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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Rod Laver

Ern McQuillan OAM

gelatin silver photograph on paper (image/sheet: 45.0 cm x 30.0 cm)

Rod Laver MBE (b. 1938), tennis champion, is the only player in the history of the game to have twice won the Grand Slam. Born in Rockhampton, Laver left school to focus on tennis and as a teenager was coached by Charlie Hollis and later by Davis Cup captain Harry Hopman, who gave him the nickname ‘Rocket’. A slight, ginger-haired lefthander, Laver made his first trip overseas in 1956 and won the US Junior Championship at seventeen. In 1959, he made it into all three finals at Wimbledon, winning the mixed doubles title. He scored his first Wimbledon singles crown in 1961 and the following year became only the second player ever to claim a Grand Slam – that is, winning the French, Wimbledon, US and Australian singles titles in the same year. Having then joined the professional circuit, Laver was ineligible for the big four tournaments until the commencement of the Open era in 1968, when he became the Wimbledon singles victor for the third time. He took out the Grand Slam again in 1969. Laver played Davis Cup for Australia every year from 1958 to 1962 and again in 1973, when the competition was opened to professionals for the first time. The world’s number one ranked player for seven consecutive years (from 1964 to 1970), Laver is universally considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He retired in 1979 with thirty-nine career titles and a winning record of roughly eighty per cent. Made an Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1970, Laver was inducted into the International and Australian Tennis Halls of Fame in 1981 and 1993 respectively and in 2000 the centre court at Melbourne Park was named in his honour. Ern McQuillan OAM (1926-2018) started work as a press photographer in the 1940s and worked for newspapers and magazines such as the Women’s Weekly, the Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Telegraph and the Bulletin. This photograph of Rod Laver is one of over twenty by McQuillan in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2003
© Michael McQuillan's Classic Photographs

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Ern McQuillan OAM

Rod Laver AC

Subject professions

Sports and recreation

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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