Australian tennis legend Rod Laver suffered a stroke while recording a television interview on Monday but remained conscious and in good spirits, the player's brother Trevor said.

Laver, considered by many to be the greatest men's tennis player of all time, suffered the stroke on Monday in Los Angeles while recording an interview with cable television network ESPN.

The 59-year-old was taken to UCLA Medical Centre. A hospital spokeswoman said Laver's family was with him and had requested that no information about his condition be released.

Trevor Laver said yesterday from his home in Gladstone, Queensland, that his wife had spoken with family members in the United States after hearing the news.

"He hasn't lost consciousness at all," Laver (65), said of his famous brother. "He lost the use on his right-hand side, but it has started to come back again.

"He was apparently joking with the people who put him in hospital, so he was still conscious, that's the main thing."

Laver, dubbed the Rockhampton Rocket, is the only player to win the Grand Slam twice, doing it in 1962 and 1969.

In all, he won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, one fewer than countryman Roy Emerson's record total.

He won four Wimbledons, three Australian Opens, two US Opens and two French Opens in singles - and might have won more, but turned professional after winning twice and had to wait until 1968 to return to the major events.

He also won nine Grand Slam doubles titles.

He won 47 professional singles titles and played for Australia in the Davis Cup. He lives in Newport Beach, California.