Rod Laver played his part in several classic matches over the years.
The Australian tennis legend won 200 singles titles across his amateur and professional careers.
He is also the only player in the history of the Open Era (ATP Tour) to complete the Calendar Grand Slam.
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In 1969, Laver won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, achieving tennis immortality in the process.
Post-retirement, Laver has been invited to watch tennis matches all over the world.
However, in 2012, when asked to pick his favorite match of all time, Laver chose a French Open classic from the 1950s.
Rod Laver said a five-set marathon at the 1958 French Open was his favorite match ever
During a Q&A on the ATP Tour YouTube Channel, Laver was asked to share the favorite match he’d ever watched.
“There was one match I watched. It was at the French Championships, it was Robert Haillet, a Frenchman, playing Budge Patty,” he said.
“Budge was up 5-0 in the fifth set, and Haillet came back and beat him 7-5.
“You were thinking, This is not possible, that’s one of the matches that sticks in my head.
“How can you be up 5-0, 40-0 and not win the match?
“Of course, as you can tell, the French crowd was going nuts; that’s one that you remember.”
Robert Haillet fought back bravely to beat Budge Patty in the fourth round of the 1958 French Open, 5-7, 7-5, 10-8, 4-6, 7-5.
He failed to advance to the semifinals, however, losing out to Chile’s Luis Ayala in straight sets.
The Australian also gave an honorable mention to one of the greatest-ever tennis rivalries and some of their best matches.
“There are always other matches, great, great matches,” said Laver.
“Probably some of the [Rafael] Nadal, [Roger] Federer matches…
“Wimbledon was one that I watched and enjoyed.”
Nadal and Federer’s Wimbledon rivalry took several twists and turns over the years.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s Wimbledon H2H
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2006 Wimbledon – F | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 |
| 2007 Wimbledon – F | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 |
| 2008 Wimbledon – F | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 |
| 2019 Wimbledon – SF | Roger Federer | Rafael Nadal | 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
The 2008 Wimbledon final between Federer and Nadal was an instant classic, as the Spaniard finally beat his biggest rival at SW19.
American legend John McEnroe described the match as the ‘greatest ever played’, and it’s tough to argue with him…
What was the 2025 match of the year?
This year’s French Open men’s singles final was, hands down, the match of the year on the ATP Tour.
A reminder of what happens when Jannik Sinner plays Carlos Alcaraz…
Jannik Sinner had three championship points, leading 5-4, 40-0 in the fourth set, but couldn’t convert any of them, as Carlos Alcaraz continued his miraculous comeback from two sets down.
Eventually, Alcaraz defeated Sinner, 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6, to retain his French Open title in a true thriller.
Nothing was going to top that match in 2025, and it will surely go down in history as one of the great Grand Slam finals.
Fans had hoped that Sinner and Alcaraz would produce another classic, but unfortunately, their next two major finals didn’t quite live up to expectations.
Sinner won Wimbledon in four sets, before Alcaraz won the US Open in four, as neither match warranted the intense conclusion we saw in Paris.
Perhaps they will meet again in a Grand Slam final in 2026 and wow fans once more.
They could even do so at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday, January 18.
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