Murray invited Iranian political prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to Wimbledon after watching him play at SW19 from prison cell
ATP
Andy Murray
explained why he invited British-Iranian political prisoner Nazanin
Zaghari-Ratcliffe to Wimbledon.
The 2-time
Wimbledon champion started his campaign in the tournament in impressive
fashion. With a commanding victory over his compatriot Ryan Peniston, winning
6-3, 6-0, 6-1, he advanced to the second round for the 15th time in as many
appearances at the prestigious Grand Slam event.
Read also
Murray was watched
from the Royal Box by the Princess of Wales and 8-time Wimbledon champion Roger
Federer, who attended as a member of the All England Club. Murray's special
guest was Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian citizen who was detained
in Iran in 2016 and sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty
of conspiring against the Iranian government.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe
completed her sentence in 2021 but was later sentenced to an additional year in
prison. She was finally released in early 2023. During her confinement, she had
the opportunity to have a television in her cell to watch Wimbledon matches,
including those featuring former world No. 1 Andy Murray.
"It
felt like a connection, it felt like escape," said Zaghari-Ratcliffe last
year.
"I was
close to home all of a sudden," she added.
In the
post-match press conference, Murray spoke about the author and what led him to
invite her to experience tennis in a different way:
"Well,
firstly, she hadn't been to Wimbledon before. After, yeah, I spoke with her,
and the story she told me about watching my Wimbledon final while she was in a
cell, yeah, I felt like I wanted to invite her to come along and watch the
tennis in totally different circumstances," he said.
With the
victory over Peniston, Murray will face a challenging task against the 5th seed
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who defeated the former US Open champion in an exciting
five-set match in the first round.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!mandoist12-11-2026
- Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.mandoist12-11-2026
- I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.mandoist09-11-2026
- Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
