Rod Laver beat out the player who grew up idolizing him, Pete Sampras, as The Associated Press men's tennis player of the century, and Steffi Graf edged Martina Navratilova as the top women's player.

Laver received three first-place votes and a total of 47 points from a six-member panel of experts assembled by The AP, while Sampras received no first-place votes and 39 points.

Bill Tilden, who dominated men's play in the 1920s, finished third with the help of one first-place vote.

Dubbed the ``Rocket,'' Laver is the only double Grand Slammer in history. He won the Australian, French, Wimbledon and U.S. titles in 1962 as an amateur, then repeated the feat in 1969 as a pro.

He attacked the net relentlessly, yet possessed a potent all-around game from the baseline. Though only 5-foot-8 1/2 he had a massive left arm that allowed him to bludgeon the ball with tremendous topspin.

Laver won the Australian singles title three times, the French twice, Wimbledon four times, and the U.S. twice.

He probably would have won many more majors but was banned from the Grand Slam events in his prime after he turned pro in 1963. He did not return to the majors until the open era in 1968, then he promptly won Wimbledon for the third time.

Sampras always listed Laver as his favorite player, admiring the completeness of his game, his aggressive style on court, and his gentlemanly demeanor off court.

Although Sampras owns 12 major singles titles, including six at Wimbledon, he has never gone beyond the semifinals in 10 appearances at the French Open. That failure on clay led one voter to omit him from the top 10 list, while another rated him only No. 5.

Bjorn Borg, winner of five straight Wimbledon titles from 1976 to 1980, finished fourth, followed by Don Budge, the first player to complete a Grand Slam in 1938.

John McEnroe and Lew Hoad tied for sixth place, Roy Emerson and Ken Rosewall tied for eighth, and Jack Kramer finished 10th.

Hoad and Pancho Gonzales, scintillating players in the 1950s who limited their play in majors by turning pro in their prime, each garnered one first-place vote.

In the women's poll, Graf and Navratilova were separated by a point, 52-51, and were followed by Margaret Smith Court, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Suzanne Lenglen, Helen Wills Moody, Maureen Connolly, Monica Seles, and a tie for No. 10 between Evonne Goolagong and Martina Hingis.

Graf retired at 30 in 1999 after her emotional victory at the French Open, her sixth at Roland Garros, and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon, where she had won seven times. She is the only player to complete a Golden Slam -- winning the four majors and the Olympics in 1988.

Four voters ranked Graf No. 1, one listed Navratilova as the best, and another put King at the top, in part because of her influence on the game as the founder of the WTA Tour.

The AP panel included six players whose careers spanned six decades: Ted Schroeder, Fred Stolle, Barry MacKay, Pam Shriver, Wendy Turnbull and Virginia Wade.

``Ranking players of different eras is completely subjective,'' said Schroeder, who won the U.S. title in 1942 and Wimbledon in 1949 and has been a keen observer of the sport ever since.

``My selections are based on the varying conditions, equipment and levels of competition in their respective eras.''

Among the surprises in the voting were the low regard the panelists had for Ivan Lendl, who dominated the 1980s with eight major singles titles at the Australian, French and U.S. Open, and two runner-up finishes at Wimbledon. One panelist ranked him No. seven, another No. 9, and the others left him off their lists entirely.

Andre Agassi, the only man to complete a career Golden Slam by winning the four majors and the Olympic gold, also failed to make the top 10 as he totaled 10 points, with no votes higher than No. 7.

Others receiving votes were Jimmy Connors, Fred Perry, John Newcombe, Jean Borotra, Rene Lacoste and Arthur Ashe.

Other women who received votes were Althea Gibson, Maria Bueno, Alice Marble, Tracy Austin, Doris Hart, Helen Jacobs, and Lindsay Davenport.

Members of the panel that selected the top 10 greatest male and female tennis players of the century for The Associated Press:

PAM SHRIVER: In 1978, youngest U.S. Open finalist at 16 years, 2 months, and only amateur female finalist in open era. Won Olympic gold in doubles with Zina Garrison. Joined with Martina Navratilova as all-time doubles team, winning 20 majors, Grand Slam in 1984, and 79 titles altogether.

WENDY TURNBULL: The "Rabbit" was noted for speed, exceptional volley. Only Australian other than Margaret Smith Court and Evonne Goolagong to make three major singles finals: the Australian in 1980, the French in 1979, and the U.S. in 1977. Major titles (9): French doubles, 1979; Wimbledon doubles 1978; U.S. doubles, 1979, '82; plus five mixed doubles.

VIRGINIA WADE: A decade after winning first U.S. Open, won Wimbledon in 1977, nine days shy of 32nd birthday. Won 55 singles titles as a pro. Played Wimbledon a record 26 years. Major titles (7): Australian singles, 1972; Wimbledon singles, 1977; U.S. singles, 1967; Australian doubles, 1973; French doubles, 1973; U.S. doubles, 1973, '75.

TED SCHROEDER: In 1942 won the U.S. intercollegiate and U.S. singles titles in the same year. Major titles (6): Wimbledon singles, 1949; U.S. singles, 1942; U.S. doubles, 1940, '41, '47; U.S. mixed 1942.

FRED STOLLE: Won U.S. singles title unseeded in 1966. Major titles (18): French singles, 1965; U.S. singles, 1966; French doubles, 1965, '68; U.S. doubles, 1965, '66, '69; Australian doubles, 1963, '64, '66; Wimbledon doubles, 1962, '64; Australian mixed, 1962; Wimbledon mixed, 1961, '64, '69; U.S. mixed, 1962, 1965.

BARRY MACKAY: U.S. Davis Cup player, tournament promoter and television commentator.