Latest news with #AndyMurrayArena
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
BBC fails to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter match
The BBC faced complaints from tennis fans after failing to show Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter's doubles match at Queen's on Monday. Britain's top two women's players were allocated a secondary court at Queen's but the match against Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu was not readily available on BBC platforms, prompting heavy criticism. BBC Two showed live coverage of British No 3 Sonay Kartal's match against Daria Kasatkina, while on iPlayer two channels showed that same match while the other hosted highlights of Czech player Petra Kvitova's three-set defeat by Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia. Raducanu and Boulter's match only featured briefly as part of BBC Two's coverage before it cut away back to Kartal's encounter. Instead of being allocated a doubles slot on the newly named 7,700-capacity Andy Murray Arena, the British pair instead had to play on Court One, with a capacity of just 1,000. One fan said she was 'outraged' at the decision. It meant her Centre Court ticket did not allow her to watch the game. The smaller capacity Court One was therefore standing room only, while some took to the overhanging stand on the Andy Murray Arena to catch a glimpse of the action. Spectators, who had queued for more than an hour to get in, had been told before the match that they would not be allowed to return if they left their seats. Those who had tickets for the main arena were peering over the back of the stand to watch Raducanu and Boulter in action at the end of the first game. It was not until midway through the second set in their match that a large television camera appeared at the side of the court, in an area which had been allocated to the media for standing. The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), who host Queen's, could not move the game to the main arena because of the tournament's contractual obligations with the organising partner, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA mandates that four singles matches are shown on Centre Court per day to satisfy its standing as international rights holders. It means there was no room for a doubles match to be moved despite the interest from spectators. When asked about playing on Court One rather than the main arena, Raducanu said: 'I think sometimes on the smaller courts you get a bigger feel for the match and the atmosphere and the environment because it's a lot closer, more intimate, and you hear the support more. 'For me, I love playing on those smaller, outside courts where you really feel the support and the crowd gets into it. I was filling my bottle up, and I was literally having a chat in the stands, because that's how close it is. But I think it puts a really nice feel to it. 'The Andy Murray Arena, hopefully we'll get to play on it for our matches tomorrow.'
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Andy Murray apologises for his ‘diabolical' tennis on Queen's Club court named after him
Andy Murray admitted that his tennis is 'diabolical nowadays' as he officially opened the centre court at Queen's Club that now bears his name. The two-time Wimbledon champion was given a ball-girl guard of honour before hitting a couple of points with tournament director Laura Robson and two local schoolchildren. But as the crowd cheered him on, Murray admitted that his tennis game had gone to pot since retiring after the Paris Olympics last year. 'This is great,' he said. 'I obviously miss being out here. This is the first time not being involved in a grass court season for a while. But I've got a new life now and am enjoying being away from the sport a little bit. 'My tennis is diabolical nowadays, so apologies for what you're about to witness, but I'll give it a go,' he added. Murray, who won five ATP singles tournaments at Queen's in west London, also thanked the club for renaming the Centre Court the Andy Murray Arena. 'This tournament, and this court has had many special moments for me as a player,' he said. 'This tournament was where I won my first match of the ATP Tour and it was my most successful event. 'I always love coming back here at the start of the British summer. I'm very proud of the results I have here and I'm very grateful and thankful for whoever decided to name the stadium after me.' Murray now spends much of his time working on his golf game, where he has a handicap in the low single figures, but said he was unable to maintain his nerve at his club championships. 'I was playing the club championships yesterday at my local club,' he said. 'I was tied second, going into the final day, but unfortunately I didn't get it done. But I'll come back and try again.' Murray was speaking minutes before the first women's tournament at Queen's Club since 1973 got underway. 'I think it's brilliant,' he said. 'I actually just met the last winner here, Olga Morozova, who actually coached me when I was 12, 13 years old. She was the last winner here 52 years ago, which is incredible. 'This court has had many great matches on it and I think it's a great chance for the women to showcase themselves out here,' he added.
