Australian Legends - Tennis

 

On 24 January 2003 , Australia Post issued the stamp set feature the Australian  tennis legends . The issue consist of 4 postage stamps and designed by Belinda Marshall

The recipients of the 2003 Australia Day, Australian Legends Award and the subjects of this year’s Australian Legends stamp issue – Margaret Court MBE and Rod Laver MBE – are undeniably giants of, not simply Australian tennis but world tennis. 

 

Margaret Court

Margaret Court is possibly the greatest women’s tennis player of all time. She was born in Albury in New South Wales, on 16 July 1942 and rose to prominence when she won her first Australian singles title. In 1970 Court won the second ever female Grand Slam and she remains the only player to achieve a Grand Slam in doubles as well as in singles.

Margaret Court MBE with her Wimbledon trophy after winning the title

Court went on to win seven Australian titles in a row and in 1963 she was the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon.

 

She retired briefly then returned to international tennis in 1967 and continued winning major titles after the birth of the first of her four children.

 

Margaret Court MBE in action hitting one of her powerful forehands

Court was primarily an attacker, basing her game on a heavy serve and volley, and relying on athleticism and endurance.

 

Between 1961 and 1975 Court was ranked No. 1 in the world seven times. When she retired from tennis in 1976 she had won 62 Grand Slam events, more than any other player, man or woman. 

In addition to her three Wimbledon titles, Court won the US Open title five times, the French title five times and the Australian title eleven times. She still holds the record for the most Grand Slam women’s titles with 24 to her name. Her nearest rival is Steffi Graf with 22 Grand Slam titles.

Margaret Court was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979 and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1986. 

 
 
Rodney George Laver

Rod Laver MBE holding his 1969 Wimbledon trophy after winning the title for the fourth time.

Rodney George Laver (Rod), Australia’s greatest men’s tennis player, was born on 9 August 1938 at Rockhampton in Queensland. He is the only player in the history of tennis to win a Grand Slam twice. Nicknamed ‘Rocket’ by the then Australian Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman, Laver’s 23-year career spanned the amateur and open eras.

Laver won a total of eleven Grand Slam singles titles including four Wimbledon men’s championships, three Australian titles, two French titles and two US titles.


 

 
Rod Laver MBE in action about to hit a backhand, his favourite and most lethal shot
 
 




 

After his second year as the No. 1 in the world, Laver turned professional in 1962. When the division between professional and amateur tennis disappeared in 1968, Laver was able once again to play in the traditional tournaments and became the first open Wimbledon champion. Had he played in these intervening years, Laver undoubtedly would have won far more Grand Slam championships.