Andy Murray shoots down John Inverdale for forgetting the existence of female players

Andy Murray is currently on top of the world.

In 2016 he has won a second Wimbledon title and a second Olympic gold medal, having kicked off Rio 2016 as Team Great Britain’s official flag-bearer.

The second gold came after a hard-fought win in the final over Juan Martin Del Potro, but Murray won over even more people post-match.

BBC presenter John Inverdale told the Scot during an interview: “You’re the first person to win two gold tennis medals.”

Murray, quickly realising this was incorrect, replied: “Venus and Serena [Williams] have won four each.”

Of course, Inverdale meant that he was the first male to win two tennis golds. However, his error came off as more ignorant than clumsy, regardless of the true nature of the gaffe.

The fact that Inverdale has previous does not help perceptions of the broadcast journalist, either.

He infamously dampened Marion Bartoli’s big moment at Wimbledon in 2013 when she won her only Grand Slam title with tasteless and sexist observations.

The 56-year-old was roundly criticised for saying: “I wonder if her dad did say to her when she was 12, 13, 14, ‘Listen, you’re never going to be a looker’.

Murray, meanwhile, has long recognised issues in tennis when it comes to sexual equality.

Murray said earlier this year he had become a feminist after witnessing first-hand the “criticism and prejudice” his former coach Amelie Mauresmo has endured.

The incident caps a Brazilian nightmare for Inverdale, who appeared to be rubbing co-presenter and Olympic legend Steve Redgrave the wrong way throughout the coverage from Rio to the point that Redgrave walked off the set live on-air on Thursday after pulling a face at his cohort.