Three times Andy Murray stood for women’s sport
Andy Murray's tennis legacy exceeds far beyond his on-court performances. The British superstar has made a name for himself off the court by being an amazing human being and always standing up for his colleagues. Murray has often been in the limelight for talking against casual feminism and has supported women's sports throughout his career.
Writing in a media blog in 2015, Andy Murray declared himself a feminist and said he has no shame in standing up for women's rights. The former Wimbledon champion jumped to the support of his former coach, Amelie Mauresmo, after she was criticized for Murray's poor performances. Murray stated that he wants to fight for women so that they are treated like men.
“Have I become a feminist? Well, if being a feminist is about fighting so that a woman is treated like a man then yes, I suppose I have,” Murray said.
His closeness with his mother may have driven Andy Murray's feminism. The Brit star has always spoken highly about the profound impact that his mother had on him growing up and has often credited his family for his success. Along with his mother, his wife and grandmothers have also played a big role in helping shape Murray's career, and the Brit is thankful for that.
“I came to tennis thanks to my mother. I always had a very close relationship with my grandmothers. I’ve always been surrounded by women. I find it easier to talk to them. I find it easier to open up to them," Andy Murray added.
Now, with Andy Murray set to retire at the end of the season, his off-court legacy and work with women's sports will be just as memorable as his on-court brilliance. Here is a list of the top three occasions when Andy Murray took a stand for women's sports.
#1. Andy Murray corrects journalist over Sam Querrey claim
Andy Murray was knocked out of Wimbledon 2017 by American Sam Querrey at the quarter-final stage. During his post-match interview, a journalist said that 'Querrey was the first US player to reach a major semi-final since 2009'. Murray promptly corrected the journalist by reminding him that he was the first American male player to achieve that feat, as Serena Williams had won a Grand Slam title 12 times since 2009.
Andy Murray's response to casual feminism gathered a lot of praise from fans and pundits alike. Murray's mother took to Twitter and wrote "That's my boy" while resharing his video.
#2. Andy Murray takes a stand for football star Ada Hegerberg
Women's football star Ada Hegerberg won the first-ever women's Ballon d'Or in 2018. During the trophy presentation, DJ Martin Solveig asked the Norwegian to twerk while accepting the award, which received a lot of criticism.
Andy Murray took to Instagram to show his displeasure about the incident and compared it to the reception given to male footballers. The Brit said he was disappointed by sexism in sports and hoped that it would change soon.
“Another example of the ridiculous sexism that still exists in sport. Why do women still have to up with that shit? What questions did they ask Mbappe and Modric? I’d imagine something to do with football," Murray wrote in his Instagram story
#3. Andy Murray shuts down John Inverdale after Rio Olympics 2016
Andy Murray won his second gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016. The Brit star followed up on his gold medal in London with another win at Rio. During his post-match interview, BBC's John Inverdale claimed that Murray became the first player to win two Olympic tennis gold medals. However, Murray was quick to correct him and said that Venus and Serena Williams have won four each.
This was another example of Andy Murray speaking out against casual sexism in the tennis world. The Brit has been an icon both on and off the court due to his constant supportive stance on feminism.