Malcolm James Anderson (3 March 1935 – 8 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 world 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 singles 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.

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."Former Champ Martina Honoured", New Straits Times, 27 January 2000.

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.McCauley (2000) p. 212 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.McCauley (2000) p.96 Anderson saved match point against Segura before winning.Little Pancho: The Life of Tennis Legend Pancho Segura: Seebohm, Caroline: 9780803220416, P. 101 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. 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.Sydney Morning Herald, 11 December 1959.

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

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) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1957 U.S. Championships Grass Ashley Cooper 10–8, 7–5, 6–4Loss 1958 Australian Championships Grass Ashley Cooper 5–7, 3–6, 4–6Loss 1958 U.S. Championships Grass Ashley Cooper 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 8–10, 6–8Loss 1972 Australian Open Grass Ken Rosewall 6–7(2–7), 3–6, 5–7

Doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1957 Australian Championships Grass Ashley Cooper Lew Hoad Neale Fraser 3–6, 6–8, 4–6Win 1957 French Championships Clay Ashley Cooper Don Candy Mervyn Rose 6–3, 6–0, 6–3Win 1973 Australian Open Grass John Newcombe John Alexander Phil Dent 6–3, 6–4, 7–6

Mixed doubles: 1 (1 title)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1957 Australian Championships Grass Fay Muller Jill Langley Billy Knight 7–5, 3–6, 6–1

Pro Slam finals: 1 (1 title) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1959 Wembley Pro Indoor Pancho Segura4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 8–6

Singles performance timeline

1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 SR W–L Win %Grand Slam tournaments 1 / 25 51–23 68.9Australian Open1R3RQFSFF A A A1R A A A A A A3R1R2RF2R A A3R A1R0 / 1319–12 61.3 French OpenA A A2R A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A0 / 11–1 50.0 WimbledonA1RQF4RQF A A A A A A A A A A3R A A A A A A A A0 / 513–5 72.2 US OpenA3R1RWF A A A A A A A A A3R A A A2R A A A A A1 / 618–5 78.3Pro Slam tournaments 1 / 17 14–17 45.2U.S. Pro A A A A A AQF A A A A AQFQF1R0 / 32–433.3French ProNHNH ANH AQFQF1RSFQF ASFQF A0 / 77–750.0Wembley ProNHNH A A AW1R1R1RQF AQFQF A1 / 75–645.5Win–loss0–1 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 2–10–1 2 / 42 65–40 61.9 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".United Kingdom list:

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. On 6 January 2016, he was named an Icon of Queensland Tennis, 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.

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.

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