‘‘Sometimes I wake up in the morning and it feels like more than 50 years,’’ Rosewall reflected this week on his four-set victory over countryman, friend and rival Rod Laver at Roland Garros in 1968.

‘‘But I just wonder where the years have gone.

‘‘For 50 years from the beginning of Open tennis that brings back a lot of other memories.

‘‘When the chance came for us to be included in the world of tennis again, and major events, it was really something to look forward to.’’

Tennis, probably unsurprisingly, was beset with politics in the 1960s about the merits of professionalism, pay, conditions and myriad other workplace issues. Rosewall says it was partly the work of the All England Club in 1967 that finally saw the dawn of the new Open era the following year.

‘‘It’s something that we never expected that we would play again because I had 11 years in the pros [Pro Tour], from the beginning of 1957, and trying to make a future life more financially secure by turning pro and playing a lot of tennis, and a lot of travel, and a lot of time away from home, a lot of time away from family,’’ Rosewall says.

‘‘But then all of a sudden, after a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, and a lot of conflicts I suppose, Open tennis eventually came in.

‘‘Last year we had the 50th anniversary of the professional event that the All England Club had at Wimbledon, in August of '67.

‘‘It was only eight players but it was a successful event. The club said that we’re going to have an Open event next year. That helped to bring in the Open tennis.’’

Rosewall rightly is remembered as a key figure from the golden age of Australian tennis. He was a member of three successful Davis Cup teams when the country brought home the famous teams trophy almost by the year. His contemporaries from that period included countrymen Laver, Frank Sedgman and Lew Hoad.

Laver reversed the result against defending champion Rosewall at Roland Garros in 1969 en route to his second calendar grand slam.

For all the healthy rivalry among the travelling Australian pack, there was a strong sense of camaraderie, Rosewall says.

‘‘Look, we were all wanting to play well. It didn’t matter who you played, you just wanted to win that match,’’ he explains.

‘‘That was the good thing about the Australians. Sedgman just wanted to play well every match and win. Laver was the same and Hoad was the same. We were all the same.

‘‘In the amateur days, as well as the pro days, we all travelled as a group. A lot of my amateur tennis during that time was with the Australian amateur team. We stayed at the same hotel but quite often we had to play each other in various matches in various tournaments.’’

When Rosewall talks about the game, people sit up and take notice. During a chance meeting on a clay court in Melbourne this week, a coach with some juniors by his side took the chance to quiz the tennis icon about his renowned volleying skills.

Rosewall’s thoughts about the state of the sport, and the leading Australians in particular, carry plenty of weight. Areas of improvement for Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic are freely discussed.

Rosewall has one prediction for what might unfold on the final day at Roland Garros next month: ‘‘I think I’ll just go over there now and give it [the trophy] to Nadal and come home!

‘‘His record in the French ... going for the 11th title that’s unbelievable!

‘‘He’s almost unstoppable on the clay courts.’’