#1: Rod Laver is the Best Diverse Tennis Player

Look if you want to talk about male tennis players, I don’t know how anyone can compare to Rod Laver. One of his unique successes is that he is the first singles player to win a calendar year Grand Slam on all three types of court in the open era. That’s the diversity that makes him a true champion.

What I like most about Laver is his style of play. As his tennis career progressed, I watched his perfect volleys and powerful left hand serves improve to near perfection. Not to mention his incredible speed on the court. Even though he was shorter than most of his opponents, you wouldn’t know it. He could cover a court in seconds making any lob shots virtually a death threat for an opponent that tried to use it against him.

Laver’s amateur and professional records are incredible. Because he played before the open era, he spent several years making almost no money for the tournaments he would win. When the open era started, he continued his level of play and began collecting prizes from tournaments that let him live healthy living. I think his willingness to play before the treasures of prize money were expected shows that he truly loves the game of tennis. This integrity only adds to his greatness as a player.

Laver is one of the best male tennis players of all time. His spirit and record are evidence of this claim. He won over 150 singles titles during his 23-year tennis career.