Mal Anderson

Mal Anderson

Mal Anderson (1972)
Country (sports)	Australia
Born	(1935-03-03) 3 March 1935 Theodore, Australia
Turned pro	1958 (amateur tour from 1952)
Retired	1977
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	2000 (member page)
Singles
Career record	{{#property:P564}}
Highest ranking	No. 2 (1957, Adrian Quist)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	F (1958, 1972)
French Open	2R (1957)
Wimbledon	QF (1956, 1958)
US Open	W (1957)
Other tournaments
TOC	QF (1959)
Professional majors
US Pro	QF (1959, 1965, 1966)
Wembley Pro	W (1959)
French Pro	SF (1962, 1965)
Doubles
Career record	53–28
Career titles	4

Malcolm "Mal" James Anderson MBE(C) (born 3 March 1935 in Theodore, near Rockhampton in Queensland) is a former top-ranking Australian tennis player from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s.

Background

A right-hander, Anderson started playing tennis when he was 8 and became serious about the sport at 16.

Playing career

His two best seasons statistics-wise 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, Anderson had reached the semi-finals of the Australian Championships and won the French Championship doubles, partnering with Ashley Cooper, the man he went on to defeat in the 1957 US Championships final.

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 thrilling 5-set victory over former 3-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 (1957 and 1973).

On 3 June 1972, Anderson was named a Member of Order of the British Empire "in recognition of service to lawn tennis".

Grand Slam finals (8)

Singles (1 title, 3 runner-ups)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1957	US Championships	Grass	Ashley Cooper	10–8, 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up	1958	Australian Championships	Grass	Ashley Cooper	5–7, 3–6, 4–6
Runner-up	1958	US Championships	Grass	Ashley Cooper	2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 8–10, 6–8
Runner-up	1972	Australian Open	Grass	Ken Rosewall	6–7(2–7), 3–6, 5–7

Men's doubles (2 titles, 1 runner-up)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Runner-up	1957	Australian Championships	Grass	Ashley Cooper	Lew Hoad Neale Fraser	3–6, 6–8, 4–6
Winner	1957	French Championships	Grass	Ashley Cooper	Don Candy Mervyn Rose	6–3, 6–0, 6–3
Winner	1973	Australian Open	Grass	John Newcombe	John Alexander Phil Dent	6–3, 6–4, 7–6

Mixed doubles (1 titles)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Winner	1957	Australian Championships	Grass	Fay Muller	Jill Langley Billy Knight	7–5, 3–6, 6–1

Pro Slam finals (1 title)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Winner	1959	Wembley Pro	Indoor	Pancho Segura	4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6

Post playing

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.

External links

• Mal Anderson at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
• Mal Anderson at the Davis Cup
• Mal Anderson at the Association of Tennis Professionals