The nearly man: Rod Laver thought Novak Djokovic ‘could be the guy to’ win calendar grand slam
The Serbian world number one lost 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) to Sam Querrey in the third round of Wimbledon having already won the Australian Open and French Open this year
Rod Laver figured Novak Djokovic might very well be the player, and this might very well be the year, that would finally end his distinction as the last man to win a calendar grand slam.
“It’s a tough road,” said Laver. “Certainly, I thought he could be the guy to do it.”
Laver tuned in on TV to see some of the match that ended Djokovic’s bid, a 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) loss to Sam Querrey of the United States in the third round of Wimbledon.
Winning all four major tennis tournaments – the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – in a single season has only been accomplished by two men.
Don Budge, an American, did it in 1938, and Laver, an Australian, pulled it off twice, in 1962 as an amateur and in 1969 as a professional.