Before the world had superstars like Roger Federer , Pete Sampras , Bjorn Borg and John Mcenroe , there was Rod Laver. The Australian maestro helped shaped the modern tennis as we know today , arguably one of the greatest players of all time Laver was a young child when he left school to pursue a tennis career which spanned more than 20 years. As the legend turns 78 today , here we look at 5 interesting facts about Rod Laver , Rod Laver -the original superstar of tennis.
1. 200 Singles Titles
Rod Laver’s 200 singles titles are the most in tennis history , he holds the record for the most titles in a year with 22 in 1962. Laver turned professional in 1962 Before the ‘Open Era’ where professional players were not allowed to participate in the 4 big tournaments , also known as the grand slams. He still continued his dominance and won titles wherever he went despite being banned by the grand slams for five years prior to the Open Era.