Watch: Arsenal supporter Andy Murray does a funny double take before signing young fan's Manchester United jersey
In a recent fan interaction at the Rothesay Open, Arsenal supporter Andy Murray had a hysterically-delayed reaction as he hesitated to sign a young fan's Manchester United jersey.
Following his title triumph at the Surbiton Trophy, Murray travelled to Nottingham for the prestigious Challenger 125-level event. He squared off against Joris De Loore in the first round on Tuesday, June 13. The Brit prevailed 6-3, 6-4 as he continued his fine form on grass.
After the match, Murray spent some time with the home fans by clicking pictures and signing autographs. The Brit did a double take when he was about to sign a young fan's Manchester United top. However, he eventually pleased the kid by signing on the back with a slight grin.
"Is that a Man United top?," the Brit jokingly asked the kid before signing the jersey.
🖊️"Is that a Man United top?!"
The double take from @andy_murray 😅🖊️
#RothesayOpen https://t.co/cAVuKce5Wm
Manchested United are considered as one of Arsenal's biggest rivals in the Premier League. Murray has been supporting the north London-based club since the early 2000s.
During an interaction with former Gunner Robert Pires, Murray said that he started following Arsenal because of the way the team played during the Frenchman's stint at the club.
"I started following Arsenal because of the way your [Pires'] team played," Andy Murray said.
However, Scotland-born Murray was initially a Hibernian fan. His grandfather Roy Erskine even played for the Scottish Premiership side in the early 1950s, a key element that influenced the Brit to follow the club.
"I would have been young at the time but I will always remember that because Hibs playing in Europe is really rare. Our family all supported Hibs because my grandfather had played for them, and we'd all go along and watch them together," the 36-year-old added.
Andy Murray will face Hugo Grenier in Rothesay Open 2R
Andy Murray will next face Hugo Grenier in the second round of the 2023 Rothesay Open on Thursday, June 15. This will be their first meeting on the tour.
Murray is yet to lose a match on grass this season. He is 5-0 on the surface and has only dropped a set so far. The Brit will be hoping to make a deep run in the tournament and gain further confidence ahead of Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, Grenier produced an impressive straight-sets win over Jan Choinski in the opening match in Nottingham. However, he suffered a first-round loss to Ilya Ivashka at the Surbiton Trophy.