born on 9 August 1938 at Rockhampton in Queensland
My name is Rod Laver and I represent ‘Nature’s gifts’ because, in 1962, I
won tennis’s ‘Grand Slam’ – that is, the French, Australian, United
States and Wimbledon championships. I was the first Australian ever to do this, and in
1969 I won them all again, thereby becoming the first tennis player in the world to win
the ‘Grand Slam’ twice. I was nicknamed the ‘Rockhampton Rocket’.
1901-2001 Centenary of
Federation