Tennis Legend Laver Suffers Stroke

July 28, 1998 / 2:03 AM EDT / AP

Tennis Hall of Famer Rod Laver suffered a stroke Monday while doing an interview with ESPN, a network spokesman said.

The 59-year-old Australian, whose 11 Grand Slam singles titles are one fewer than all-time leader Roy Emerson, was taken to UCLA Medical Center, ESPN spokesman Rob Tobias said.

His family requested that no information about his condition be released, according to a nursing supervisor who declined to be identified.

Laver is the only player in history to twice sweep the four Grand Slam events in one year. He did it as an amateur in 1962 and as a pro in 1969.

He won four Wimbledons, three Australian Open titles, two U.S. Open championships and two French Open titles in singles. He also won nine Grand Slam doubles titles.

During his 23-year career, he won 47 pro singles titles and was runner-up 21 times. He also starred for Australia in Davis Cup competition, compiling a 16-4 record in singles and a 4-0 mark in doubles

Laver, who lives in Newport Beach, Calif., was the world's top-ranked player in 1961, 1962, 1968 and 1969 and earned $1.5 million during his career.

He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981.