Rod Rod Laver      by Kristian and Josh 

 
Rod Laver's statue is outside The Rod Laver Arena for people to remember his great play as a tennis champion. 

 

His matches.

Rod Laver was the only tennis player in the World to win the Grand Slam for the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon twice. He did this in 1962 and 1969. He also won 2 doubles for the Grand Slam titles.    

        His career.

Rod has one arm bigger and more muscular than the other, because he played with that arm more. He is a left handed player. He has a nickname that is  "Rockhampton Rocket" His coach gave him the name because he was very fast.
He was a genius at the game. His family loved the game tennis, they always had a tennis court at least.  
Rod had great power in his backhand and forehand. He had a strong smash and a great serve. 

 

  The Rod Laver Arena.

He was so good they honored  him by naming a Tennis Centre after him. It's called The Rod Laver Arena. The Australian Open is held in this Tennis Centre.
Australia won the championship trophy every time he played in the Davis Cup. Rod uses the Dunlop tennis racquets and the Wilson balls. 
When he was young Rodney had tennis lessons. He used top spin to make the ball harder to hit. Top spin is when you brush up the back of the ball with the racquet which causes the ball to go faster.        

           

Profile.                         

Full name: Rodney George Laver.

Born: 9th August 1938, Rockhampton, Queensland.

Famous for: Tennis

Height: 5' 81/2" 

Types of hits!:

  • Forehand

  • Backhand

  • Slice

  • Volley

  • Smash!

  • Baseline shot

  • Side spin

  • Serve

  • Backspin

  • Lob

  • Forehand volley

  • Backhand volley

  • Front spin

  • Left spin-Right spin

              Age and life now!

Rod is 62 years of age. He now lives in a $US 300,000 mansion that overlooks the sea. It is a luxury! Rodney Laver was the first player to reach $1,000,000 in prize money.  

 

 
This is our design of a stamp featuring Rod Laver