Amidst
Andy Murray's farewell
at
Wimbledon, debate intensifies over whether the two-time champion deserves a
statue, with
Boris Becker and
Billie Jean King advocating for a permanent
tribute at the All England Club for the local legend.
Murray's latest appearance
wasn't ideal for the former world No. 1. Due to a back injury two weeks ago at
the Queen's Club Championships, he wasn't ready to compete in the singles draw,
although he did play men's doubles alongside his brother
Jamie Murray on
Thursday, July 4th.
The British brothers fell to
the Australian duo of John Peers and Rinky Hijikata in straight sets. Following
the match, an emotional tribute was paid to the two-times champion, as this is
his last season as a professional. The local hero received the tribute on
Center Court under the watchful eyes of several legends and colleagues who were
in attendance.
However, there was hope for
Murray to make a final appearance in mixed doubles alongside 2021 US Open
champion
Emma Raducanu. The 21-year-old decided to withdraw from the draw after
experiencing wrist discomfort and opted to rest before her fourth-round singles
match against Lulu Sun.
Thus, Murray was unable to
take to the court again at SW19, overshadowing his anticipated farewell from
the tournament he won in 2013 and 2016. The Scotsman became the first British
tennis player in 77 years to claim the title in 2013 by defeating Novak Djokovic,
and he repeated the feat in 2016 by defeating Milos Raonic.
Murray holds a record of 61-13
(82%) at Wimbledon. In addition to his two titles, he was the runner-up in 2012
(defeat to Federer) and reached the semifinals on four other occasions.
Throughout his career, he stood as a staunch competitor against the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic
hegemony, reaching world No. 1 for 41 weeks in 2016. Murray has amassed 46
titles as a professional, including two Olympic gold medals, three Grand Slam
titles (two Wimbledons and the 2012 US Open), and 14 Masters 1000 titles, among
others.
In light of this, a BBC social
media post posed the question of whether Murray deserves a statue in his honor
at Wimbledon. American legend Billie Jean King defended the idea, stating,
"A statue at Wimbledon would be fitting but there needs to be a meaningful,
permanent legacy in Scotland for Andy Murray."
Former world No. 1 and
three-times champion Boris Becker also supported the idea, mentioning that
Murray deserves the same honor as legends like Fred Perry and Virginia Wade:
"Absolutely! He is the first male British winner since Fred Perry in 1936 (who
got a statue). Virginia Wade, the last woman to win in 1977, also got a statue!
Much deserved in my humble opinion…"
