"You always speak out so much for women" - Serena Williams hails 'leader' Andy Murray
Andy Murray recently received high praise from Serena Williams for his support for female atheletes. The Brit lost in the first round in the doubles draw this week, beginning his farewell at Wimbledon in his final season.
A emotional ceremony took place after the defeat, which included a tribute video from various past and current legends, including Venus Williams.
Serena, who wasn't a part of the video, shared a heartfelt message for Murray in a video on X. The 42-year-old highlighted Murray's advocacy for women's sport finding his support of her and Venus deeply meaningful.
"Also hold a special place in my heart to you, because you always speak out so much for women. And everything that women deserved you were the leader in that. The things you said about myself and Venus, so many things about how we were always so inspiring and what we meant to you it really went such a long way in my heart," Serena Williams said [at 0:40].
The 37-year-old has frequently advocated for women in sports, also declaring himself a feminist in 2015. He stood up for his then-coach Amelie Mauresmo, who was facing criticism for his performance back them. The three-time Grand Slam champion has also shown public support for the Williams sisters on multiple occassions. One widely shared instance occurred during the 2017 Wimbledon press conference after his quarterfinal match against Sam Querrey.
When journalist referred to Sam Querrey as the first American to reach a major semifinal, the Brit interjected to correct him, saying "male player". This alluded to Serena and Venus Williams, courtesy their multiple semifinal appearances at Slams.
Murray had also highlighted the achievements of the sisters in 2012, when a journalist lauded him for becoming the first person to win two Olympic gold medals in tennis. The Brit responded by noting that Venus and Serena had each won four golds.
Serena Williams full of praise for Andy Murray, the human and the player
In her X post, Serena also appreciated Murray's impressive performances at Wimbledon, US Open, and the Olympics. The 23-time Grand Slam champion vowed continued support in Murray's future endeavors.
"And I will always be grateful for the support you gave to myself, the support you gave women and the excitement that you brought was great to tennis. I feel like watching you win Wimbledon and the US Open and those gold medals were so exciting and I just truly enjoyed it. So I have always been such a fan as you already know and I will always be cheering for you in whatever you decide to do next. So congratulations on such an amazing career," she added.
Earlier this year, Coco Gauff also praised Andy Murray for his efforts to promote equality in tennis.
Judy Murray is confident Andy will continue his advocacy for feminism in the future
Judy Murray is sure her son will continue his support for feminism, responding to fans' concerns on X. Here's what they wrote:
"This is such a good point. Andy Murray felt like an ally in a way very few men do - he did it quietly, with absolute sincerity and never, ever made it about him. Having said that, I'm sure he won't stop now."
In response, Judy suucintly wrote:
"I’m sure too."
The Brit recently withdrew from the singles draw at the London Major due to a recent back surgery. Murray is yet to bid his final farewell to Wimbledon, as he will participate in the mixed doubles alongside Emma Raducanu. They will face the team of Marcelo Arevalo and Zhang Shuai in the first round on Saturday, June 6.