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Muscles: Ken Rosewall The son of a grocer, who became one of the game's greats: Kenneth Robert Rosewall, a left-hander, taught to play right, who won 18 major titles in a career spanning 25 years, breaking records galore. At 5-foot-7-inches and 135lbs Rosewall was a slight figure, some thought this would impede, but how wrong would they be. He developed an exceptionally backhand, moving quickly to the ball with his magnificent anticipation and balance. His serve was never formidable, but he had an excellent volley. He was shy and good-natured, at home on any surface.
Rosewall was born 21 days before fellow Sydney player Lew Hoad, on the 2nd November 1934. They became known as the "Twins," different in personality and looks, but friends and on-court rivals the minute they played their first tournaments together. Hoad was considerably stronger, so Rosewall sardonically earned the nickname "Muscles" between fellow countrymen. In 1952, as raw 17-year-olds they were thrust into the Australian national consciousness, on their first overseas tour, reaching the quarter-finals at the U.S. Championships in Forest Hills. Ken beat American Vic Seixas 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. Later the following year Davis Cup and Harry Hopman came calling. The pair had won the 1953 Wimbledon doubles and now they were entrusted, as 19-year-olds to defend the Australian hope against the United States. Rosewall beat Seixas in the decisive match to ensure a 3-2 victory. Now they had linked in doubles as well as the publics mind. Rosewall won the first of his singles titles at the 1953 Australian and French Championships he would continue to be a tournament winner past his 43rd birthday. With Hoad he could well have registered a Grand Slam in doubles that year too, but came up three wins short, losing in the quarterfinals at the U.S. to Hal Burrows and Straight Clark 5-7, 14-12, 18-16, 9-7. Muscles won the 1955 Australian Championships and in his final year as amateur made sure he would go out with a bang. Hoad, in attempting the Grand Slam beat Rosewall in the 1956 Wimbledon final, but Rosewall spoiled his friend's celebrations by beating him in the U.S. final 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. Together they completed their doubles set by winning the U.S. crown, becoming one of four Aussie teams to win all four Slams. Frank Sedgman and Ken McGregor in 1952, then later Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser and John Newcombe and Tony Roche. Rosewall turned professional shortly after their Davis Cup final victory over the United States in 1956, to challenge the King Pancho Gonzalez. The Australian proved he was a match in the professional game as he won U.S. Pro titles over Rod Laver in 1963, Gonzalez and Laver in 1965 and Cliff Drysdale in 1971.
In one of the longest professional careers ever, Rosewall outlasted his friends Hoad, Gonzalez and Laver in competitive play. Even when Laver was reckoned to be the best in the world, Rosewall could bother him, shocking the two-time singles Grand Slam champion in the World Championship Tennis finals in 1971 and 1972. The only big one Rosewall failed to win was at Wimbledon. Twenty years after appearing in the first of his four finals Jimmy Connors, in one of the most one-sided finals, annihilated him in 1974. He won two doubles there, and 19 years after his first Australian title, he won there in 1972.
His longevity records speak for themselves. The man never had a serious injury and is one of the greatest champions of tennis. Fourteen years after his first Forest Hills triumph in 1956, he beat a man 10 years his junior: Tony Roche 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-3 to win again. Twenty years after his first Davis Cup appearance he helped Australian win again, in 1973 - his fourth Cup victory. He stands sixth on the all-time male roll with 18 majors, becoming the second player after Laver to cross the $1m mark, earning a career total $1,600,300. His victories were innumerable, but at the beginning of the open era in 1968, aged a young 33-years-old, he preceded to win 50 titles, 32 in singles and 18 in doubles. The first being the first Open tournament, the British Hard Court singles at Bournemouth in April 1968, the second the initial major the French Open. His last professional triumph was recorded two weeks after his 43rd birthday, in Hong Kong, where he beat Tom Gorman in 1977. He was still a tough professional in 1978. His year-end ranking in 1977, is beyond belief, he was in the world's Top 15 players, having won two of 24 tournaments, with a year match record of 44-23. He said: "It's something I still enjoy and find I still do well, but I never imagined myself playing so long when I turned professional in 1957." Grand Slam Record Australian Singles winner 1953, 1955, 1971-72; Singles finalist 1956; Doubles winner 1953, 1956, 1972; Doubles finalist 1955, 1969 French Singles 1953, 1968; Singles finalist 1969; Doubles winner 1953, 1968; Doubles finalist 1954 Wimbledon Singles finalist 1954, 1956, 1970, 1974; Doubles winner 1953, 1956; Doubles finalist 1955, 1968, 1970; Mixed finalist 1954 U.S. Championships Singles winner 1956, 1970; Singles finalist 1955, 1974; Doubles winner 1956, 1969; Doubles finalist 1954, 1973; Mixed winner 1956; Mixed finalist 1954 Tournament Record (inc. Davis Cup and Olympics) Italian Championships Doubles winner 1953 Australian Davis Cup team member 1953-56;
1973, 1975; winning side 1953, 1955-56, 1973; losing side 1954 |
