Former U.S. Open champion Rod Laver acknowledges the crowd after receiving an award in celebration of his 25th anniversary victory of his second Grand Slam win at the U.S. Open in New York in this Sept. 7, 1994 photo. Laver beat out Pete Sampras as the top men's tennis player of the century as selected by a six-member pannel assembled by the Associated Press. Dubbed the ``Rocket,'' Laver is the only double Grand Slammer (1962 and 1969) in history.(AP photo/Mark Lennihan)