Mal Anderson

{{Short description|Australian tennis player (1935–2026)}} {{Use Australian English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Sources|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox tennis biography |name = Mal Anderson MBE |image = Mal Anderson (1972).jpg |caption = Anderson in 1972 |country = {{flag|Australia}} |birth_date = {{birth date|1935|3|3|df=y}} |birth_place = Theodore, Queensland, Australia |death_date = {{death date and age|2026|5|11|1935|3|3|df=y}} |death_place = Australia |turnedpro = 1958 (amateur from 1952) |retired = 1977 |plays = Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |tennishofyear = 2000 |tennishofid = mal-anderson |singlesrecord = 646-446 (59.1%)<ref name="Mal Anderson: Career Match Record">{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Mal Anderson: Career Match Record|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player1=ANDERSON,%20MAL|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=7 November 2017|location=Madrid|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107170510/https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player1=ANDERSON,%20MAL|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> |singlestitles = 17<ref name="Mal Anderson: Career Match Record"/> |highestsinglesranking = No. 2 (1957, Adrian Quist)<ref name="SydneyMorningHerald1957">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qX9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2-QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1434,6206091&dq=wallis-myers&hl=en "Times Have Changed, Says Adrian Quist"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506154254/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qX9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2-QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1434,6206091&dq=wallis-myers&hl=en |date=6 May 2016 }}, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 27 October 1957.</ref> |AustralianOpenresult = F (1958, 1972) |FrenchOpenresult = 2R (1957) |Wimbledonresult = QF (1956, 1958) |USOpenresult = '''W''' (1957) |Othertournaments = yes |Promajors = yes |USProresult = QF (1959, 1965, 1966) |WembleyProresult = '''W''' (1959) |FrenchProresult = SF (1962, 1965) |Proother = yes |TOCresult = SF (1959AUS) |doublesrecord = 53–28 |doublestitles = 4 }}

'''Malcolm James Anderson''' (3 March 1935 – 11 May 2026) was an Australian tennis player 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 amateur ranking of No. 2 in 1957. He became a professional after the 1958 season and won the Wembley World Professional Tennis Championships in the 1959 season. In the Open Era, he was runner-up at the 1972 Australian Open.

==Background== A right-hander, Anderson started playing tennis when he was eight and became serious about the sport at 16. He was the brother-in-law of fellow Australian tennis star Roy Emerson.

Anderson died on 11 May 2026, at the age of 91.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=7NEWS |url=https://7news.com.au/sport/tennis/aussie-tennis-greats-pay-tribute-as-much-loved-champion-mal-anderson-dies-c-22265394 |title=Aussie tennis greats pay tribute as much-loved champion Mal Anderson dies aged 91 |date=11 May 2026 |first=Glenn |last=Valencich |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=In Memoriam: Hall of Famer Mal Anderson |url=https://www.tennisfame.com/in-memoriam-hall-of-famer-mal-anderson |website=International Tennis Hall of Fame |access-date=12 May 2026 |date=11 May 2026}}</ref>

==Playing career== ===Amateur=== Anderson's two best seasons were 1957 and 1958 when, as an amateur, he twice achieved a ranking of world No. 2.<ref name="SydneyMorningHerald1957"/><ref name="NewStraitsTimes2000">"Former Champ Martina Honoured", ''New Straits Times'', 27 January 2000.</ref>

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.

===Professional=== Anderson turned professional in late 1958. He finished fourth in the four-man 1959 World Championship tour behind Pancho Gonzales, Lewis Hoad, and Cooper, although he won five matches against Hoad.<ref>McCauley (2000) p. 212</ref> In the 1959 Ampol world series of tournaments, Anderson finished tied for sixth place with Segura. At the Forest Hills Tournament of Champions, part of the Ampol series, Anderson lost a close quarterfinal to Hoad. Later in the Ampol series, Anderson won the Wembley Championships, defeating defending champion Frank Sedgman in the quarterfinal, and with close five-set victories over Ken Rosewall in the semifinal and Pancho Segura in the final.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q_O2VviEq0 |title=PRO TENNIS TITLE |date=2015-07-21 |last=British Movietone |access-date=2026-05-11 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref name="McCauley 2000 p.96">McCauley (2000) p.96</ref> Anderson saved match point against Segura before winning.<ref>Little Pancho: The Life of Tennis Legend Pancho Segura: Seebohm, Caroline: 9780803220416, P. 101</ref> Following the win, Anderson stated that he would retire from pro tennis as soon as he had saved enough money to buy a farm in Australia.<ref name="McCauley 2000 p.96"/> At the Sydney White City Tournament of Champions in December, also part of the Ampol series, Anderson reached the semifinal where he lost to Hoad.<ref>Sydney Morning Herald, 11 December 1959.</ref>

He announced his retirement from the pro tour following the 1963 Wembley tournament, citing eyesight problems.<ref>McCauley (2000) p.125</ref>

Anderson appeared in another major final in 1972, when at age 36, he was a finalist at the Australian Open, defeating John Newcombe in a long five set quarterfinal, and Metreveli in the semifinal, before losing the final to Ken Rosewall. In that same season, he won the Hong Kong Hardcourt title defeating Geoff Masters in the semifinal and Pancho Gonzales in the final. In 1973, he captured the Australian Open doubles title alongside with John Newcombe. Anderson's last important tournament win was the 1973 New South Wales Championships at Sydney White City (billed as Sydney International), where he defeated in succession Hans Plotz, Phil Dent in five long sets, Colin Dibley in five sets, Newcombe in a close four set semifinal, and Rosewall in the final in three close sets.

He played on four Australian Davis Cup teams, in 1957, 1958, 1972 and 1973, the team winning twice (1957 and 1973).

==Grand Slam finals == ===Singles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups)=== {|class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:170px"|Championship !Surface !style="width:135px"|Opponent !style="width:160px" class="unsortable"|Score |- |style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1957 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. Championships ||Grass||{{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper ||10–8, 7–5, 6–4 |- |style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1958 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Championships ||Grass|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper || 5–7, 3–6, 4–6 |- |style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1958 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. Championships ||Grass|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper|| 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 8–10, 6–8 |- |style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1972 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Open || Grass|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Ken Rosewall || 6–7(2–7), 3–6, 5–7 |}

===Doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)=== {|class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:170px"|Championship !Surface !style="width:135px"|Partner !style="width:135px"|Opponents !style="width:120px" class="unsortable"|Score |- |style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1957 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Championships || Grass||{{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Lew Hoad {{flagicon|AUS}} Neale Fraser || 3–6, 6–8, 4–6 |- |style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1957 || style="background:#ebc2af;"|French Championships || Clay ||{{flagicon|AUS}} Ashley Cooper|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Don Candy {{flagicon|AUS}} Mervyn Rose || 6–3, 6–0, 6–3 |- |style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1973 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Open || Grass||{{flagicon|AUS}} John Newcombe|| {{flagicon|AUS}} John Alexander {{flagicon|AUS}} Phil Dent || 6–3, 6–4, 7–6 |}

===Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)===

{|class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:170px"|Championship !Surface !style="width:135px"|Partner !style="width:135px"|Opponents !style="width:120px" class="unsortable"|Score |- |style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1957 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Championships || Grass||{{flagicon|AUS}} Fay Muller|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Jill Langley {{flagicon|GBR}} Billy Knight || 7–5, 3–6, 6–1 |}

===Pro Slam finals: 1 (1 title)=== {|class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:170px"|Championship !Surface !style="width:135px"|Opponent !style="width:150px" class="unsortable"|Score |- |style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1959 || style="background:#cfc;"|Wembley Pro ||Indoor||{{flagicon|ECU}} Pancho Segura||4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6 |}

==Singles performance timeline== {{performance key|short=yes|active=no}} <div style="overflow: auto;"> {|class="wikitable nowrap" style=text-align:center;font-size:90% ! !!colspan=2|1954 !!1955 !!1956 !!1957 !!1958 !!1959 !!1960 !!1961 !!1962 !!1963 !!1964 !!1965 !!1966 !!1967 !!1968 !!1969 !!1970 !!1971 !!1972 !!1973 !!1974 !!1975 !!1976 !!colspan=2|1977 !!SR !!W–L !! Win % |- bgcolor=efefef | align=left colspan=27 |'''Grand Slam tournaments''' || '''1 / 25''' || '''51–23''' || '''68.9''' |- |align=left bgcolor=efefef |Australian Open | colspan=2 bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=afeeee |3R | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=yellow |SF | bgcolor=thistle|F | A | A | A | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | A | A || A || A || A || A | bgcolor=afeeee |3R | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=afeeee |2R | bgcolor=thistle|F | bgcolor=afeeee |2R | A | A | bgcolor=afeeee |3R | A | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=efefef |0 / 13 | bgcolor=efefef |19–12 | bgcolor=efefef |61.3 |- |align=left bgcolor=efefef| French Open | colspan=2|A | A | A | bgcolor=afeeee|2R | A | A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || colspan=2|A | bgcolor=efefef |0 / 1 | bgcolor=efefef |1–1 | bgcolor=efefef |50.0 |- |align=left bgcolor=efefef| Wimbledon | colspan=2|A | bgcolor=afeeee|1R | bgcolor=ffebcd|QF | bgcolor=afeeee|4R | bgcolor=ffebcd|QF | A | A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A | bgcolor=afeeee|3R | A | A || A || A || A || A || A || colspan=2|A | bgcolor=efefef |0 / 5 | bgcolor=efefef |13–5 | bgcolor=efefef |72.2 |- |align=left bgcolor=efefef| US Open | colspan=2|A | bgcolor=afeeee |3R | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=lime |'''W''' | bgcolor=thistle|F | A | A || A || A || A || A || A || A || A | bgcolor=afeeee |3R | A | A | A | bgcolor=afeeee |2R | A | A || A || A || colspan=2|A | bgcolor=efefef |1 / 6 | bgcolor=efefef |18–5 | bgcolor=efefef |78.3 |- bgcolor=efefef | align=left colspan=27 |'''Pro Slam tournaments''' || '''1 / 17''' || '''14–17''' || '''45.2''' |- |style="text-align:left;" bgcolor=efefef |U.S. Pro | A | A || A || A || A || A | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | A | A || A || A || A | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | rowspan=3 colspan=11| | bgcolor=efefef |0 / 3 | bgcolor=efefef |2–4 | bgcolor=efefef |33.3 |- |style="text-align:left;" bgcolor=efefef|French Pro | colspan=2 style=color:#767676|NH | style=color:#767676|NH | A | style=color:#767676|NH | A | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=yellow |SF | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | A | bgcolor=yellow |SF | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | A | bgcolor=efefef |0 / 7 | bgcolor=efefef |7–7 | bgcolor=efefef |50.0 |- |style="text-align:left;" bgcolor=efefef|Wembley Pro | colspan=2 style=color:#767676|NH | style=color:#767676|NH | A | A | A | bgcolor=lime |'''W''' | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=afeeee |1R | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | A | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | bgcolor=ffebcd |QF | A | bgcolor=efefef |1 / 7 | bgcolor=efefef |5–6 | bgcolor=efefef |45.5 |- style="background:#efefef;" | style=text-align:left|'''Win–loss''' | colspan=2|0–1 | 3–3 | 6–3 | 14–3 | 14–3 | 5–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 6–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | colspan=2|0–1 ! 2 / 42 ! bgcolor=#efefef| 65–40 ! bgcolor=#efefef| 61.9 |} </div> Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

==Honours== In the 1972 Birthday Honours, Anderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "for his contribution to lawn tennis".<ref>United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |issue=45678 |date=23 May 1972 |pages=6275 |supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Malcolm James ANDERSON |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1087400 |website=PMC |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>

Anderson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000.<ref name="TennisAustralia">{{cite web|title=Malcolm Anderson - Player profiles|url=http://www.tennis.com.au/player-profiles/malcolm-anderson|publisher=Tennis Australia|access-date=30 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112850/http://www.tennis.com.au/player-profiles/malcolm-anderson|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 August 2000, he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his achievements in tennis.<ref>{{cite web|title=Malcolm James Anderson|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/984003|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|access-date=31 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203127/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=984003&search_type=advanced&showInd=true|archive-date=1 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2001, Anderson was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.<ref name="TennisAustralia" /> In 2009 he was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr Mal Anderson MBE|url=http://www.qsport.org.au/qshof/biography.asp?ID=13|work=Queensland Sport Hall of Fame|publisher=qsport.org.au|access-date=19 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127051727/http://qsport.org.au/qshof/biography.asp?ID=13|archive-date=27 January 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 January 2016, he was named an Icon of Queensland Tennis,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tennis.com.au/brisbane-international/news|title=News|website=www.tennis.com.au}}</ref> and inducted into the Brisbane Tennis Trail, in December 2017, at Tennis Avenue Park, Ashgrove, by the placement of a bench in Tennis Avenue Park in his honour.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/sports-leisure/golf-tennis/tennis-courts/brisbanes-tennis-trail |title=Brisbane's Tennis Trail | Brisbane City Council |access-date=14 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811154904/https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/sports-leisure/golf-tennis/tennis-courts/brisbanes-tennis-trail |archive-date=11 August 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Anderson donated the champion cup he won as the 1957 men's singles champion at the US Open to the tennis club where he commenced his career, the Theodore Tennis Club, as part of the town's centenary celebrations in 2022.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sheehan|first1=Amy|last2=Jetson|first2=Freya|date=25 August 2024|title=Tennis champion Malcolm Anderson gifts US Open trophy to tiny rural Theodore Tennis Club|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-25/us-open-winner-malcolm-anderson-trophy-theodore-tennis-club/104145620|work=ABC News|access-date=28 October 2024}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{ATP}} * {{ITF}} * {{Davis Cup player}} * {{Tennis Hall of Fame}} * {{Tennis Australia}} * {{IMDb name|13264794}}

{{Navboxes top|title=Mal Anderson in the Grand Slam tournaments}} {{U.S. National Championships men's singles champions}} {{Australian Open men's doubles champions}} {{French Championships men's doubles champions}} {{Australian Championships mixed doubles champions}} {{Australian Championships boys' doubles champions}} {{Navboxes bottom}} {{International Tennis Hall of Fame members}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Mal}} Category:1935 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Australian Championships (tennis) champions Category:Australian male tennis players Category:Australian Open (tennis) champions Category:French Championships (tennis) champions Category:International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Central Queensland Category:Tennis players from Queensland Category:United States National champions (tennis) Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Category:Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in mixed doubles Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles Category:Professional tennis players before the Open Era Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in boys' doubles Category:Australian Championships (tennis) junior champions Category:Sportsmen from Queensland Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen