Mesoporous TiO2 rods consisting of anatase nanoparticles have been successfully prepared via the calcination of a porous amorphous TiO2 precursor obtained by ultraviolet irradiation of titanium glycolate. The product is characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, electron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of the material are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge and discharge measurements. It is found that the initial lithium insertion/extraction capacities of the material reach 262 and 221 mAh g−1, respectively, at a current density of 0.1 A g−1. A discharge capacity of approximately 161 mAh g−1 can be retained after the material is cycled at 1.0 A g−1 for 40 cycles, demonstrating good rate performance and high cycleability. The high electrochemical performance of the anatase rods is ascribed to the unique mesoporous structure and the crystalline nature of the rods. This mesoporous TiO2 with a rod shape is promising for use as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high power and energy densities.