Mal Anderson


Malcolm James Anderson MBE is a former tennis player from Australia who was active from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. He won the singles title at the 1957 U.S. National Championships and achieved his highest ranking of No. 2 in 1957.

Background

A right-hander, Anderson started playing tennis when he was eight and became serious about the sport at 16.

Playing career

His two best seasons were 1957 and 1958 when, as an amateur, he twice achieved a ranking of world No. 2.
In 1957, Anderson won the US Championships as an unseeded player. Earlier that year, he had reached the semifinals of the Australian Championships and won the French Championship doubles, partnering with Ashley Cooper, the man he went on to defeat in the final of the 1957 US Championships.
In 1958, Anderson was a finalist at both the Australian Championships and US Championships, losing both times to Cooper. Anderson turned professional in late 1958 and went on to win the Wembley Championship in 1959, with a five-set victory over former three-time US Pro champion, Pancho Segura. Anderson did not appear in another major final until 1972, when at age 36, he was a finalist at the Australian Open, losing to Ken Rosewall. In 1973, he captured the Australian Open doubles title along with John Newcombe.
Anderson played on four Australian Davis Cup teams, in 1957, 1958, 1972 and 1973, the team winning twice.
On 3 June 1972, Anderson was named a Member of Order of the British Empire "in recognition of service to lawn tennis".
On 6 January 2016, he was named as an Icon of Queensland Tennis, and induced into the Brisbane Tennis Trail, in December 2017, at Tennis Av. Park Tennis Av., Ashgrove, by the placement of a Park Bench in Tennis Av. Park in his honour.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups)

Doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

Pro Slam finals: 1 (1 title)

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Honours

Anderson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000. On 23 August 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his achievements in tennis.
In 2001, Anderson was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame. In 2009 he was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.