Tennis legend Rod LAVER is a five-letter word that is the answer to the crossword clue. Rod LAVER is an Australian tennis player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He won 11 Grand Slam singles titles and was the first male player to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single calendar year, a feat he accomplished twice. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981.