MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - - Australia’s great player, Rodney George "Rod" Laver, popularly known as Rod Laver has remained to be the world’s last male player to have brought home the Grand Slam crown - - the glory that current World No. 1 Rafael Nadal had his sights set on but failed, as he came to Melbourne Park in Australia Open 2011.

But unlike Nadal, Laver had earned the Grand Slam title not just once, but twice. Laver was first crowned the Grand Slam title when he competed in 1962 while still an amateur and the second one in 1969 as a professional.

Only Roy Emerson and Margaret Court are the two great players who had won the Grand Slam title ‘twice’ before Laver. Laver was ranked as the World No. 1 for seven consecutive years when he was dominating the courts from 1964 to 1970.

The former world’s first seed was ranked as the ‘best professional player in the world’ while he was excluded from the Grand Slam tournaments for five consecutive years. His tennis career lasted for 24 years.

Had No. 7 Ferrer not defeated No. 1 Nadal, in Rod Laver Arena at the semi-final battle, the three-Grand Slam titlist Nadal, according to The Australian, could have earned the glory and Australian Open 2011 could have been marked in tennis history as the first, since Rod Laver owned all four majors three decades ago.