Wimbledon CEO hints at statue for Andy Murray post-retirement

A STATUE in the grounds of Wimbledon could be on the cards for Andy Murray after he retires as the three-time Grand Slam champion weighs up playing singles at the competition for the final time.

Wimbledon CEO Sally Bolton hinted that Murray could join Fred Perry in having a statue somewhere in the grounds at SW19 once his playing career is over.

However, she seemed to suggest that it may not be outside Centre Court.

“You could argue that’s a bit of an obvious location,” she said.

“As we reflect on the shape of these grounds and we think about the potential development over the road, we’ve got time to think about where any kind of physical celebration of Andy’s career might be.

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“And, in any event, we’d want to work with Andy on that and he understandably is not ready to have those conversations just yet. We will make sure we get this right because this is for all time.”

It comes after American tennis great John McEnroe called for Murray to receive a statue last week.

Murray was the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years when he defeated Novak Djokovic in 2013.

McEnroe was quoted in the i newspaper as saying: “If I was making that decision, I would say absolutely, yes, because that’s a long drought, 77 years.

“He’s absolutely changed the way people look at British tennis. He’s one of the greatest competitors that I’ve ever seen play tennis.

“It would be well deserved, and it’d be awesome, because two of his three grand slam wins were at Wimbledon plus the Olympics. So that would seem to make a whole lot of sense.”

The two-time former Wimbledon champion has yet to confirm whether he will even take part in this year’s singles competition after struggling with a back problem at Queen’s Club which led to weakness in his right leg, resulting in him undergoing surgery last weekend to remove a spinal cyst.

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On Thursday, Murray rated it unlikely that he would be able to play singles, with an appearance in doubles alongside his brother Jamie more probable – but he gave a more upbeat assessment at a press conference on Sunday.

He said he expects to decide on Monday evening whether or not he will make a final appearance.

Murray's fans have been queuing since Saturday for the chance to see the him play what could be his last singles game at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Scottish mother and daughter Christine Small, 63, from Peterhead, and Lorna Kennedy, 40, from Dundee, have been queuing to see Murray since 9am on Sunday.

“He feels like one of our own,” Small said.

“He’s done so well and he’s just been so good for the sport.

Kennedy said seeing him will be “emotional”.

“I don’t actually care if he just walks out and plays two games and says ‘I’m done’, I’ve been able to cheer him one last time on Centre Court and that would be enough,” she said.

She said she and her mother feel they understand Murray because he is Scottish.

“We’re Scottish, so we get him,” she said. “He’s really dry, he’s really funny, but he’s also an advocate for women’s tennis.”