Australian Open: How former junior champion Oliver Anderson is trying to rebuild career after match-fixing ban
Oliver Anderson, once a promising young tennis talent, has been given a second chance at the sport he loves - albeit under much closer scrutiny. The Australian's rise to prominence was swift; winning the Australian Open boys' singles title in 2016 at just 16 years old alongside fellow future top-10 stars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur, but that success came with a hefty price tag. In January of the following year, Anderson became embroiled in a match-fixing scandal after being approached by undercover police to throw a set against his opponent.
Anderson's journey back to professional tennis has been marked by twists and turns as he navigates a world where suspicion is always lurking. Yet, the 27-year-old - who initially thought throwing a set would be an easy way out - remains defiant about his past. "It all happened very quickly. I was approached, decided it was doable, I'm doing it, then I'm walking off the court and I'm in serious trouble," he recalls.
After serving 19 months of a potential two-year ban for match-fixing, Anderson began to rekindle his passion for tennis. The former junior champion started practicing again with his brother around Christmas 2023 to keep fit before being offered a wildcard at a Futures event by Head Coach Brent Larkham. There, he won two matches and earned ITF points, allowing him to start competing in other tournaments on the third-tier tour.
Anderson's journey back has been nothing short of remarkable. He embarked on "a Race Across The World-style adventure" - resourcefully traveling to tennis backwaters in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Mozambique to sign into tournaments and build his ranking. Despite a quad tear currently hindering him, he still harbors hope of making qualifying at a Grand Slam tournament.
Anderson is now navigating life as an independent fashion designer while competing on the Futures Tour. Reflecting on how far he has come - from being engulfed by guilt and regret to embracing the opportunity to rebuild his tennis career - Anderson says: "If I had to stop right now, I'd still say it was a success... It feels like I could walk away feeling happy that I'd played again."
Oliver Anderson, once a promising young tennis talent, has been given a second chance at the sport he loves - albeit under much closer scrutiny. The Australian's rise to prominence was swift; winning the Australian Open boys' singles title in 2016 at just 16 years old alongside fellow future top-10 stars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur, but that success came with a hefty price tag. In January of the following year, Anderson became embroiled in a match-fixing scandal after being approached by undercover police to throw a set against his opponent.
Anderson's journey back to professional tennis has been marked by twists and turns as he navigates a world where suspicion is always lurking. Yet, the 27-year-old - who initially thought throwing a set would be an easy way out - remains defiant about his past. "It all happened very quickly. I was approached, decided it was doable, I'm doing it, then I'm walking off the court and I'm in serious trouble," he recalls.
After serving 19 months of a potential two-year ban for match-fixing, Anderson began to rekindle his passion for tennis. The former junior champion started practicing again with his brother around Christmas 2023 to keep fit before being offered a wildcard at a Futures event by Head Coach Brent Larkham. There, he won two matches and earned ITF points, allowing him to start competing in other tournaments on the third-tier tour.
Anderson's journey back has been nothing short of remarkable. He embarked on "a Race Across The World-style adventure" - resourcefully traveling to tennis backwaters in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Mozambique to sign into tournaments and build his ranking. Despite a quad tear currently hindering him, he still harbors hope of making qualifying at a Grand Slam tournament.
Anderson is now navigating life as an independent fashion designer while competing on the Futures Tour. Reflecting on how far he has come - from being engulfed by guilt and regret to embracing the opportunity to rebuild his tennis career - Anderson says: "If I had to stop right now, I'd still say it was a success... It feels like I could walk away feeling happy that I'd played again."
this guy Oliver Anderson is going through so much, and you can't even blame him for being defiant about his past. He's been given a second chance, but it's not easy to shake off the guilt and regret. It's amazing how far he's come, though - from feeling like he had nothing to lose to becoming an independent fashion designer on the side! 
He's literally racing across the world to build his ranking, and still has hope of making qualifying at a Grand Slam tournament. That takes so much courage and resilience. I'm rooting for him all the way, even if it's hard to see him go through this. Sending him all my positive vibes 
, I'm so fascinated by Oliver Anderson's story 
. Like, who throws a match and then has the guts to come back from it? 
19 months is a looong time to be out of tennis, but he's made some big changes in his life - becoming an independent fashion designer? That's quite the pivot 
Does Anderson think he'll be able to regain that top junior champion status or was that just a fluke?
. I mean, I get it, we've all been in tough spots before, but this is crazy 
. And wow, rebuilding his tennis career from scratch, playing in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Mozambique... that's some next level travel adventure 
. He's like a true Rocky character 
, refusing to give up on his dreams. I'm rooting for him all the way! 
! 19 months in the slammer and he's still got that fire 
to chase his dreams. I mean, who wouldn't want to leave the past behind and start anew? He's not just playing tennis anymore, he's pursuing a new passion as an independent fashion designer too! That's what I call living life on your terms 
.
anyway, gotta give it up for oliver, hes got more guts than most people i've seen, and im rooting for him to make qualifying at a grand slam tournament 
. 19 months of ban for match-fixing but he's still chasing his dreams & now designing clothes on the side 
, talk about grinding 
. i feel bad for him being in such a vulnerable spot after getting caught up in that scandal though 
. but kudos to him for owning it & trying to move forward 
. love how he's still got hope of qualifying at a grand slam, even with an injury 
!
And another thing, why does he have to be an independent fashion designer now? That sounds like just a distraction from his tennis career. And what's with all this "I'm feeling happy that I've played again" nonsense? It doesn't seem genuine to me 
.
he's been given another chance after being so young and having everything handed to him 
match-fixing scandal is just shocking at 19 months not two years seems a bit lenient for someone who messed up big time 
anyway, it's great that he's trying to rebuild his career and do something he loves in fashion design too 
gotta respect that he's taking the good with the bad and moving forward 
i mean, who does that? i'm rooting for him tho, hes been through so much and its inspiring to see him rebuild his career. the part about signing up for tournaments in random places like mexico & mozambique is straight fire 
. Either way, it's clear he's not giving up 
.
. And let me tell you, his independent fashion design business is just another testament to his creativity and resilience 
️. If I had to sum it up, Anderson's comeback is like a phoenix rising from the ashes 
. what's really going on here? is it all part of some bigger plan to rebuild his career under the radar? or is he genuinely trying to turn his life around? idk... but i do know one thing - i'm definitely keeping an eye on this guy 
BUT INSTEAD OF CRUMBLING, HE'S CHOSEN TO REBUILD HIS LIFE AND CAREER FROM SCRATCH. 
THAT'S AMAZING. AND THE FACT THAT HE'S STILL DETERMINED TO PLAY TENNIS AGAIN IS JUST SO INSPIRING!!! 
.