Laver surprised at Rafa exit

San Diego - Tennis great Rod Laver has said he is surprised to hear Rafael Nadal's attempt to win four straight Grand Slam tournaments is over.

The injured Nadal lost in the Australian Open quarterfinals to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Nadal was trying to win the "Rafa Slam" - four straight Grand Slam tournaments, but over two seasons.

Laver is the last man to win a true Grand Slam, made up of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in a calendar year. He did it twice, as an amateur in 1962 and again in 1969.

Laver says it's disappointing for Nadal. "That was an effort to put all those tournaments together through last year. It really was a good performance," Laver said in a telephone interview from his home in suburban Carlsbad.