Australian great Rosewall 'in Rome hospital'

Australian tennis great Ken Rosewall is in hospital in Rome after suffering a stroke over the weekend, reports said on Monday.

Rosewall, 76, fell ill on Saturday and the hospital's emergency room doctors said he suffered "a suspected disturbance of the brain circuit" and could be in hospital for at least 10 days, the Sydney Morning Herald said.

His wife, Wilma, told the newspaper doctors had told her that he had not suffered any heart or brain damage.

She said her husband would be kept under observation until he was considered well enough to return to Australia.

Rosewall was invited to Rome during the ATP/WTA Italian Masters tournament to receive a golden racquet, given each year to former tennis greats.

This year Rosewall was to receive the racquet, along with Monica Seles.

Wilma Rosewall accepted the racquet on her husband's behalf at a dinner on Saturday.

Rosewall won 132 singles titles, including eight Grand Slams -- four Australian Opens, two French Opens and two US Opens.

He was runner-up at Wimbledon four times, won 17 out of 19 Davis Cup singles matches and was a member of four victorious Australian Davis Cup teams in 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1973.

Rosewall was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1971 and a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1979.