Calendar slam not beyond Federer: Laver
LONDON (Reuters) - Roger Federer has achieved pretty much every record in the book, and Rod Laver sees no reason why the Swiss maestro cannot push on and emulate the Australian and win the much-vaunted 'calendar' slam.
Victory in Sunday's final against Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon singles final would propel Federer to a record 15th grand slam title, one more than Pete Sampras and four more than the 70-year-old Laver, nicknamed the 'Rockhampton Rocket'.
Laver is the only man in the modern era to have claimed all four slam titles -- the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open -- in one calendar year when he dominated the sport in 1969.
He achieved the same clean sweep in 1962 as an amateur and then turned professional, prompting a exile from the sport's majors until the game itself turned pro in 1968.
Making a rare return to the All England Club, Laver said the calendar slam -- also achieved by American Don Budge in 1938 -- was not unthinkable even in the highly competitive men's game.
"Is it still achievable now for him? Yeah, I would have thought so," Laver told a news conference.
Federer has won three of the four majors in a single year on three occasions.
"I certainly thought that Roger would be the odds on to repeat a Grand Slam in the same year," Laver added.
"But it hasn't happened. You know, the Australian, the U.S. and Wimbledon was pretty easy for him when you look back at his career, winning three of each one.
"But (Rafa) Nadal came along and pushed him back. I think he would have won a Grand Slam if Rafa wasn't there. It all has to line up in a way that you have to be fortunate to play your best tennis at the right time. That's the way it is."
Laver has never been easily drawn into the debate about the greatest player of all time, despite his name being compared with the likes of Federer, Sampras, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, saying that it is futile to compare players of different eras.
Yet the Queenslander, who along with fellow Australians Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, and Roy Emerson, dominated the game in the 1960s, is the first to show his respect for the 27-year-old Swiss and the artistry he brings to the sport.
"I think the public should just watch his feet, just watch Roger and not the ball, and you'd see how great a player he is to pull off some of the shots," said Laver.
"When he's half volleying winners off the baseline, you just marvel at his ability to do that.
"You almost think about table tennis when you start thinking about the way Roger plays with the racket."
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
