WCT 1972 Final: Ken Rosewall def Rod Laver in five sets.

April 1972. Australian Tennis Legends Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver displaying superb tennis in Dallas. Ken won the match in five sets (4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6); during many years was considered the best match all-time.
A very good movie with images and sound quality full aligned with their great tennis skills.
Edited with NO commercial interest, is just about giving fans access to this tennis gem.

[@gomezaddams4347]

The match that made thirteen year old me want to start playing tennis. Fifty years later, I still love tennis.

[@vicentesala9115]

I had no chance to watch the match in Spain… but I read a lot about it; I think was unforgetable. ( I was born August 1958)

[@WayneLynch69]

Memory is a funny thing. I'm a little older than you and it was a watershed for everyone as regards the game of tennis. But I've alwasy remembered the game as both being so fantastically capable, that they hit the baseline with EVERY SHOT!

[@jeffrey3498]

Me too! I was 15 when I watched this match on TV.

[@trwent]

I will never forget this match from 1972. I was over at my grandma's house in Dinuba, CA, and I was 12 or 13 at the time. Watching the match on her old RCA Accu-Color TV. It seemed to go on and on and on!! Finally, Rosewsll won in a 5th set tiebreaker. This match got me interested in playing tennis and following pro tennis.

[@michaelhegyan7464]

I had the pleasure of meeting Ken Rosewall in person, at a team tennis match, back in 73', at Cobo Hall, Detroit. What a great man, I was 15, and my game, was getting better, and he offered many tips to me, as I recall..!

[@vicentesala9115]

One of the greatest all time, to me Top-5 right hand players

[@purplebondsaiyan2987]

@@vicentesala9115 a Gem Muchas Gracias!!! I Always Wanted to See this Match Because it's Such a Legendary Match that People Talk About!!! Both of Those Men are my Favorite Tennis Players Of All Time!!!! People Don't know how Good "Muscles" Ken Rosewall was He Could Play for Hours The Stamina and Condition he has it's Crazy!!! The Peak of Australian 🎾

[@kikaa1884]

Rod Laver have 11 major titles mostly In those days it is lot and big thing. That's why Bjorn Borg is biggest and greatest player in his time by winning 11th major title at the age of 25 only. Bjorn Borg behaved like a goat only From 1974 to 1981 he won 11 major titles in open era And Big players like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe won 8 and 7 Major titles mostly. Bjorn Borg would win more French open titles,1 US Open title also if he played till age 30 and tied with Pete 🔫 in major titles in open era actually Bjorn Borg wasted his talent actuall Bjorn Borg reached grandslam finals 16 Times and won it 11 major titles He is doing goat stuff already mostly Winning French open and Wimbledon in same year for 3 Years is not a joke in open era. Till now no player won and dominate French open and the Wimbledon like Bjorn Borg

[@kikaa1884]

Bjorn Borg did everything what Goat does in his time actually he didn't play Australian open at all as it is not so big in his time but he played US Open at least got unlucky in 1980 actually Bjorn Borg is first player to win 11 major titles which was broken by Pete Sampras Bjorn Borg-Pete Sampras- Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal-Djokovic in open era this is how it went and goes in future breaking Records is normal John McEnroe and Stephan Edberg are 2 best serve and volley players in open era that is a fact Bjorn Borg created history by winning 11 major titles(6 French open titles and 5 Wimbledon titles) which is not easy at all in open era no player in open era dominate French open and Wimbledon like Bjorn Borg that is fact Which is totally opposite surfaces He reached grandslam finals 3 Times in 1978,1980 and 1981 even big players like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe respect and admire Bjorn Borg a lot for his success and nature The best grass court players in open era are 1.Roger Federer=8 2. Pete Sampras=7 3. Novak Djokovic=7 4. Bjorn Borg=5 5. Jimmy Connors=4 6. Stephan Edberg=4 7. John McEnroe=3 8. Boris Becker=3 Surfaces got slowed down is not fault of Novak Djokovic I personally feel he can do best on medium fast to fast grass courts with training and mental strength also If surfaces not slowed down Novak Djokovic would be best all court player in open era and win major titles With his net game and baseline game actually it is not impossible at all for Novak Djokovic He is natural hard court player in which hard courts are medium to medium fast so it is not tough to adapt fast grass courts for Djokovic in open era He offensive baseline player who can be defensive and offensive when it is needed actually he changed a lot after Boris Becker,Goran Ivanisevic became his coach who are natural grass court players who played fast grass courts.

[@michaelhegyan7464]

@@kikaa1884 on a different note, if you recollect team tennis back in the early 70's, I remember seeing Jimmy Connors playing for the Baltimore Banners, he played Phil Dent of the Detroit Loves. Anyway, Connors was engaged to Crissie Evert, as you recall. A drunken fan in stands, started yelling at Connors..and said. ' Hey Jimmy, Chris is up here, and she s, looking hot..' Connors, as I recalled, was about to serve, and gave the guy, the finger, and was about to climb the stands, but stopped..

[@elseniorgallo]

Incredible level. Who says that today's Tennis is faster-paced than 60's, 70's and 80's ? Look at the ball speed and up and down running !! They played all over the court, not just serve&volley or just baseline ! Also, a lot of winners, instead of opponent errors. No wonder they are rated as some of the best players ever.

[@vicentesala9115]

Both in the Top-5 ever with no doubt.

[@SearchBucket2]

What do you mean? Conner's destroyed Ken "pusher" Rosewall, repeatedly. It was a non-contest, repeatedly. Although Ken's game was at the back half of his career his tennis didn't change but the game did. The power era arrived and it was goodbye to the "wafter" era. And look how Laver ran around with his racquet hanging toward the ground uncraddled. You'd never get away with that in the modern era. You have to prepare your racquet early which you do as much as possible with your other hand. Early professionals with amateur habits.....

[@Nitrate900]

What an ignorant comment, this last one. Rosewall was 39 years old when he was beaten by a Connors in his prime.

[@amilcarinapelucchi7881]

@@SearchBucket2 Medvedev>Djokovic with your arguments

[@marcbrandes9682]

Rosewall was a few months shy of 40 when he lost to Connors in final of Wimby and US Open. He beat Newcombe and Smith both in their prime to get to final at Wimby and Ashe in semis to get to final at US Open. Connors only great run as an old time was when he got to semis of US Open at age 37 where he was crushed by Jim Courier. Is there anybody who thinks that Courier was better than Connors. Everyone gets old. It's just that some players last longer such as Gonzalez and Tilden and Rosewall.

[@minijaattmere9125]

The fact i am distantly related to this guy is amazing

[@simonerastelli5874]

Greatest match ever!!! One of the greatest matches ever, at least!!!

[@johnoneill7947]

That sound track is so 70s. Like a mix of jazz and classical.

[@kris-ms1974]

In 1971 they were both in Vancouver for the WCT, where Ken won the championship! I think he was playing against Tom Okker. That day I was very fortunate to have met both Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver, and got both of their autographs! Still a special treasure to this day!! I was 13!

[@vicentesala9115]

Great memories!

[@kris-ms1974]

@@vicentesala9115 Yes indeed and thank you for posting your videos!

[@vicentesala9115]

@@kris-ms1974 Thanks for watching. I agree w you, those experiences close to the Legends were something special by then because we read about tennis matches more than we were watching them on TV (at least in Spain)

[@kris-ms1974]

@@vicentesala9115 I couldn't agree with you more with the word Legends, because they truly are!! I remember that tournament being a huge deal here at that time! I still have my ticket stubs! And yes, watching matches on tv was also very popular.

[@jonglewongle3438]

Rosewall won the WTC, or its equivalent, a couple of times. Laver never won it but he had a prominent go at it. Three years on from this he put the future genius Bjorn Borg to the test in the final over 5 sets.

[@peterdey2559]

I've always loved these two players ever since I used to be a ballboy for them at the Pacific Southwest Tennis Championships in Los Angeles, California.... I consider Laver as my all-time favorite, left-handed, tennis player....very strong and cool, under pressure....these two Aussies always conducted themselves as gentleman with first class sportsman behavior....

[@vicentesala9115]

Great champs Peter, with no doubt both in Top-5 (right & lefty players). This match was not shown in Spain but I read a lot about it; when I discovered the tape I thought we should not lose the opportunity to share with Tennis fans.

[@WayneLynch69]

Pete brought so much of that back to tennis, and he said that was his intention.

[@peterdey2559]

Thanks Vincente...I'd really like to write Laver a "thank you" letter and let him know that I consider him to be the all time, best, left handed, tennis player, in the world....and of course, I have always admired Ken Rosewall...

[@peterdey2559]

Yes, Laver, remains my all-time, favorite, strong, and talented, lefty ...

[@peterdey2559]

God bless these two, Australian, tennis player souls...as of this writing, I believe they are still with us....

[@juanp.m.7524]

this video aged very well, loved the slow motion, the music, the voice of the commentator and his narration...echoes from a different era

[@billhaywood3503]

IMO greatest match ever played most people say Rod was the better player but I always preferred the remarkable elegance of Ken's game--in any case my two favorites

[@vicentesala9115]

I read a lot about the match when I was in the school. When I found this clip in KZbin was great; both men were an inspiration for all players and fans… still they are in my opinion.

[@stevehughes1510]

Thanks Vicente...........such a great match with two great champions.

[@johnnyguitar6697]

Classic game, thanks for uploading. This footage allows us to appreciate their respective games more than some of the older black & white footage.

[@JD-jc8gp]

Rosewall liked to put on this body language in matches to make it look like he was finished, to throw off his opponent. But he was fit as a fiddle and could go on for hours.

[@kaialoha]

Very slick. Most do the positive look. Borg did the cool no reaction look. Kenny is the only one to do the down look. An over confident opponent is a careless opponent...maybe he lets up on a kill cuz he thinks you´re not gonna try so hard...

[@NG-237]

Laver laughed off suggestions that Rosewall was tired. He defended his decision to serve to Rosewall’s backhand at 5-4 and 5-5. It was his best serve and gave credit to Rosewall for hitting two better shots.

[@davanmani556]

It didn’t work against Newcombe in the ‘70 Wimbledon final.

[@JD-jc8gp]

@@davanmani556 Rosewall has lost matches, that's very true.

[@maxipazz8214]

Disagree that’s just your opinion, he never used tactics, us Australians never did that

[@danielburg9527]

Sensacional!! Laver and Rosewall, two big legends of the courts. It's very nice gift for all us tennis lovers. Muito obrigado, Vicente Salas!! Um abraço do Brasil.

[@vicentesala9115]

It was almost imposible to find a copy but someone uploaded it from a DVD. It was great because I read a lot about that match when I was thirteen years old. Legends, great Tennis

[@darlaevitts3459]

One of the greatest matches I ever saw. Laver led in most head to head matches with other Australians. Kenny played him tough in some big matches. Roche had good head to head with laver. And I think I read Lew hoad . Laver and Rosewall did well against Newcombe. Anyway a great match. Laver had his chance. Congrats to ken

[@vicentesala9115]

Thank you so much for your contribution. Certainly it was a great match, even better than that played a year before; I read a lot about it and recently I catch this gem in KZbin.

[@danguee1]

Laver found Roche quite difficult - especially at the beginning. Roche won 6 of their first 9 encounters. But then Rod won 8 of the next 11 - and always beat Tony in the GS's I believe.

[@rajeshafrica]

Thank You for the upload. Heard so much about this match, can understand why

[@vicentesala9115]

I was thirteen years old when I read about the match on Tennis magazine; I have been looking movie for years... now we can enjoy both greatest players.

[@y11971alex]

This match was recounted in Rosewall's autobiography in great detail, but this is the first time I have seen footage.

[@vicentesala9115]

Yes, certainly was difficult to find the movie; I have been waiting it for years Finally I got it in KZbin and spent a bit of time editing and uploading again; the Quality of the movie and the game is great.

[@annamariaisland1960]

Nice! This is the match that was called "The greatest ever played" right up until the 1980 Borg v McEnroe match, which made people forget this one. Even Laver and Rosewall said they had played better matches against each other in the past, but without a doubt the televised battle between these two normal-sized people convinced millions of Americans that this sport was exciting to watch, and what is more, it was a sport that regular people could play and enjoy. Also, this was the high water mark of Aussie tennis in the world. Neither they nor any other nation has come close to the dominance the Aussies had between 1955 and 1973.

[@vicentesala9115]

Fully agree Anna Maria. I was mad with tennis by then, I used to read a lot in the club (Tennis magazines) as there were no way to follow aussie greatest players… and this match, hundred times created in my head, is something that I have been looking for many years. What a great champs Ken & Rod!

[@BTURNER1961]

37 and winning in a 3 hr and 45 minute match against one of the greatest servers in the sport. It tells you something about the quality of that return of serve and the quality of the man hitting it!

[@vicentesala9115]

A great champ, one of the best righthanded players ever; an all court player with superb backhand & volley capabilities.

[@danguee1]

@@vicentesala9115 And that, in spite of Rosewall being a natural left-hander 'made' to play right-handed by his Dad.

[@yessenialazoklesow973]

I Loved it!❤🎉

[@vicentesala9115]

Thanks, one of the best matches. We had no option to watch it in Spain but I think Tennis in TV changed from those WCT tournaments.

[@antoniocarreras6581]

Que tenis tan bonito. Sin Duda, las empuñadoras de Continental y Australiana facilitate el Juego vistoso y de jugadas variadas.

[@vicentesala9115]

El tenis de ambos es único, una maravilla de tacto y juego de pies. ¡¡Qué grandes!!

[@okaunis]

Amazing match. Very technical. They played 3D tennis. :)

[@vicentesala9115]

All court players but something else than from one side to the other; the real battle was about who got the net with better options to close the point. Amazing tennis and pretty innovative scenario conceived for TV. Tennis found the path that day.

[@okaunis]

@@vicentesala9115 Thanks for the reply and the great video.

[@joselaveriano6284]

Best tennis ever!!!

[@surfshack2]

Classic!

[@jonglewongle3438]

This sort of tournament would have appealed to both Laver and Rosewall, particularly Rosewall, insofar as it was the bigger money thing. Rosewall was financially conscious. They were two very evenly matched players, notwithstanding their ultimately divergent records.

[@peterdey2559]

Sportsmanship behavior, in the '50's, at Pacific Southwest Tennis Championships, Los Angeles, California, USA....

[@helix1061]

Seriously wonder how they would fare in the "Open Era" today.

[@NoosaHeads]

I don't think the music did anything for the video.

[@senorgato70]

These guys were 5'7" and 5'8". Today's elite players are between 6'0 and 6'6. Even today's top female players tower above these guys. Love watching these two actually construct points.

[@vicentesala9115]

Nice tennis to watch; even the great Adriano Panatta posted “… che bello giocavano!!!”

[@AmurTiger-vm5dy]

Rosewall was better than Laver

[@joekavanagh7171]

No he wasn't. Laver leads their head-to-head 90-75. Laver won the Grand Slam twice. No other player in history has achieved that. Laver is the GOAT

[@AmurTiger-vm5dy]

@@joekavanagh7171 when rosewall was young , he defeated always laver

[@goldencalf5144]

Laver had a better game for "modern" 1970s tennis with heavier topspin on his ground strokes.

[@MrJeepsters]

En 74, Laver n'aurait pas été écrasé par Connors.

[@rusticheritage]

And they said serve-volley was so boring that they had to change the balls and court speed to make it more exciting...and they ended up with 2329-stroke dingdong tennis.

[@SearchBucket2]

If you think today's Nadal- Djokovic rallies are boring you know nothing about tennis

[@rusticheritage]

@@SearchBucket2 Of course I know nothing about what passed for dinglydonglypinglypongly (I don't count it as tennis) until the Big Three started getting old and had to expand their games to a calculated all-court attacking style which even the newest top guys are adopting nowadays. Halleluya and All Hail Cthulu, Nyarlathotep and the Holy Kamoly!

[@hangarby10]

This was the "Federer-Nadal" matchup back in those days...

[@vicentesala9115]

They were great all-court players. Superb tennis!!

[@tomschmitz-dj1fg]

I wonder what their head to head was?

[@joekavanagh7171]

Laver leads 90-75

[@Marc-rf9ei]

Rosewall was 6 and 4 against Laver in the pre open era in the best of 5 set majors. In the Open era, they split French Open finals in 68 and 69 and Rosewall won the two best of 5 set WCT finals.

[@robertcarneal2654]

They played with wooden rackets............

[@nordattack]

Ahhhh, the Golden Age of Tennis before high tech turned it into a game of brute force and PEDs.

[@vicentesala9115]

Great champs, Legends!!!

[@HomeAtLast501]

Men were so much more mature and manly in the '70s. Rod is 34, Ken is 38, and they look like men in their 50s.

[@vicentesala9115]

Not being at their best 1972 they still play great tennis; Ken reach two GS finals on grass two years later which is an incredible achievement.

[@michimadiforever1458]

Connor & McEnroe would not even be in the top 1000 if they had to play in today’s tennis. Average ground strokes per point was around two or three and today is 30 shot rallies and they are crushing the ball from corner to corner.

[@Ruda-n4h]

McEnroe would still be one of the top players today - probably the most naturally gifted player ever. Few players could make him rally, his serve delivered from a closed stance was very difficult to read and his ability to take his returns early and project them to unusual angles would still make him a very difficult opponent.

[@vicentesala9115]

Agree!

[@marcbrandes9682]

You are absolutely correct. Connors is 70 years old and McEnroe is 63.

[@marcbrandes9682]

Your cute dogs know more about tennis than you do.

[@rjamesyork]

Connors and Johnny Mac would be very different players today, as they wouldn’t use continental grips. I’d love to see it.

[@ryokan9120]

Nowadays even the women's game is far more powerful than the men's game of the early 1970s. Today women are much stronger and bigger than they used to be plus there is also the racket technology that's advanced.

[@joekavanagh7171]

So you really think that today's women players would even win games against Laver?

[@michimadiforever1458]

All the comments that John McEnroe made over the years watching modern tennis when players having the powerful athleticism and speed to run a full sprint from corner to corner doing 30 shot rallies running back from corner to corner and crushing the ball with consistent 80 mph ground strokes, they have no idea if Laver could’ve had that much athleticism and strength, the game is completely different than it was back then and you can’t compare a tennis player and say that he could’ve even been in the top 1000 with pros now, it’s more physical and power and Rod Laver never even had to run around on the court back then because it was so slow and the average groundstrokes per rally was 2 to 3 before a point was won.

[@vicentesala9115]

Each period is different, as the rackets made a big change; what I think is the Key point is whether people enjoy watching Tennis or not. It is all about this and that great generation of players made a great contribution to the sport, as big Three nowadays. We enjoy them as supporters were pretty engaged with WCT and first matches in colour TV.

[@dbeaton1111]

The game back then was mainly played on grass, which means serve and volley and few groundstrokes. Returning the ball with a tiny racket not suited for spin made it even easier for the server (if he had decent volleys). Genes are no better today than they were 80 years ago. The old time tennis players were excellent athletes who were generally very fast around the court. Superb hand-eye coordination was rewarded. Rosewall, for instance, seems to aim very close to the lines, something modern players don't try to do. You have to consider the modern rules for the serve, the rackets, and the strings, all of which reward hitting the ball very hard with an exceptional amount of spin. An equal question might be: could the modern grip-n-rip players compete as well against the all-court games of Laver, Rosewall, Budge, Hoad, Gonzales, Tilden or Vines -- if they had to play with small wooden rackets and natural gut strings? That said, the ability to get to the ball IS more important nowadays, especially with the slower surfaces. Could Laver compete in today's game? Probably -- he played well against "modern" players like Borg at the end of his career, but realistically, he might not be top ten considering his height and average serve. The players I think who would benefit most in the modern day would be Budge, Hoad, Tilden and Vines, all who had big games, fast serves, and could play on the baseline very well.

[@SearchBucket2]

Deigo Swartzman is one of the few players with his Laver's stature who can compete now. Deigo is an exception though....

[@marcbrandes9682]

This is Rosewall at 37. You should have seen him at 27. He had stretch where he won 9 straight Pro majors that he entered.

[@darthracer777]

Lol....Rosewall was very steady from the baseline. So, he could definitely hit more than 2 or 3 shots before a point had to be won. Especially on clay. He did win 2 French Opens.

[@michaelbarrett5470]

All I can say is look at that Honker on Rod Laver! That’s a beak!