Playing the Greats: Roy Emerson

Working harder and longer brought Emmo 12 Slams.

The lessons to be learned from the career of Roy Emerson are that the ability to work harder and longer than anybody else can
make up for less than superb physical talent, and an optimistic, happy attitude can turn that work into a pleasure.

Roy Emerson (“Emmo”) held the record for winning more major championships than any other male tennis player (12) until the great
Pete Sampras broke it over 30 years later.

In his long and illustrious career he won Wimbledon twice, the U.S. Championship twice, the French Championship twice, and the
Australian Championship six times.

Emmo dominated the world tennis circuit between 1963 and 1968, yet he was not a physical genius in the mold of Rod Lever,
Pancho Gonzales, John McEnroe, or Pete Sampras.

Emerson’s athletic ability was good but not great. He was well built, agile, and energetic, but lacked the gifted hands,
blurring speed, and almost bionic physical abilities of many of the other acclaimed champions.

Emmo was agile and energetic but lacked the bionic abilities of the greatest champions.

But if nothing else, Emerson was industrious. He loved the game and had a wonderful attitude…