its first title in a tournament of the Large Slam. 4 months later he repeated in Roland Garros and he conquered also the title of Pacific Southwest in Los Angeles (this tournament was regarded by much as the 2nd greater tournament of the United States after Forest Hills. To supplement the table it reached also the quarterfinals in Wimbledon and the semi-finals of Forest Hills where it was beaten by Tony Trabert the future winner of the tournament. This last having repeated at the time of the Challenge Round (" turn of the défi") Coupe Davis much of experts granted the first place among amateurs to Tony Trabert, Rosewall being credited with the 2nd place in this category.

Rosewall regressed a little in the hierarchy in 1954 because it was satisfied with a place of finalist in Wimbledon and that its country lost the Coupe Davis with the profit of the United States.

The following year Rosewall gained all its simple Coupe Davis thus making it possible its country to reconquer the coveted salad bowl. By gaining the International amateurs of Australia it prevented Tony Trabert from carrying out the Large Slam amateur in 1955 . This last took its revenge finally Championships of the amateurs United States in Forest Hills.

In 1956 Lew Hoad and Rosewall gained the three titles in double of the tournaments on grass of the Large Slam. At the time of their youths the two Australian ones were affublés various nicknames like " The Gold-dust Twins" or " The Whiz Kids" to express their precocity and their talent. Rosewall in September 1956 still deprived a player of the Large Slam, in fact Hoad, its partner of double, finally of Forest Hills. If Hoad were without question the best amateur and by far in 1956 (victorious defense of the Coupe Davis and Small slam), Rosewall was the best amateur of end of season by overcoming Hoad 3 times of continuation (Forest Hills, Adelaide and Melbourne).

At the time of its career amateur, Rosewall took part in 3 Challenge victorious Rounds of Coupe Davis (1953, 1955,1956). In this test it gained 15 simple out of 17 (during the open era it will take part, in double, with another conquest in 1973 and will gain 2 simple out of 2 in 1975). It also gained 1 Championship amateur of the United States (1956), 1 Roland Garros amateur (1953), 2 Championships amateurs of Australia (1953, 1955) and Pacific Southwest in Los Angeles (this tournament created in 1927, had at the time the third more beautiful table of players after Wimbledon and Forest Hills). Rosewall also reached 4 great finales (2 in Wimbledon, 1 in Forest Hills and 1 in Australia (more 1 in Los Angeles)).

It then left the traditional circuit amateur.

Outlaw of the traditional great events: the professional path of 1957 to March 30th, 1968

The promoter and former very large professional player Jack Kramer had tried to engage the " Whiz Kids" (Hoad and Rosewall) at the end of 1955 without success but one year later it returned to the load and Rosewall finally accepted the offer of Kramer. At the time of the Challenge Round of the Coupe Davis Rosewall in December 1956 tried to convince its Hoad fellow-member to join it in the professional rows but this last did not jump the step.

Rosewall thus played its first occupational match, on January 14th 1957 with Kooyong (Melbourne) against the best professional player of the time Pancho Gonzales. But as Rosewall explained later, it noted with its costs the large difference in level which separated the best amateurs from the best professionals: in the round in Australia and in the United States which opposed the two players until May, Gonzales left victorious Net by dominating Rosewall, 50 matches with 26. At the time of pauses in the Rosewall round also took part in 2 tournaments, Australian Pro (professional Championships from Australia) in Sydney in February and U.S. Pro (professional Championships from the United States) in Cleveland in April: these competitions clearly revealed the difference between the best pros and the best amateurs since Rosewall was clearly beaten, by not gaining any set, respectively by Sedgman (second better pro in 1956) and by Segura (third better pro in 1956). After the Second world war, among the best amateurs of the players such as Dinny Pails, Frank Parker, Ken McGregor, Ashley Cooper, Badly Anderson, Mervyn Pink, Alex Olmedo, Barry MacKay, Earl " Butch" Buchholz or Fred Stolle clearly failed in the professional rows. However a minority of large players amateurs succeeded, thanks to their talent and with their very hard work, to gain some great professional tests at the end of a few months or one year: Kramer, Pancho Segura, Gonzales, Frank Sedgman, Trabert, Hoad, Andres Gimeno, Rod Laver. Rosewall was also of these since in September 1957, eight month after its pro beginnings, it gained the title of Wembley Pro, the greatest European tournament of the time, where only Sedgman and Trabert among best missed, with the costs of Segura. And at the end of the year Rosewall gained its first professional round, in company of Hoad, Sedgman and Segura, in Australia.

In 1958 Rosewall had opportunity of showing that it was already one of best if it is not the best player of the world on beaten ground. , The Professional Championships of France or French Pro (also called professional Championships of the world on beaten ground when they were disputed in Roland Garros) had the previous year not been organized but they returned in 1958. Rosewall beat successively Kramer, Sedgman and Hoad, casualty, for empocher the title. Rosewall finished also 2nd tournament of the Champions with Forest Hills (incidentally also the site of the International amateurs of the United States) and 2nd ex-aequo (with Gonzales and Sedgman) in Masters Round Robin Pro of Los Angeles (these two American tournaments being most important of the country this year).

In 1959 for the first time since its passage in the pros, Rosewall led vis-a-vis to Gonzales in the private conversations: 3 to 2 according to the statistics of Joe McCauley who was in particular journalist in the American review " World Tennis" (and even 5 to 2 according to The Times (New York) and Sunday Times (off England) according to what wrote Peter Rowley in Ken Rosewall Twenty Years At the Top p. 182). Except that Rosewall gained the two editions of the professional Championships of Queensland in 1959 (those of January and December).

The following year Rosewall was integrated again in a great world professional round, from January to May, in the United States, in Europe then in Australia, with Gonzales, Segura and Alejandro " Alex" Olmedo the professional new recruit, better amateur with Neale Fraser in 1959. This round was probably the apogee of all the career of Pancho Gonzales. The final assessment was the following: 1) Gonzales 49 matches gained and only 8 lost, 2) Rosewall 32-25, 3) Segura 22-28, 4) Olmedo 11-44. Rosewall thus finished far from Gonzales. In the middle of the North-American part of the round Gonzales carried out 23-1 (single defeat, 6-4 4-6 13-11, vis-a-vis Olmedo in Philadelphia) whereas Rosewall posted an assessment of 11-13. At the end of the Gonzales round had beaten Rosewall probably 15 victories with 4 (13-3 sure). Incidentally this round was a proof moreover showing that the best professionals were well the best players of the world since Olmedo finished the good last of this turn.

Just after this round Gonzales disputed a minor tournament without great names which it gained on May 16th 1960 and decided to take its retirement (as often at Gonzales it was a temporary decision since, needing money according to its own terms, it returned on the courts on December 30th, 1960 is 7 months 1/2 later). In the absence of Gonzales, Rosewall became clearly the leader, gaining 6 tournaments including 2 more important of the year, chronologically the " French Pro" (i.e. professional Championships of France) in Roland Garros, and the tournament of Wembley Pro (Hoad finalist in Roland Garros and victorious of 4 tournaments was affirmed like the dolphin of its compatriot).

According to the modern criteria of 2006, Gonzales would never have been regarded as the best player of the world in 1960 because having played only 4 months 1/2 this year (1 round plus 1 tournament): it would not have accumulated sufficient points ATP (classification technical or classification of the " Race"). But in the criteria of the former years at the open era, the rounds had a considerable importance sometimes and much of witnesses of the time considered that Gonzales was the best in 1960: McCauley author of “The History off Professional Tennis” were these, Hoad also estimated that Gonzales was the king (and Rosewall itself was not regarded as the best). Others thought (think) that successes of Rosewall in the greatest tournaments are enough to grant the first place to him: Robert Geist who classified equal the two players proposes a good compromise between the divergent opinions.

After ten long years to visit the world and with guerroyer with its racket, Rosewall decided to take long holidays to benefit from its family: it did not dispute any competition in first half of 1961 even if it were involved with Hoad when the professionals turned to Australia: Gonzales of return to the business, after its 7 months 1/2 of retirement, gained a new world tour at the expense of Hoad, Olmedo (which had replaced Rosewall wishing to rest), Gimeno and the two new recruits MacKay and Buchholz (Segura, Trabert, Cooper and Sedgman replaced with the foot raised the wounded players, in particular Sedgman disputed all the 2nd part of the round vis-a-vis MacKay).

Rosewall returned on the circuit in summer and gained two plus the great events tennistiques ones of 1961 and by far since profiting from one (small) tradition and the arrival of all the best players of the world: international Professionals of France (" French Pro") in Roland Garros on ground beaten and the tournament pro of Wembley in indoor on wood . At the time the two tournaments disputed with the file on the two most extreme surfaces since the beaten ground is slowest and the fastest wood (last international competition which disputed on this surface was the meeting Paraguay-France of 1985). In Roland Garros Rosewall removed the title with Gonzales finally 2-6 6-4 6-3 8-6 and in Wembley the Australian one dominated Hoad, victorious of Gonzales in semi-final.

After having gained on beaten ground and wood Rosewall enclosed its season while gaining on grass with the Professional Championships of News-Wales of the South in Sydney showing this year thus that it was most complete of the players and thus the best.

Robert Roy of the Team, Kléber Haedens and Philippe Chatrier de Tennis of France, Michel Sutter (who in particular wrote " Winners 1946-1991 Winners" and a shorter but brought up to date version, " Winners 1946-2003 Winners"), Christian Boussus (finalist of Roland Garros amateur 1931), Peter Rowley, Robert Geist, Tony Trabert, John Newcombe, Rod Laver and as NewYork Times the American magazine World Tennis considered as Rosewall was from now on new the n° 1 world.

Consequently the small Australian one completely dominated the professional circuit: not only it preserved its crowns of Wembley and of Roland Garros who were still in 1962 the two major events of the circuit and by far but it also gained 5 of the 6 others greater tournaments (Adelaide, Melbourne, Geneva, Milan and Stockholm). It thus gained 7 of the 8 greater tournaments of the year: only the tournament of Zurich has escaped him since Segura beat it in semi-final before succumbing in its turn finally vis-a-vis Hoad. Moreover Rosewall empoché two other mini-tournaments as well as a small round in New Zealand.

It would seem that Rosewall lost only 7 matches into 1962 vis-a-vis Hoad, Gimeno, Ayala, Buchholz, Segura, Anderson and Robert Haillet in Royan in round, this last being the first French of the post-war period has to beat true a n° 1 world in exercise (Darmon had beaten in 1956 Hoad which was not that n° 1 amateur is probably 5th world all categories).

To illustrate besides the weakness of tennis amateur at the end of the years 1950 and to the beginning of the year 1960 it should be known that none the leaders amateurs, except perhaps Gimeno, between Hoad and Laver, made a success of a great professional path: the best places obtained by Ashley Cooper, Badly Anderson, Rose, Olmedo, Buchholz, MacKay and Ayala at the professionals were the 5èmes places of Buchholz in 1963 (according to Frank Sedgman in January 1964) and in 1964 according to the official classification by points of the professionals of this year, cf lower ). Another edifying example: in January 1963 a large amateur, Rod Laver (then holder with its fellow-members Australian of the Coupe Davis and victorious of approximately 21 tournaments in 1962 of which those of the Large Slam) started his professional path. Over its 24 occupational first matches it gained only 2 of them, proving once more the superiority of the best professionals over the best amateurs. In Australasia (Australia + New Zealand), on grass, Rosewall beat Laver 11 times out of 13 and Hoad was even more intractable with 8 victories and any defeat. To wash took then part in a new round, in the United States, with always Rosewall but without Hoad which was not selected because if not there would have been too many Australian for the public of on the other side of the Atlantic. Also two Americans, MacKay and Buchholz like Gimeno and Ayala came. To wash started this new round by 3 defeats, 2 successive vis-a-vis MacKay and 3rd vis-a-vis Rosewall. To wash found the savor of the victory at the time of its match following vis-a-vis Ayala.

In first phase the 2 months 1/2 of this round, each of the 6 players faced approximately 8 times each adversary. Rosewall finished 1st (31 matches gained - 10 lost), Laver second (26-16), Buchholz third (23-18), Gimeno fourth (21-20), MacKay fifth (12-29) and Ayala sixth (11-30). In particular at the time of the first month (the detailed results of the month and following half are for the moment unknown) Rosewall faced Laver 4 times without knowing the defeat. Then the second phase of the round, which finished in May, opposed the first (Rosewall) to the second (To wash) first phase to designate the final winner (the third (Buchholz) and fourth (Gimeno) of the first phase meeting for the 3rd final place). In 18 matches Rosewall took the best on Laver on 14 occasions and thus monopolized the trophy (Gimeno taking the 3rd place by beating Buchholz 11 to 7).

The remainder of the season was mainly reserved for the tournaments. In direct confrontations in tournaments Rosewall was much less dominating than in round since it dominated Laver only 4 times on 7 occasions but these statistics are misleading because Rosewall gained the 3 more important matches. In 1963 Rosewall removed 5 tournaments (as Laver) including 3 more important of the year chronologically to know the U.S. Pro (professional Championships of the United States) in Forest Hills (it is true without Gimeno and Sedgman) about grass where it overcame Laver easily 6-4 6-2 6-2, French Pro (professional Championship of France) in… Coubertin in indoor on wood where its victim was once again Laver (later in its autobiography, " The education off has tennis player" page 151, Laver rented its winner … I played the finest tennis I believe I' ve ever produced, and happy He me (" … I played the most beautiful tennis of my life and yet it has me battu"), and Wembley Pro always on wood (this Rosewall time finally dominated Hoad for the 3rd consecutive year). For the little story French Pro had moved of Roland Garros in Coubertin. Rosewall gained its last tournament of the year to International from Italy to Rome. Rosewall thus confirmed its seizure on the circuit by gaining the greatest tournaments and the two rounds in which it took part. To wash nevertheless showed its great talent and its aptitudes while becoming the 2nd player of the world thanks to his finales for Coubertin and Forest Hills like its 2nd place in the American round. If one excludes the 4 or 5 unknown results in confrontations between the two Australian ones at the time of first phase of this round, Rosewall beat Laver 33 matches with 9 in 1963. This is an index moreover clearly showing that the best professionals were almost undoubtedly the best players very short the previous years.

In 1964 Rosewall still gained a very great tournament, French Pro, his tournament fetish, second once vis-a-vis Washing over wood. At the end of the round in South Africa, Rosewall beat as Laver 6-4 6-1 6-4 in a match challenge as some regarded as a match of Championship of the World, in Johannesburg, in the stage of Ellis Park. In the official classification by points of the professional players taking of account 17 (or 18) tournaments (7 points with the winner, 4 points with the finalist, 3 points with 3rd, 2 points with the fourth and 1 point for each quarterfinalist), Rosewall finishes n° 1 in 1964 with 78 points, followed by Laver n° 2 (70 points), Gonzales n° 3 (48 points), Gimeno n° 4 (47 points), Buchholz n° 5 (31 points), Hoad n° 6 (29 points), Olmedo n° 7 (26 points) and Ayala n° 8 (7 points). Cependant this classification did not take account of at least 11 or 12 other tournaments since McCauley found trace of at least 29 professional tournaments disputed by at least some of the best pros like certain minor tournaments and of the small rounds and b) granted the same number of points whatever the tournament what was unjust with respect to the great tournaments where Laver was overall higher than Rosewall .

The majority of the witnesses of the time (Joe McCauley, Robert Geist, Michel Sutter… among the journalists and players themselves) approved this points score since they estimated that Rosewall was the best in 1964. Rod Laver himself after her triumph on Rosewall with Wembley declared " I' ve still plenty off ambitions left and would like to Be the World' S No.1. Despite this win, I amndt not that yet - Ken is. I may cuts beaten him more often than He has beaten me this year goal He has won the biggest tournaments except young stag. I' ve lost to other people goal Ken hasn' T. " I have still full with ambitions to appease in particular the place of n° 1 world. In spite of my victory here I am not it yet because it is Ken which is it always. Admittedly I beat it more often than it did not beat me this year but except here it gained the greatest tournaments. I also lost against other players contrary with Ken." .

To wash made a success of a very great season and actually deserves at least as much as Rosewall the 1st place in 1964. " Rocket" (the nickname To wash) was at least the equal one of Rosewall in many fields: it gained 2 very great tournaments a) the U.S. Pro (in the suburbs of Boston) by successively dominating Rosewall (victim of a food poisoning) and Gonzales and b) Wembley pro by beating Rosewall finally in one their best matches (as for Gonzales, it gained the U.S. Pro Indoors, in White Plains, probably the 4th greater tournament of this year, by eliminating successively Mal Anderson, Laver, Hoad and Rosewall). To wash was the equal one of Rosewall in great confrontations, two each one (Coubertin and Johannesburg for Rosewall, and the US Pro and Wembley Laver).

Rosewall was higher To wash if one considers their confrontations with their larger rival in 1964 with knowing Gonzales since Rosewall beat Gonzales 11 times out of 14 whereas Laver had to incline 7 times out of 12 vis-a-vis Gonzales, its elder 10 years. But Laver gained a tournament moreover than Rosewall (by including the tournaments with 4 players), 11 to 10 but especially Laver was clearly higher than its compatriot in minor confrontations direct since the junior gained ten times out of eleven what gives a total assessment into 1964 of 12 victories To wash against only 3 for Rosewall. The leadership thus started to change.

If one considers only the first 8 months and 1/2 of the year 1965 , Laver and Rosewall were appreciably equal, the junior gaining certainly more tournaments of which the US Pro Indoors in New York and Masters Pro in Los Angeles but Rosewall striking two great blows this summer by gaining the U.S. Pro easily the courts in grass of Longwood C.C (in suburbs of Boston) by dominating very easily Gonzales, 6-3 6-2 6-4 then Laver, 6-4 6-3 6-3 in the last turns and again Laver, 6-3 6-2 6-4, this time finally of French Pro over the very fast courts out of wooden of Coubertin. But as of the following week with Wembley and until the Laver end of the year became irresistible kind Rosewall to admit supremacy To wash.

1966 was the year of the greatest competition between the two Australian ones which largely dominated all the other players. They divided the 5 larger titles and the 5 greater finales (or 2nd place). Rosewall gained the tournament more equipped with the history of tennis on this date (: 25000 USD) in Madison Square Garden like its dear French Pro with Coubertin each time while dominating To wash finally, this last taking its revenge by gaining the others very great tournaments of the year: Forest Hills Pro (Rosewall second), the U.S. Pro (in suburbs of Boston) and Wembley Pro (Rosewall finalist in the two tournaments). Over the 20 principal tournaments of the circuit, Laver in gained 9, Rosewall 8 and Gimeno 3. By including the minor tournaments Laver were victorious 15 times, Rosewall 9 times and Gimeno 6 times. In the private conversations, Rosewall overcame Laver 6 times out of 13. Rosewall remained the indisputable viceroy of the planet tennis.

The true decline of Rosewall started in 1967 because not badly of players on several occasions dominated the Minor artist of Sydney (it is probable that French Pro of 1965 was the top of the career of Rosewall and that Wembley, the following week, showed the first subtle signs of decline of Australian). To not only wash reached the apogee of its career, become quasi-invincible on fast surfaces and the uncontested king of the pros but Gimeno, before regularly in withdrawal, threatened Rosewall for the 2nd place. On the 20 principal tournaments of the circuit pro in 1967,10 amounted Washing of which 5 larger (U.S. Pro outside Boston, French Pro, Wembley Pro, Wimbledon Pro, Madison Square Garden, World Pro in Oklahoma, Boston Pro (not to be confused with the U.S. Pro disputed with the periphery of Boston) , Newport R.R., Johannesburg Ellis Park, Coubertin Pro in April (not to be confused with French Pro also disputed in Coubertin, in October) ), 6 tournaments were gained by Rosewall (Los Angeles, Berkeley, U.S. Pro Hardcourt in St Louis, Newport Beach, Durban and Cape Town), 3 by Gimeno (Cincinnati, East London, Elizabeth Port) and 1 by Stolle (Transvaal Pro). If the whole of the tournaments is considered, supremacy To wash was even more obvious: 1) To wash 18 tournaments plus two minor rounds, 2) Rosewall 7 tournaments, 3) Stolle 4 tournaments and 4) Gimeno 3 tournaments. In direct confrontations Rosewall was carried out by Laver 8-5 and shared the victories with Gimeno 7-7 (Gimeno-To wash: 4-12).

Before 1967 Gimeno had always been dominated by Rosewall in direct confrontations but this year they made good match (Rosewall beat Gimeno in Los Angeles, Madison Square Garden, St Louis, Newport, Johannesburg (match challenge), Durban and Wembley while Gimeno proved to be the best in Cincinatti, the U.S. Pro, East London, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg (tournament), Marseilles, French Pro) . Having gained much more tournaments than Gimeno, Rosewall deserved nevertheless the second place behind Laver, this last having become for the first year number 1 by far after the years 1964 to 1966 when the competition between the two Australian ones had been very strong.

Interdict of the traditional tests for 11 years and 4 months (that is to say 11 Davis Cuts, 11 Wimbledon amateurs, 11 Forest Hills amateurs, 11 Roland Garros amateurs, 12 International of Australia amateurs) of January 1957 to March 30th, 1968, Rosewall reached its best level for this period (in particular between 1960 and 1966) by gaining at least 62 tournaments (by including 16 tournaments of less than 8 players) and at least 7 rounds.

The career " semi-open" - " semi-closed" : March 30th, 1968 - July 1972

In 1968 there were various kinds of players:

- players officially amateurs, subjected to the will of the International federation and their National federation, which could play the competitions amateures as well as the tests " Open" but without touching money officially,

- the players " autorisés" (the registered players, literal translation, the players " enregistrés" , " inscrits") who also depended on the federations international and national and thus likely to be selected in Coupe Davis and to dispute the tests amateures; as the amateurs they could not fall under the professional tests but contrary with the amateurs they were authorized with touching the prices of the open tests. In September 1968, the US final Open one opposed a player " autorisé" , Tom Okker, with a player amateur, Arthur Ashe. The American did not touch anything if they are not lodging and travelling expenses. As for Tom Okker, although having lost this final, it accepted the price of the winner. What a odd situation more especially as Okker could touch money only in open tests!

- the professionals under contract with the National League Tennis (NTL) who were to play in priority the occupational tournaments NTL

- professionals under contract with World Championship off Tennis (WCT) which were to play in priority occupational tournaments WCT (at the beginning of the era Open Dave Dixon, then owner of WCT, interdict to its players to dispute tournaments where appeared of the competitors of NTL: there were no player WCT with the first two open tournaments of 1968, Bournemouth and Roland Garros because the NTL players were present). The first tournament where players NTL and WCT clashed was the professional tournament of the U.S. Pro, organized in Longwood in the suburbs of Boston in June 1968 between Roland Garros Open and Wimbledon Open

- independent professionals (Hoad, Ayala, Owen Davidson, Badly Anderson,…).

In 1968 there was thus a) a circuit amateur with in particular the Coupe Davis (event " closed" i.e. " fermé" with all the professionals under contract until 1972 included) and the Championships of Australia, b) two circuits pro, that of the WCT and that of the NTL, which met for 4 tournaments, c) an open circuit of a little more than 10 tournaments).

Many competitions were reserved to the amateurs between 1968 and 1972.

Two tournaments were dissociated in 1968: Wimbledon (with a table of 128 players) and the US Open one (with 100 players), disputed on grass, where all the best was present.

Then figure probably the first Roland Garros Open where some large players like the 8 players WCT missed (of which Newcombe and Roche) and also Santana and the player " autorisé" Okker but all the pros NTL (To wash, Rosewall, Gimeno, Gonzales, Emerson and Stolle) as well as the majority of the best amateurs disputed the test.

Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles can assert the fourth position (64 players, disputed on hard) because it was the only tournament (except Wimbledon and the US Open one) which accommodated all the best players of the world.

Finally behind these four tournaments, probably most important (in the disorder) were Queen' S Open (the Graebner-Okker finale was cancelled because of the rain which besides delayed the matches in Wimbledon considerably), and great tournaments reserved to the professionals where two organizations (NTL and WCT) met like the U.S. Pro, French Pro (of return to Roland Garros, disputed a few days after Wimbledon Open and thus a few weeks after… Roland Garros Open) and the Jack Kramer Tournament off Champions with Wembley (even also the occupational tournament with 8 players of Madison Square Garden in December with the 4 best pros of each organization).

In this complicated context Rosewall took part in 1968 in almost all the tournaments pro NTL, like with the four tournaments " NTL-WCT" and finally with some tournaments. Thus at 33 years and 5 months, that is to say already at an extremely advanced age for a sportsman, it disputed the 1st tournament of the open era in Bournemouth on beaten ground (in this tournament appeared all the pros NTL (but none the WCT) and among the amateurs there were mainly buildings): Rosewall removed the tournament at the expense of Gimeno and Laver. In the second open tournament of the year Rosewall confirmed its statute of king of the ground beaten since 1958 (if one excludes 1959 and 1966 when respectively Trabert and Gimeno were probably the best) by again beating his dolphins on surface, Gimeno in five difficult sets and To wash into four in a match considered as one of best of the history on this surface.

Then he knew thereafter some bad defeats undergone vis-a-vis young professional recruits like Tony Roche (on grass with the U.S. Pro then in Wimbledon), Newcombe (in French Pro in Roland Garros on beaten ground) or vis-a-vis the player " autorisé" (" registered") Okker always on grass with the Open U.S.).

But its end of the year was better: it reached the semi-finals of the Open U.S., it lost only finally of Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles vis-a-vis the best player of the time, Rod Laver, after having eliminated the very fresh winner from the Open U.S., Arthur Ashe, 6-3 6-2. Finally in November it off gained the Jack Kramer Tournament Champions with Wembley by taking his revenge over Newcombe. At 34 years Rosewall was still regarded as the 3rd player of the world behind Laver and Ashe by Lance Tingay and Bud Collins.

Its true decline, started in 1967, was confirmed in 1969 : To wash, in its autobiography " The education off has tennis player" , explained that Rosewall in 1969 had not especially declined physically, its reflexes being still long-lived, but that after nearly twenty years foaming the courts of the whole world, the nerves of the Minor artist of Sydney became fragile. This Rosewall year yielded its crown of better player of the beaten ground world puiqu' to the second Roland Garros of the era Open it dominated certainly large a " terrien" , Tony Roche (future trainer of Lendl and To federate), in semi-final but it had to acknowledge himself overcome finally vis-a-vis Washing which thus empochait the title. The decline of Rosewall was manifest on all surfaces because it gained only 2 tournaments this year: it was classified only 5th world by Bud Collins and Tingay.

Having gained at 35 years almost all the great competitions except Wimbledon, this tournament became the great priority of Rosewall in the years 1970. The obvious reason which prevented Rosewall from gaining this test was the prohibition which it had to press the grass of the Temple during 10 consecutive editions, of 1957 to 1966, because it professional and was thus regarded as a ashamed outlaw. In particular of 1961 to 1965 (except perhaps in 1964) he was the best player of the world on grass with for top his triumphs with the U.S. Pro 1963 on Laver beaten 6-4 6-2 6-2 and with the U.S. Pro 1965 on Gonzales 6-3 6-2 6-4 and Laver dominated 6-4 6-3 6-3. In 1967 Rosewall and 7 other professionals were invited in an occupational tournament in Wimbledon sponsored and televised by BBC2, two months after the traditional tournament amateur. This tournament having a colossal success for the time, then encouraged David Hermann owner of Wimbledon to open the tournament with all the players, amateurs and professionals. In the tournament pro Rosewall the finale once moreover reached (thus carrying its total with 5 finales and not 4 like writes everywhere (To wash having beaten Rosewall at the time of this final, is thus holder of 5 titles: 2 amateurs, 1 pro and 2 open).

Knowing that it could still in the open era reach the last turns of Roland Garros and considering his great age to finish thus very fatiqué, to too even play correctly Wimbledon like it makes of it the experiment in 1968 and 1969 (defeats these years with 4th and the 3rd turn), Rosewall consequently decided not to dispute more the tournament of Roland Garros in the years 1970 to arrive freshest and rested possible at Wimbledon.

Being under contract with NTL beginning 1970 , Rosewall did not play the Open one of Australia (on the other hand players WCT went there) because McCall, the boss of NTL, as its players thought, rightly that the allotted prices were ridiculous for a tournament of the Large Slam (: 10760 $ whereas the tournament of Philadelphia which followed a few days later proposed: 60000 $). 2 months later, in March, was organized at the same place, the stage White City of Sydney, a tournament, sponsored by Dunlop, with thus much more money with the key and a date which was appropriate better: the table was much denser since the majority of best were the present in particular all NTL pros. Came even from the players who usually never went on journey in the southern hemisphere like Nastase (this one forever disputed a tournament in Australia before 1981 (Victorian and Australian Open), one year when it was already very far from its best level, if one excludes this incursion… with the Dunlop tournament of Sydney of March 1970) . Much at the time regarded this tournament as true Australian Open although nonofficial. The best of the official tournament of January (in particular the Ashe winner) was not illustrated in the Dunlop tournament: Rosewall reached the finale beaten in 5 sets by… Laver in what is regarded as one of best the matches (on grass) disputed on the Australian ground.

Roland Garros who followed presented a particularly weak table puiqu' none of 24 players WCT did not press the stage (WCT had just absorbed NTL): Rosewall was thus absent but would have been it in any case for the reason explained before.

Wimbledon on the other hand was the annual appointment of all best. This Rosewall time in full form for its 35 years 1/2, arrived finally (after its two previous years disappointments) and pushed the Newcombe young person, 9 years 1/2 its junior, with the 5 sets but did not gain the title. 2 months later with the Open U.S. (with Wimbledon the only tournament of the Large Slam with the majority of best), Rosewall took a bitter revenge on the grass of Forest Hills since it dominated Newcombe in 3 dry sets in semi-final before dominating Roche finally.

To fight against promoters of NTL and of WCT which controlled their players and in particular left them not to play where they wished (Newcombe or Stolle could not choose its tournaments at the time (in 2006 one To federate or Davydenko go good where they seem to them), Kramer invented in December (probably) 1969 the circuit of the Grand Prix open to all the players. The first circuit of the Grand Prix, including/understanding 20 tournaments, began on April 27th, 1970 in Bournemouth and finishes on December 1st with the tournament of Stockholm. These tournaments granted points according to their category and of the performances of the players. The 6 players having accumulated the most points were invited to a final tournament, organized for the first time, called Masters, disputed in December 1970. All the independent amateurs and professionals (not under contract) invested themselves completely in this new circuit whereas the pros under contract were initially to play the tournaments which were reserved to them and only then could play some tournaments of the Grand Prix (for example Roy Emerson finished 3rd with the classification of the profits because it was (and had had) to concentrate on the tournaments of circuit NTL-WCT whereas it finishes only 20th circuit of the Grand Prix. Nevertheless To wash and Rosewall made a success of the two circuits of course since they finished in the first two places of the profits and were also qualified for Masters. The three first of the final classification of the Grand Prix were 1) Cliff Richey (independent pro), 2) Arthur Ashe (independent pro), 3) Ken Rosewall (pro under contract).

Thus qualified, Rosewall finished in the 3rd place of the test behind 1) Stan Smith, the winner (employed U.S. Army who had to serve his employer just after Masters at the end of December 1970 until April 1971, thus missing all the tournaments of this period and in particular Australian Open in March 1971) and 2) his torturer of 1970, Laver.

Nevertheless after its regular and proven decline of 1967 to 1969,1970 renovated Rosewall lives which was with two fingers to gain the two greater tests and by far of the year.

No player truly dominated the year 1970, various arguments can be brought to designate the World champion

Certain people whose Newcombe itself as well as the panel of journalists which drew up the list of players WCT of 1971, considered Laver as the best in 1970 because it gained much more tournaments (13), much more money than the others and also because its assessment in the private conversations with best was excellent (it beat Rosewall 5 times out of 5 in 1970 (Dunlop Open At Sydney, St Louis WCT, New York (Tennis Classic Champions), Louisville and Masters in Tokyo) and Newcombe 3 times out of 3 (Queen' S Club, Louisville, Los Angeles) . With its liability " Rocket" lamentably failed in the 2 very great tests of the year while losing each time in eighth of finale Wimbledon and Forest Hills.

Other witnesses, like Joe McCauley (of the US magazine " World Tennis") or Tingay Launches, classified Newcombe first because it gained the greatest competition, Wimbledon (Rosewall was classified n° 2 by the two journalists, Laver respectively n° 3 and n° 4, Roche respectively n° 4 and n° 3).

Finally if it is considered that Wimbledon and Forest Hills were the two great events of 1970 then the choice of world number 1 relates only to Newcombe (the winner of Wimbledon) and Rosewall (the winner of Forest Hills). In this case, if one excludes the 5th set lost by Rosewall against Newcombe in Wimbledon, the near total of the statistics are favorable to Rosewall:

- in the two tournaments of the Large Slam each one gained a match against the other but Newcombe took down the largest title (favors Newcombe) and Rosewall gained the most sets (5-3) (Rosewall favors)

- Rosewall finished 3rd circuit of the Grand Prix; Newcombe finishes 7th and thus did not qualify itself for Masters since only the 6 first were allowed. Rosewall also finished 3rd of Masters (Rosewall favors)

- In the other tournaments having the tables the densest (US Pro indoor in Philadelphia, US Pro in suburbs of Boston, Open Dunlop in Sydney, Pacific Southwest in Los Angeles and Wembley) two players were almost equal: Rosewall was finalist in Sydney and semi-finalist with Wembley while Newcombe reached the final in Los Angeles and the semi-finals with Philadelphia.

- In the circuit Pro (the Tennis Classic Champions and circuit WCT) Rosewall was better than Newcombe. In " Tennis Classic" Champions; a succession of matches challenges, Newcombe played and lost its two matches against the Gonzales old man (6-4 6-4 6-2) and the old man… Rosewall (5-7 7-5 6-1 6-2) whereas this last finished second of the test by gaining 4 matches for 2 defeats. In circuit WCT Rosewall gained 2 tournaments and Newcombe 1 only (Rosewall favors)

- All circuits confused Rosewall empocha 6 tournaments out of 24 and Newcombe 4 out of 24 (light advantage with Rosewall).

- Rosewall beat Newcombe 5 times out of 6 in direct confrontation (the only defeat of Rosewall took place in Wimbledon and still in the decisive set) (very Net favors in Rosewall).

- Finally Rosewall gained: 140455 $ against only: 78251 $ for Newcombe.

Judith Elian of the sporting daily newspaper French the Team, probably approved these statistics because it classified Rosewall number 1 Newcombe front. The panel of experts of the “Martini and Rosso” Cup indicated also world Rosewall n° 1 of accuracy owe… Laver.

Finally another opinion was also exposed which is probably the best compromise between the various expressed opinions: three Australian all classified 1st equal as Robert Geist wrote it in his book DER GRÖSSTE MEISTER Die denkwürdige Karriere of the australischen Tennisspielers Kenneth Robert Rosewall .

After its finales in Sydney and Wimbledon and its victory with the Open U.S. in 1970, Rosewall continued in 1971 its good performances in the great tournaments on grass. One year after first Open Dunlop organized in Sydney, Rosewall returned for the second Dunlop tournament to Sydney, always at the stage White City, this edition being this time official Australian Open which took place in March 1971. For once the Championships of Australia deserved name “tournament of the Large Slam”. In 14 editions " Open" (1969-1982) only those of 1969 and 1971 attracted most of the best players of the world. Being sponsored by Dunlop in the 1971 all players WCT (including the former players of NTL which had been absorbed by the WCT in spring 1970) made displacement in Australia (Newcombe, Rosewall, Laver, Roche, Okker, Ashe (player WCT since the beginning of the year), etc…) and some independent pros made also the voyage (nevertheless missed with the Smith call (retained by the army), Richey, Graebner like Nastase and Kodeš (these two last not being at the time the good players of grass that they would become later)). In this Rosewall tournament did not lose any set and eliminated successively Roy Emerson, Tom Okker and Arthur Ashe in the last turns, thus empochant its second tournament of the Large consecutive Slam.

As the majority (but not all) of players WCT Rosewall did not dispute Roland Garros (as in 1970) and were devoted again to its objective of end of a career, Wimbledon: in quarterfinals it had to fight nearly four hours against Richey, 6-8 5-7 6-4 9-7 7-5 while Newcombe have a very easy match against Dibley, 6-1 6-2 6-3. Consequently the Rosewall old man was an easy prey in halves for the Newcombe young person in the full physical shape. 2 months later, although holding of the title, Rosewall like others (but not all) players WCT (To wash, Gimeno, Emerson, Drysdale, Stolle, Rock…), was absent in Forest Hills (obviously because of the increasing conflicts between the International federation of Lawn Tennis (FILT) and organization WCT but also because of the diseases of his/her children).

As a professional under Rosewall contract could not still play the Cup Coupe Davis and thus concentrated mainly on organized circuit WCT from now on in a way similar to the circuit of the Grand Prix (this one mainly addressed to the independent professionals): 20 tournaments (including Open Australian this year), each tournament offering the same number of points and the 8 first of classification WCT by points being invited in a great tournament of 8 players (the 21e tournament thus), " the WCT Finals" (the equivalent of Masters of the Grand Prix, for players WCT), organized in November in Houston (quarters and halves) and in Dallas (final).

When players WCT were not solicited on their circuit, they could dispute tests of the Grand Prix managed by the International federation of lawn tennis (FILT) (" Officiels") and rather reserved to the independent pros. In 1971 some tournaments were organized by the two organizations (for example the tournament of Berkeley with a table of players denser than that of US Open the few weeks. But the war between " Officiels" and WCT was unfortunately concluded by total exclusion from players WCT of the circuit from the Grand Prix starting from January 1st, 1972, ordered by the FILT.

Rosewall finishes 3rd circuit WCT 1971 behind Laver and Okker: thus qualified for the " WCT Finals" with 8 players it empocha the title, by taking its revenge on Newcombe (which had eliminated Rosewall in Wimbledon) in quarters, by eliminating Okker in halves and dominating Laver, 6-4 1-6 7-6 7-6, finally in what was regarded at the time as their best match with the final of Sydney 1970 since their finale of Roland Garros 1968.

Although he played little of tournaments of the Grand Prix in 1971, since he was a player WCT, Rosewall had accumulated sufficient points Grand Prix to play Masters organized approximately ten days after his victory with the " WCT Finals". He refused the invitation with Coubertin (site of Masters in 1971) because he was very tired by his long harassing season and took well deserved holidays of end of the year (Newcombe knew exactly the same situation and curiously the two players returned on the circuit to dispute the same tournament, Australian Open 1972).

Rosewall gained 8 tournaments and approximately 78,4% of its matches (76 out of 97) in 1971. In its private conversations it was carried out by Newcombe 1-3 and Laver 2-3 but dominated Smith 1-0 (Rosewall met neither Kodeš nor Nastase this year).

Hakes, Elian or Geist classified Rosewall third behind Newcombe and/or Smith. Tingay placed Rosewall in the 4th place as for the statistician of tennis, Rino Tommasi it classified Rosewall world number 1 and finally the reward “Martini-Rossi” was allotted jointly to Smith and Newcombe: like the previous year, there was no indisputable king in 1971.

1972 thus knew a flashback with again completely separate circuits since the traditional events organized by the FILT (and the national federations) of January 1st until July were once more prohibited to the pros under contract of WCT: obviously like always the Coupe Davis but also Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The organizers of Australian Open 1972 made a juggling act not to undergo the exclusion ordered by the FILT of players WCT: they began the tournament on December 26th, 1971, that is to say 6 days before the effective date of exclusion of the players and finished it on January 2nd, 1972. Thus all the pros under contract (as well as the independent pros naturally) could play but unfortunately very few large players moved. By moving the dates of March (1971) to the festivals of end of the year in December - January the organizers killed practically their tournament which became an ordinary tournament during more than ten years until 1982 included. A fragile agreement was concluded in spring between the FILT and WCT thus making it possible to players WCT to return on the traditional circuit in August (in Merion in the suburbs of Philadelphia, players WCT Okker and Roger Taylor made their return, this last dominating the independent pros Connors and Malcolm Anderson in the last turns): thus the Open U.S., gained by Ilie Nastase, was more the great event (by far) of the year. It was the only competition where all the best without exception was present (only Tony Roche, the current trainer of a Swiss player, suffering from a tennis elbow during the near total of the years 1971 to 1973, did not come). In the last months of 1972 two other tournaments profited from a good table with at the same time of players WCT and the independent players: Pacific Southwest Open to Los Angeles and to a lesser extent, Stockholm, both gained by Stan Smith.

In the majority of the established rankings for year 1972 appeared 6 or 7 players WCT among the 10 first (the 3 or 4 pros independent of Top10 were Smith, Nastase, Orantes and sometimes Gimeno (a former player NTL then WCT, become independent in 1972)) : consequently " WCT Finals" organized in May 1972 in Dallas were regarded as one of the more great events (if it is not largest any more) of the year after the Open U.S. In what was estimated like one of both better matches of the year (with the final of Wimbledon) and also the best match Rosewall-To wash open era (To wash wrote in its autobiography that the two Australian ones disputed between them better matches at the time of the obscure rounds pros of before 1968, quoting the finale of French Pro 1963 like a top; Joe McCauley, lucky witness, thought in the same way of their finale of Wembley Pro 1954), Rosewall took down the very large last titrates his long career on the score of 4-6 6-0 6-3 6-7 7-6.

Because of exclusion ordered by the FILT, once more Rosewall could not press the grass of Wimbledon.

The true open career: August 1972 - 1980

As he it is explained before as from August 1972 the players could finally enter almost all the tournaments which they wished and thus the true Open era began (all the best players being gathered in Forest Hills, they benefitted from it to create their trade union in order to play where good seems to them since until now the players amateurs or the independent pros depended on goodwill leaders international and national and that the professionals under contract were at the same time banished circuit traditional and forced to play where their owners promoters asked it. The syndicated players were going on soon the occasion to exert their new power as of the summer 1973.

Rosewall empocha 7 tournaments in 1972 (by including very weak Open Australian) and was generally classified 3rd world player after Smith and Nastase by Judith Elian or Lance Tingay or Joe McCauley (Bud Collins inverting Nastase and Rosewall).

The beginning of 1973 was identical to second half of 1972 for Rosewall: a large white. After its elimination with the 2nd turn of the Open U.S. 1972 (against Cox Mark), it probably recorded the worst demolished of all its career against Karl Meiler in its first match (second turn) of Australian Open of 1973 (once again with a very weak table since as in 1972 only Rosewall and Newcombe among the players of Signal 20 took part). More important: between May 1972 (victory in Dallas) and April 1973 (victory in Houston, To rivet Oaks) Rosewall took down only two small tournaments, Tokyo WCT (tournament not granting any point for the qualification to the WCT Finals) and Brisbane (in December 1972) where he was the only player of Signal 20. If 1967 were the first year of a true but relative decline because punctuated of many exploits, 1973 (and more precisely " after Dallas 1972") was the true beginning of the decline of Rosewall: although there remained still one of the best players of the world during a few years, it was not any more from now on able to fight for the 1st world place.

For the 12th Rosewall time did not take part yet in Wimbledon but contrary to the 11 times preceding it was of its own boss: it is here that the players could finally express themselves freely for the first time in the history of tennis. Except 3 players all the players of the ATP boycotted the tournament of Wimbledon in order to support their colleague Nikki Pilic suspended by the Federations Yugoslavian and international (the Yugoslav Federation supported that Pilic had promised to take part in a meeting of Coupe Davis against New Zealand and that it had of it the proof, Pilic which had played the tournament of Las Vegas organized at the same time, never affirmed to be themselves committed for the meeting; the ATP agreed not to boycott Wimbledon if the proof of supposed the promise of Pilic were brought to him: the proof not existing the boycott took place). Irony of the history, Pilic will become later captain of… Coupe Davis, Germany then of Croatia. Rosewall as his/her other colleagues of the ATP thus did not play in the Temple.

Its best performances in 1973 were initially its demifinale with the Open U.S. (as in 1972 the greatest competition of the year) and then its third place with the WCT Finals in Dallas (it was beaten by Ashe in halves then overcame Laver for the 3rd place). It gained also Houston WCT (already known as), Cleveland WCT, Charlotte WCT, Osaka and Tokyo.

1974 was the first year since 1952 when Rosewall did not gain the least tournament: it disputed 8 tournaments (of which that of Hong-Kong ever finished because of the rain) and reached 3 finales of which those of Wimbledon and Forest Hills. Thanks to these two large Rosewall performances was classified between the second place (Tingay) and 7th (Hakes) by much of journalists (it was only 8th with the classification of the ATP because it had played too little of tournaments because it had succumbed to the pecuniary charms of the " organization" (" cirque" would be a more suitable term) World TEAM Tennis (WTT not to be confused with WCT).

Rosewall still formed part of the 10 (according to the ATP, Collins or Tommasi) or 15 better players of the world in 1975 thanks to its 5 victories in tournaments (Jackson, Houston-To rivet Oaks, Louisville, Gstaad, Tokyo Gunze Open) and its two victories into simple at the time of the meeting of Coupe Davis against New Zealand (the Coupe Davis was finally opened to the pros under contract in 1973: this Rosewall year was selected by Neale Fraser for the double in semi-final of the test). Rosewall came last once to Wimbledon, 40 years spent, and as at the time of its first Wimbledon Open (in 1968) it fell with the same turn (4th) vis-a-vis the same player (Tony Roche).

In 1976 Rosewall left Signal 10 definitively but remained in Signal 20 thanks to its 3 titles conquered in Brisbane, Jackson WCT and Hong-Kong (on Nastase then 3rd player of the world).

1977 was the last year of Rosewall in Signal 20: that means that it belonged to the best players of the world each year during 26 years (in Signal 20 of 1952 to 1977 without interruption). It gained the last tournaments of its career in Hong-Kong and Tokyo (Gunze Open) a few days after its 43e birthday. It was withdrawn gradually to conclude in October 1980 : in nearly 46 years, it took part in its last tournament in Melbourne in indoor, while eliminating with the first turn Butch Walts, classified n° 49 with the ATP before Paul McNamee does not put a term at the sublime career of Kenneth Robert Rosewall.

One of the largest players of the history of the most underestimated tennis but also one of

It is almost sure that since 1948, for a year given, the best player of the world was always a professional player. Knowing that the professional players were prohibited of all the traditional competitions organized by the International federation (Coupe Davis,…) or by any National federation (tournaments of the Large Slam,…) until April 1968 (even in 1972), the greatest exploits of these players either are completely ignored or practically forgotten because today the tournaments of the Large Slam being the foundations of the current play, all the great tests of the past are forgotten.

For example Budge in 1939 (and not in 1938) or Kramer in 1949 was as pitiless for their fellow-members as Federer in the middle of the years 2000 but as they were at the time professionals they do not appear in the prize lists of Wimbledon or the Championships of the United States these years. Consequently all the large players who achieved great performances on the professional circuits before 1968 all are largely underestimated: Ken Rosewall does not escape the rule.

Since it reached its apogee in the circuit pro before 1968 and because it was in the shade of great personalities like Hoad at the amateurs or Gonzales in the pros, Rosewall and extremely is thus doubly underestimated. Imagine that in 1963 whereas as a world number 1 it dominated the circuit of the head and the shoulders, it was made drive back in Madison Square Garden where it was to play, the gatekeeper not believing that a Mister of 1,70 m could be a large sportsman. The very humble answer of Rosewall was: " I amndt one off the players" (" I am one of the joueurs") .

Many people required of Rosewall how much tournaments of the Large Slam it would have gained if open tennis had existed of its time and it says: " It' S difficult to say. I could happy the good players and lost to the best players… I wasn' T handicapped by any physical problems, so there' S good chance I would cuts won more Grand Slams; " " It is difficult to say. I could beat good players and to lose against the best… I suffered from no physical problem (during my long career) thus it is probable that I could have gained more tournaments of the Large Slam); " then it added its manner caractéristiquement modest: " yew not I would cuts gone pretty close" (if not I would have been well near) .

It is clear that the answer is not easy even impossible. But a coarse estimate perhaps made by distinguishing two periods from the career of Rosewall, until 1967 then as from 1968.

a) Until 1967 the greatest competitions from a sporting point of view (but not inevitably on the plan of financial success or the celebrity) were organized in the professional circuit . It is not thus stupid to think that a) successes of Rosewall among amateurs are devaluated because of absence of the professionals whereas b) its occupational triumphs, almost always ignored, are actually its greater sporting successes. Its victory with Roland Garros amateur 1953 is not extraordinary, far from there because the 4 best players of the time, Kramer, Segura, Sedgman and Gonzales, being all professional, could not dispute the title with the Rosewall young person. On the other hand its victory in French Pro 1958, always in the stage of Roland Garros, is completely forgotten nowadays whereas this time at the sides of Australian appeared Gonzales, Sedgman, Hoad, Segura and Trabert is all best moment: this success is that to retain and not that of 1953.

b) As from 1968 tennis became open but of frequent arguments between the FILT, the promoters NTL and WCT and the trade union incipient from the ATP banishments of players of tournaments or even of whole circuits caused. Thus in particular much of tournaments of the Large Slam were victims of these conflicts: Wimbledon 1972 was interdict with all the pros under contract with the WCT, the edition of 1973 was boycotted by the ATP; players WCT (having just included NTL) did not dispute Roland Garros 1970, little came in 1971 and none was authorized to play the edition 1972. Always for conflict reasons some (but not all) players WCT snobèrent the Open U.S. 1971 and finally almost all the first Open ones of Australia until 1982 were extremely ordinary tournaments with tables of an afflicting weakness: the primary reason was their dates " repoussantes" during the festivals of end of the year in Christmas and the New Year's Day (editions 1972 to 1982) or their ridiculous equipment (in 1970 a little more: 10000 dollars were allocated with simple and no NTL player came whereas a few all best days later took part in the tournament of Philadelphia which proposed: 60000 dollars). The only editions which attracted a great part (but not all) of best were those of 1969 (probably because it was the 1st Open one and thus operated a certain seduction) and of 1971 because it was well equipped (by Dunlop) and which it had in March place at one period much more favourable.

Consequently a new test in the calendar took a great importance with the beginning of the year 1970, larger than the weak tournaments of the Large Slam quoted just before: finales WCT (Final WCT).

All this enables us to deduce that Rosewall probably gained approximately 21 major tournaments comparable with the tournaments of the Large Slam of now i.e of the tournaments with a minimum of tradition where all or almost all the best players took part.

Here the list proposed:

- Wembley Pro 1957,1960,1961,1962,1963

- New York City-Madison Public garden Garden Pro 1966

- French Pro 1958,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966

- Open French 1968

- U.S. Pro 1963,1965

- Open U.S. 1970

- Open Australian 1971

- Final WCT 1971,1972

thus does not appear

nor its successes in the tournaments amateurs of the Large Slam (the Championships amateurs of Australia 1953 and 1955, Roland Garros amateur 1953 and International amateurs of the United States 1956)

nor its victory in Open Australian 1972

nor its victories with Wembley Pro 1968 and the U.S. Pro 1971 (these last tournaments are excluded because since 1968, with finally the arrival of open tennis, the greatest tournaments were not any more the traditional professional tournaments like Wembley Pro or the US Pro or French Pro but (more or less) the tournaments of the Large Open Slam and/or the WCT Finals and Masters).

This list is much better than the list of its official record of 23 major tournaments (see various Records since the beginnings of tennis) including/understanding 4 tournaments of the Large Slam Amateur (Australia 53,55 - Roland Garros 53 - Forest Hills 56), 15 Professionnels tournaments major until 1967 (Wembley Pro 57,60,61,62,63 - French Pro 58,60,61,62,63,64,65,66 - US Pro 63,65) and 4 tournaments of the Large Open Slam since 1968 (Roland Garros 68, US Open 70, Australia 71,72) because this list includes tournaments whose table was weak and excludes moreover great events.

Thus in the history of tennis alone Tilden, Gonzales or To wash (but surely not Sampras and even less To federate) can as many assert great victories than Rosewall far in front of the recordmen of the open era like Sampras, Borg, Connors or Federate.

In its autobiography " The education off has tennis player" To wash wrote that Rosewall was the player more underestimated history of tennis.

To as wash known as, in the same book, as, in its spirit, Paris and Rosewall were as firmly dependant as Sydney and the oysters. Indeed one can notice that Rosewall is the recordman of titles into simple the International ones of France, 10 crowns far in front of Borg (6 titles) and Cochet (this last has 5, and not 4, crowns on the head because it also gained French Pro, in Roland Garros, in 1936), an exploit of Australian almost ignored today : 8 titles Pro , 1 Open title and 1 title Amateur . 6 of these tournaments took place with Roland Garros on ground thus beaten Rosewall is also corecordman with Borg of the titles with Roland Garros , still another unknown record of the Australian one, and the 4 other tournaments disputed at the Stage Pierre de Coubertin, in indoor on wood. Between its defeat with Roland Garros Pro against Hoad for the 3rd place on September 13rd, 1959 and its defeat finally of the Professional Championships of Paris vis-a-vis Washing on April 9th, 1967, Rosewall remained unconquered in Paris, gaining 7 French Pro following 1960 to 1966.

Rosewall is also the player who gained the most tournaments Wembley Pro of the pre-open era (5) in front of Gonzales (4) and To wash (4), tournament which was often most important of the time. By adding their less important victories with Wembley in the open era, Rosewall and Laver gained each one 6 titles.

In spite of all its great successes, Rosewall is practically always forgotten in the lists of the largest tennis players of the history although it completely dominated first half of the years 1960 and in particular when it was quasi invincible in 1962 and in 1963.

Titles of Ken Rosewall 1951-1977 (128 tournaments gained at least)

Sources: Michel Sutter, Victorious Winners 1946-2003, Paris 2003; Joe McCauley, The History off Professional Tennis, London 2001; Robert Geist, Der Grösste Meister Die denkwürdige Karriere of the australischen Tennisspielers Kenneth Robert Rosewall, Vienna 1999; Tony Trabert in Tennis of France

Before 1972 resulted them from tennis were not systematically recorded like now with the FIT (International federation of tennis) and the ATP. Many was lost even ever safeguarded. Despite everything most important were preserved. Currently one can affirm that Ken Rosewall gained at least 128 tournaments in all its career (the data of the ATP begin only in 1968 and still much of competitions are not recorded until 1970 and even after step badly of tournaments do not appear in it, examples: Dunlop Sydney Open in March 1970 or New South Wales Championships in 1973 or 1974).

The dates below are those of the last day. They are relatively reliable but sometimes differences in a few days appear between the sources (for example Joe McCauley proposes on September 20th, 1958 for French Pro while Michel Sutter indicates on September 22nd) and other times only the month are known but not the day.

Titles Amateur (1951-1956): 23

Professional titles (1957-1967): 62 (Career Pro: Ken Rosewall prohibited of Coupe Davis and all the tournaments of the Large Slam)

¹ : Tournament with 4-Players

Titles during the Open Era (1968-1977): 43 (included the tournaments Pro and tournaments on invitation)

Lost finales Amateur (1952-1956): 13

Lost finales Professional (1958-1968): 40

Lost finales Open Era (1968-1977): 30 (included the tournaments Pro and tournaments on invitation)

Professional rounds gained (at least 7) by Ken Rosewall during the years of banishment: 1957-1967

Before 1968 the professional players sometimes more often disputed of the rounds than tournaments: for example Henry Ellsworth Fortify, Jr, no tournament of 1936 to 1938 disputed included and in particular in 1937 he played 70 matches at the time of two rounds and 0 match in tournament. Fortify thus did not gain any tournament during 3 years although he was the best pro even the best very court of the time. At the time of its first five months at the professionals (from January in May 1957) Rosewall played 76 matches in round against Gonzales and only 9 matches in tournaments. In the years 1960 the tendency was reversed because the rounds started to disappear with the profit from the tournaments. All this to say that if the players of the time had had the possibility of playing tournaments as many as the tennismen of XXIe century, they would hold even more titles into simple (cf the example of Fortify).

Unfortunately enormously of results of rounds are completely unknown because they were not filed. Below the dates are somewhat vague and sometimes the résults are unknown but the final winner is.

1957 : Australian pro turn victorious Rosewall (unknown detailed results) of Hoad, Sedgman, and Segura, each player disputing 20 matches, November-December

1958 : Perrier Trophy pro turn victorious Rosewall (unknown detailed results) of Segura, Trabert and Hoad August 2nd - October 25th

1959 : South African pro turn end results: 1) Rosewall 12 gained matches - 2 lost, 2) Segura 9-5, 3) Ashley Cooper 7-7, 4) Malcolm Anderson 4-10, 5) Mervyn Pink 3-11 November

1962 : New Zealand pro turn 1) Rosewall 4-1, 2) Gimeno 3-2, 3) Sedgman 2-3, 4) Ayala 1-4 probably Mars 1963 : Australasian (Australia + New Zealand) pro turn Rosewall overcame Laver 11-2 (12 scores of matches on 13 are perfectly known) January (started 6) ; U.S. pro turn victorious Rosewall To wash, Gimeno, Buchholz, MacKay and Ayala: in the first phase 1) Rosewall 31-10, 2) To wash 26-16, 3) Buchholz 23-18, 4) Gimeno 21-20, 5) MacKay 12-29, 6) Ayala 11-30 then in the second phase opposing a) 2 first to designate the final winner and b) 3rd and 4th to appoint the 3rd player with final, end results: 1) Rosewall (which beat Laver 14-4 in the second phase), 2) Laver, 3) Gimeno (which dominated Buchholz in the second phase 11-7), 4) Buchholz, 5) MacKay 12-29, 6) Ayala 11-30 February 8th - at the end of May 1964 : Facis Trophy (Trofeo Facis) pro turn victorious Rosewall July 28th - August 11th; September 29th - October 8th

Participations of Rosewall in the great competitions by team

Coupe Davis : Rosewall gained 17 simple out of 19 and 2 doubles out of 3 in this test. Rosewall was member of the victorious team of Australia into 1953,1955,1956 and 1973.

Kramer Cup : in this professional test with the format of the Coupe Davis, organized only during 3 years of continuation (1961-1963) and opposing the sub-continents of Australia, of Europe, of North America and South America, Rosewall gained 9 simple out of 10 and 4 doubles out of 5. Australia gained the 3 editions.

Classifications (professional and amateurs together) annual of Rosewall (very precise estimates not always because of absence of official classification before 1973)

Until 1972 only of the journalists or players established their clean classification and until 1967 the majority of these classifications concerned only the players amateurs who moreover were generally less good than the best professionals this is why Ken Rosewall only appears very seldom, completely wrongly, in the established rankings between 1957 and 1967.

Then on August 23rd, 1973 the ATP posted its first classification relative to the 12 months previous and then published every 14 days and a few years later every week: this classification presented many imperfections because in years 1970 or 80 it did not take into account the Coupe Davis (still not currently besides), the WCT Finals and Masters (called later the Singles Championship and since 2000 it (Tennis) Masters Cup) and it did not grant sufficient points (always the case now) to the tournaments of the Large Slam. Since certain progress were realized (but not yet sufficiently) since from now on Masters Cup gives points ATP.

Consequently of other established rankings by the journalists of tennis or the players themselves could (and always can) be better: for example although Connors was classified world number 1 in 1975 by the ATP very few people regarded it as such and the majority of the witnesses like John Barrett, Bud Collins, Barry Lorge or Judith Elian, of the time classified, rightly, Arthur Ashe world number 1 (only n° 4 with the classification by computer of the ATP).

Since a) before 1968 there were very few classifications integrating the professionals and the amateurs together and b) before 1973 classification ATP did not exist and c) this last was (and is always) imperfect, here classifications (not always extremely precise) annual of Rosewall:

Ainsi Rosewall formed part each year of 20 the best during 26 years of sharp, of 10 the best during 20 years and of 3 the best during probably at least 12 years and finally was either the best or vice-champion during approximately 9 years. (cf Tennis players world numbers 1)

Direct confrontations between Rosewall and Laver: 61 (at least) - 73 (at least)

Sources: Joe McCauley, The History off Professional Tennis, London 2001; World Tennis (the US Magazine); World off Tennis (Annual statements of account published by John Barrett); ATP

Obviously as for the rounds or the tournaments of the pre-open era, the results of the matches of this time are often unknown.

Gonzales and Laver are the two players that Rosewall generally met. Its confrontations with Laver are documented better and more detailed than those with Gonzales thus below principal results of the matches are indicated which opposed the two Australian ones.

The last complete assessment of the meetings Rosewall-To wash by Robert Geist is 66-75.

Knowing that Rosewall passed professional in 1957 and that Laver imitated it into 1963 both players never could meet officially between 1957 and 1962 included.

The statistics of their meetings show a strong domination To wash between 1964 and 1970 (even 1972) but they are skewed before this time when Rosewall was definitely better: a) in favor of Rosewall for the year 1963 and b) especially in favor Washing until 1962. In 1963 they met approximately 46 times (uncertainty on the number) that is to say approximately one the third of the full number of their meetings. Rosewall being better than To wash this year, the statistics of 1963 support Rosewall clearly. On another side of 1957 to 1962 although Rosewall was definitely better than Laver, it never beat its junior (To wash has nearly 4 years less than Rosewall) since they could not meet: thus the statistics 1957-1962, posting a result of 0-0, favor truly and very clearly Laver (in 1956 the two tennis players turned on the circuit amateur but apparently never met then).

No result is currently available, in particular the meetings Rosewall-To wash, in the list which follows:

New Zealand turn with Rosewall, To wash, Hoad and Sedgman, February 1964

Shackled Pro, 28- September 29th, 1965

Turned to Nairobi, Entebbe, Accra and Lagos in October - November 1966

Italian turn (4 cities) of the professional troop, August 1967

Spain turn with Washing, Rosewall, Gimeno and Stolle, October 1967

Stopped match:

Manly, match of round, January 24th, 1965, Rosewall-To wash 6-2 3-2, play stopped by the rain

Here a rather detailed list knowing that it can be supplemented and detailed constantly. In rare cases the chronology is not completely respected in order not to mix results of rounds with those of tournaments taking place with the same period: for example the two players met on April 1st, 1963 with the tournament of Cleveland which was disputed between two parts of the US round which began on February 8th and which finished at the end of May). Their result of Cleveland is indicated after the last matches round in May although the tournament proceeded from March 30th to April 2nd.

Victories in tournaments of the Large Slam

Open of Australia:

Simple Sirs - 1953,1955,1971,1972: Finalist in 1956: Semi-finalist in 1954,1976 & 1977 (January)
Double Sirs - 1953,1956,1972

International of France of Roland-Garros:

Simple Sirs - 1953,1968: Finalist in 1969
Double Sirs - 1953,1968

Tournament of Wimbledon:

Simple Sirs -: Finalist in 1954,1956,1970 & 1974: Semi-finalist in 1955 & 1971
Double Sirs - 1953,1956

Open US of tennis:

Simple Sirs - 1956,1970: Finalist in 1955 & 1974: Semi-finalist in 1953,1954,1968 & 1973
Double Sirs - 1956,1969

Other results

Roland-Garros Victorious Pro in 1958,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965 & 1966
Wembley pro: Winner in 1957,1960,1961,1962,1963 & 1968: Finalist in 1964,1966 & 1967
U.S.Pro: Winner in 1963,1965 & 1971: Finalist in 1966
Masters of Cincinnati: Winner in 1970

Various comments

In its autobiography of 1979, Kramer writes that " Rosewall has backcourt player when He cam into the pros, goal He learned very quickly how to play the Net. Eventually, for that matter, He became have master off it, ace much out off physical safeguarding ace for any other reason. I guarantee you that Kenny wouldn' T cuts lasted into his forties ace has world-class player yew He hadn' T learned to serf and volley." (" Rosewall was (still) a basic player of short when it passed pro but it learned how very quickly to play net. Besides he became an expert in this compartment of the play in particular in order to preserve his physique and for various other reasons. I can guarantee to you that there would not have remained one of the best players of the world beyond forty years if he had not learned the play from service-volée.")

Kramer which always underestimated Rosewall has it nevertheless includes in its list of the 21 larger players of the history published in 1979. During its very long career it was seldom wounded what enabled him to gain tournaments and to remain in the fifteen first until age the 43 years. The only great tournament which escaped to him was Wimbledon because he was prohibited there 10 years of continuation (1957-1966) during his apogee: he reached twice nevertheless cing time the final (among amateurs, once in the pros in 1967 and twice during the open era.

In 1974 Rosewall became the oldest player to reach two finales of tournaments of the Large Slam in the year (Wimbledon and US Open at 39 years and 310 days.

In 1995 Gonzales known as of him: " It became better into growing old, more complete. Except for me and of Frank Sedgman, it could dominate no matter whom. With its style of play it succeeded in controlling Hoad, but it had some weaknesses on the side of the right blow and the service." Over 160 matches against Pancho Gonzales it gained 59 of them and lost 101 of them. On approximately 70 matches against Lew Hoad it gained of them approximately 45 compared with 25 for its compatriot.

Grandfather of five grandchildren, Rosewall lives from now on in the north of Sydney, where he plays tennis still occasionally.

Rosewall was introduced with the International Tennis Hall off Famed with Newport, Rhode Island, in 1980.

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