Australian tennis great Mall Anderson has died aged 91, Tennis Australia confirmed on Monday. Anderson made history in 1957 when he became the first unseeded player to win the US Open men’s singles title, then called the United States Championship.Born and raised on a farm, Anderson began playing tennis on dirt courts before becoming one of Australia’s most respected players. During his career, he won the US Open singles title, three Grand Slam doubles titles and helped Australia to victory. The Davis Cup twice
His 1957 US Open victory was particularly memorable as he defeated three seeded players and lost only two sets in the entire tournament despite entering unseeded.After retiring from professional tennis, Anderson remained closely involved with the sport and became a mentor to many young Australian players, including former world number one Pat Rafter.Rafter paid an emotional tribute after hearing the news.“I was very saddened to hear of Mal’s passing,” Rafter told AFP news agency.“He was a true legend of the game, but more importantly he was a fantastic lad – humble, generous with his time and always happy to help young players.”Rafter also spoke about Anderson’s personal impact on Australian tennis players across generations. He added, “Tennis in Australia has lost a great player, and many of us have lost a colleague and a mentor. I feel very fortunate to have known him.”
