Andy Murray apologises for ‘diabolical' state of his tennis at Queen's ceremony
Sir Andy Murray joked his tennis was now 'diabolical' before rallying with a 10-year-old doubles partner on the Queen's Club court newly renamed in his honour.
Centre court was officially inaugurated as the Andy Murray Arena on Monday ahead of the venue's new WTA 500 event, the first time the west London venue has hosted women's tennis in 52 years.
Advertisement
Retired three-time grand slam winner Murray, a long-time champion of the women's game, won the HSBC Championships singles title five times at Queen's, most recently in 2016.
'My tennis is diabolical, apologies for what you are about to witness,' said the 38-year-old before pairing up with Gloria, 10, for the ceremonial two-round rally against Laura Robson, who won an Olympic silver medal alongside Murray in 2012, and Jay, 7.
The 38-year-old announced before last summer's Olympic Games in Paris he would bid farewell at Roland Garros and, after opting to withdraw from the singles competition – a title he had won in 2012 and 2016 – Murray bowed out with a 6-2 6-4 defeat alongside Dan Evans.
Advertisement
'I've obviously missed being out here,' he said. 'It's the first time, obviously, not being involved in a grass court season for a while, but I've got a new life now and I'm enjoying being away from the sport a little bit.'
Murray, whose biography on X reads 'I played tennis. I now play golf', also provided an update on his new sporting pursuit.
Centre court at the Queen's Club was renamed in Murray's honour (John Walton/PA)
He said: 'I was playing at the club championships yesterday at my local club. I was in my final group on the last day and didn't quite manage to get it done. Unfortunately, I was tied second going into the final day, but didn't get it done.
'But I'll come back next year and try again. But playing a bit of golf, enjoying that, and spending as much time with the family and kids as I can.'
Advertisement
The Scotsman also revealed he has a special connection to this event – he was coached as a 12 and 13-year-old by Russian Olga Morozova, the last women's singles winner here in 1973.
'I think it's brilliant,' said Murray, when asked about the return of women's tennis to Queen's. 'This court has had many great matches on it. I think it's a great chance for women to showcase themselves out there.'
The former world number one first competed in the main draw at Queen's as an 18-year-old and for the last time last season before retiring in Paris. He also claimed the doubles trophy in 2019 alongside Feliciano Lopez.
Advertisement
Murray added: 'This tournament has so many special moments for me. It's the place where I won my first match on the ATP Tour, it's my most successful event.
'Coming back here at the start of the British summer and I'm very proud of the results I have here.
'I'm very grateful and thankful for whoever it was who decided to name the stadium this way. I hope there's lots of great matches and you all enjoy the tennis.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Third-best season ever': Over 6.5 million skiers visited Utah's resorts during the season
SALT LAKE CITY () — 'Greatest snow on Earth,' Utah's long-running slogan, is proving itself true after another successful season at Utah's ski resorts. According to Ski Utah, this last season was the third-best in state history. There are 15 ski resorts across Utah, and together they recorded 6,503,635 visitors during the 2024-25 season, which has just wrapped up. According to a press release from Ski Utah, this is the third-highest number of skier visits in state history. This season's skier visits were down 3.6% from last year, the press release says, but the more than 6.5 million visitors this year show a 3.3% increase over Utah's five-year average. Utah's economy benefits greatly from recreation at the ski resorts. Ski Utah's president and CEO, Nathan Rafferty, emphasized skiing's impact on Utah. EXCLUSIVE: Utah man who underwent 120 surgeries advocates for rare disease awareness in Washington, D.C. 'To hit our third-best season ever and generate $2.51 billion for Utah's economy is a major win,' Rafferty is quoted in the release. 'The ski industry in Utah supports approximately 25,000 jobs, and with the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on the horizon, the eyes of the world will be on us once again. We're excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful to all who helped make this season a success.' Ski Utah says that ski resorts are already hard at work to prepare for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics. In the next two years alone, 13 new lifts are expected to finish construction and open, and many resorts are planning upgrades to their mountain areas. 'Utah's future as a global winter destination remains as promising as ever,' Ski Utah concluded. Arizona man drowns along San Juan River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Charges for trespassing on border military zones 'not going away' Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98 Two women charged with felonies after late-night assault in Logan, charges say Death penalty expert weighs in on Menzies competency ruling and appeal Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
LPGA Hall of Famer calls for more to speak out against trans athletes in girls sports
LPGA Hall of Famer calls for more to speak out against trans athletes in girls sports Betsy King grew up on 30 acres of land in Reading, Pennsylvania, where she honed a golf swing that would eventually land her in the LPGA and World Golf halls of fame. But golf wasn't her only passion. When older brother Lee left the house, mom often said, 'Take your sister.' And that's how King wound up playing baseball, basketball, hockey and, in elementary school, and tackle football with the neighborhood boys. Those memories come flooding back when King, a six-time major winner, sees biological males competing against females across the country. 'You know, when I was playing with the boys,' said King, 'I mean, it definitely helped my competitiveness to play then against other girls. But I was just trying to play well enough that that they would let me play. Obviously, even at that age, there was a physical difference.' Last week, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles made headlines when she called NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines a 'bully' and 'sore loser' for her criticism of biological boys competing in women's sports – in this particular instance, a high school state championship. Four days later, Biles apologized for her comments. 'In my mind, all I could think about is if a transgender woman started competing in what she (Biles) does, I think they could dominate,' said King, 'without a doubt.' Last December, the LPGA and U.S. Golf Association announced changes to their transgender policies that prohibit athletes who have experienced male puberty from competing in women's events. The move came as transgender golfer Hailey Davidson earned status on the LPGA's developmental Epson Tour. Sources say only a handful of LPGA players were in favor of allowing transgender athletes to compete. Even so, for King, the fight is far from over. Now she'd like to see a federal law put into place that would restrict the participation of biological males in female sports. In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that called on the government to "rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities." But that hasn't kept it from happening at high school competitions across the country. President Trump said last week that California would face large-scale fines after a transgender athlete won two medals in the state's track and field championship. 'I just feel badly for the high school girls that have to face it,' said King. 'You know, I've seen a couple of them on TV talking about it. And it really bothers me that the adults haven't stood up for these girls as much as they should.' As for the LPGA's new policy, King would like to see the tour return to a female-at-birth mandate, calling the trend of childhood transitions frightening. "I don't know that at 7 years old, if you really know what you are, who you are, or know what you want to do, to make a decision that will impact you the rest of your life," said King. "We don't listen to many 7-year-olds about a lot of things, right? That you would decide to listen to them about this is kind of frightening." A New York Times/Ipsos survey released in January 2025 found that 79 percent of Americans polled were against allowing biological males who identify as women to participate in women's sports. And yet, so few Hall of Fame-caliber female athletes have come out publicly against it. King, 69, posts frequently about the topic on social media and was especially disheartened recently when, during a floor debate on the Save Women's Sports Act, Pennsylvania state senator Lindsey Williams said, 'I want all girls to know that there are elected officials like me who believe female bodies are just as strong and fast and capable as male bodies.' King said she found Williams' comments to be ridiculous and went searching to confirm they weren't a parody. Five years ago, tennis icon Billie Jean King joined World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe, the WNBA's Candace Parker and nearly 200 athletes in supporting transgender youth participation in sports as part of a response to Idaho legislation that banned trans girls from competing in schools. 'There is no place in any sport for discrimination of any kind,' Billie Jean King said in a Women's Sports Foundation release. 'I'm proud to support all transgender athletes who simply want the access and opportunity to compete in the sport they love. The global athletic community grows stronger when we welcome and champion all athletes – including LGBTQI+ athletes.' Another tennis icon, Martina Navratilova, however, sees it differently than Billie Jean and has been vocal about the subject for years. She's one of the few decorated female athletes to do so. Growing up, Betsy King didn't have the same opportunities as her brother to play organized sports. As a three-sport athlete at Furman, King recalled going to the president's office each year with other female athletes to ask for more money. Female athletes stood up more back then, she noted, out of necessity. Some in King's circle and beyond have commented that there are more pressing issues currently facing the country. Her response: It's possible to be concerned about more than one subject. For example, in September, she'll head back to Africa for the umpteenth time (26th or 27th, she's not sure) to check in on some schools her Arizona church funds in Tanzania. After winning 34 times on the LPGA, King launched her Golf Fore Africa foundation in 2007 and raised roughly $20 million for World Vision, enough to fund 400 wells, at least 50 mechanized water systems and eight maternity wings for local hospitals. Though her work with the foundation has come to an end, she's finding more ways to use her platform. 'You know, I have nothing to lose,' said King on the divisive gender topic. 'I don't have any sponsorships at this stage. I've always been kind of outspoken and strong about values that I think even if I were playing, I would speak up.' Her mother, Helen Szymkowicz King, graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1940 and was elected into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame as a three-sport athlete. King looks at how much the landscape has changed for women's sports in recent decades and views the transgender debate as a step backward. 'Many of us fought for places to compete when none existed,' King said. 'We cannot surrender our sports or our spaces.' Put another way by one of golf's most decorated American players: It's simply not fair.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Evenepoel wins Dauphine stage four time trial to take lead
Belgium's Remco Evenepoel has taken the overall lead of the Criterium du Dauphine after victory in the time trial on stage 4. The reigning Olympic and world time trial champion beat nearest rival Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike by 21 seconds on the 17.4km course. Advertisement Soudal-Quick Step's Evenepoel, considered to be the world's third best rider, will be competing against rivals Tadej Pogacar and Denmark's Vingegaard at the Tour de France next month. Reigning Tour champion Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG was a surprising 49 seconds down on the day to Evenepoel in a discipline in which the Slovenian is often peerless. Pogacar trails Evenepoel by 38 seconds in the general classification, with Vingegaard 16 seconds down in fifth place. Germany's Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is second in the GC, four seconds down. "I'm very happy with this victory - the thousandth for the team," said Evenepoel after completing the course in his special Olympic gold helmet. "This one is for Patrick [Lefevere, former boss] - for everything he did for the team. Advertisement "I think in terms of [my] weight, it's already pretty good - much better than last year - I've been working super hard behind the scenes." The race, which takes place across the Dauphine region of south-east France, is the traditional warm-up for the Tour. Only four times in the last 10 editions has the overall winner gone on to be victorious in the Tour. Spaniard Ivan Romeo of Movistar lost the yellow jersey after victory on stage three, finishing one min 25 secs down to Evenepoel. The eight-day stage race moves on to Saint Priest on Thursday for a hilly 183km test to Macon. Saturday's stage is likely to see the most explosive action with three hugely steep hors category climbs in the French Alps to Valmeinier. Advertisement Stage four results 1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal-Quick Step) 20mins 51secs 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +21secs 3. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +38secs 4. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +49secs 5. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +57secs 6. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck) +1mins 2secs 7. Remi Cavagna (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +1min 7secs 8. Eddie Dunbar (Irl/Jayco-AlUla) +1min 10secs 9. Tobias Foss (Nor/Ineos Grenadiers) +1min 10secs 10. Paul Seixas (Fra/Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) +1min 12secs General classification after stage four 1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Soudal-Quick Step) 14hrs 31mins 8secs Advertisement 2. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +4secs 3. Ivan Romeo (Spa/Movistar) +9secs 4. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Deceuninck) +14secs 5. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +16secs 6. Eddie Dunbar (Irl/Jayco-AlUla) +30secs 7. Harold Tejada (Col/XDS Astana) Same time 8. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +38secs 9. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma-Lease a Bike) +39secs 10. Louis Barre (Fra/Intermarche-Wanty) +1min 3secs