Australian tennis great Mal Anderson has died at the age of 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 known as the United States Championships.Born and raised on a farm, Anderson began playing tennis on a dirt court before rising to become 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 win the Davis Cup twice.

His 1957 US Open triumph was especially memorable because he defeated three seeded players and lost only two sets throughout the tournament despite entering unseeded.After retiring from professional tennis, Anderson stayed closely connected to the sport and became a mentor to several young Australian players, including former world number one Pat Rafter.Rafter paid an emotional tribute after hearing the news.“I was really sad to hear of Mal’s passing. He was one of those people who helped shape my tennis from very early on,” Rafter told news agency AFP.“He was a true legend of the game, but more importantly he was a terrific bloke -– humble, generous with his time and always happy to help younger players along.”Rafter also spoke about the personal impact Anderson had on Australian tennis players across generations.