Tennis great Rod Laver has been awarded legend status by the Australian Sports Hall of Fame.

Laver, who in 1969 became the first tennis player to win the grand slam twice, was inducted into the elite category at a dinner in Melbourne.

The brilliant left-hander, now 64, first won the grand slam in 1962 and was a member of winning Davis Cup teams in 1959-62 and 1973.

Laver is just the 22nd Australian sportsperson granted the legend accolade and joins a select list including Sir Donald Bradman, fellow tennis stars Evonne Cawley and Margaret Court, swimmers Dawn Fraser and Shane Gould, cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman and golfer Peter Thomson.

Laver, elected as a member in 1985, was inducted as a legend along with seven new members and two new associate members.

The newest members inducted were Olympic gold-medal swimmers Susie O'Neill and Kieran Perkins, former Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor, Hockeyroo Rechelle Hawkes, equestrian stars Phillip Dutton and Wendy Schaeffer and rower Kate Allen (nee Slatter).

Broadcaster Bruce McAvaney and cycling administrator Peter Bartels were inducted as associate members.

There was also recognition for Alisa Camplin and Steven Bradbury, Australia's first two Winter Olympic gold medallists.

Camplin, who won gold in the women's aerial ski jump, and speed skater Bradbury were named as joint winners of The Don award, an annual presentation to an athlete or athletes who have inspired the nation.

In a first, there was also acclaim for 14 of Australia's greatest sporting teams.

Among the teams recognised were Bradman's Invincibles of 1948, the yachting crew of Australia II who won the America's Cup in 1983, the Oarsome Foursome rowing team and the Collingwood Football Club, which won the then-VFL premiership in 1929.

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