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Andy Murray will be served £10m jackpot if he is first Briton to win since 1936
Jack Lefley and Shekar Bhatia22 Jun 2009
Andy Murray was today preparing to launch his quest for Britain's first Wimbledon men's singles title in 73 years — and a £10 million jackpot.
The world No 3 has been told winning the title will propel him to superstar status and bring him “Beckham-like” earnings.
The 22-year-old Scot is signed to the same management company, 19 Entertainment, as the footballer and is already said to be worth £12 million.
“If he becomes the first British player to win at the All England Club since Fred Perry in 1936, he will become our greatest sporting hero and the millions will roll in,” said a Wimbledon official.
The prize money of £850,000 would dwarf his £75,000 reward for winning the Queen's Club tournament nine days ago.
“The cash will just roll in,” the official said. “His contract with Fred Perry sportswear would have to be drawn up again. He would win every sports award in sight and become a figure like Beckham.”
Murray, effectively the No 2 seed behind Roger Federer after champion Rafael Nadal withdrew, faces unseeded American Robert Kendrick tomorrow.
Meanwhile hundreds of people in Wimbledon's tent city rose at dawn today in a bid to get a Centre Court ticket.
A dedicated few had camped out all weekend to give themselves the best chance of making it onto one of the All England Club's show courts.
George Brounos and his girlfriend Julie Wate arrived on Friday night to be at the front of the queue on the first day of the tournament — and their dedication paid off as they got their hands on the sought-after No 1 “queue card”.
But the couple, from Southend, had to run the gauntlet of over-zealous park keepers who tried to kick them out.
They were saved by Wimbledon stewards who spoke to council officials and made sure they were allowed to stay.
Mr Brounos, 24, said: “We got here at 10.30pm on Friday and thought we had made a big mistake. There was no one else here. But a few others turned up soon afterwards and I guess it paid off because we are right at the front.
“The atmosphere has been fantastic. There was a big game of cricket on Saturday night and everyone was involved.”
Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam tournament to sell on-the-day tickets and the camp was introduced in Wimbledon Park last year to make things a little more comfortable. About 1,500 people — from as far afield as the US, Australia and Saudi Arabia — camp out each night for the 500 tickets available for each of the three show courts. Some campers will be in the park for the entire fortnight of the Championships. Every morning they will pack up their tents, put them into the storage crates provided, and watch some tennis before starting all over again.
Sisters Carrie, Jessica and Samantha Buckley arrived yesterday to find many had got there before them. The trio, from Newbury, got lost on the way and were afraid they had left it too late.
Jessica, 19, a student, said: “We got a bit of a shock when we saw how many people were already here.”
Geoff Hughes, 50, said he was hoping to cheer on British teenager Laura Robson on the new Court 2 as the girls' junior Wimbledon champion makes her senior debut.
The quantity surveyor, from Cheshire, said: “She did so well last year and we're all hoping she can go on to become a real star.”
Reader views (14)
What a sad bunch are those who condemn Andy Murray because of a flippant remark made years ago. How many of you can name one member of the Scottish national football team or even have an iota of interest in it. Yet you expect Scots to acknowledge your greatness nad touch our forelocks with respect. Andy Murray is where he is because of total dedication and a training regime that few could undertake. Get off his back you infantile idiots and support the finest tennis player this country has ever produced.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK, 22/06/2009 16:21
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Yeah, I'll chip in a million quid of my own money as well. I'll lay it off with a £10 bet down the bookies - such is the probability of the event.
- Paul, Tonbridge, 22/06/2009 16:17
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Duncan, it was a joke he meant you idiot
- Dc, Ealing, London, 22/06/2009 15:53
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That smile is a bit too 'scarey' for me............reminds me of the girl in the film 'Adam's Family'...........He is a pretty good tennis player, just a shame about his 'strops'.......... hopefully he has 'grown up' a bit. Sorry to say though, I hope Fed wins.............sorry!!!!!!!!!!!
- Janet, FAVERSHAM, ENGLAND, 22/06/2009 15:37
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Wow, I can't believe some people are STILL on about that "anyone but England" jibe. Clearly you know nothing about tennis because everyone who does knows the full story behind it.
Basically, Tim Henman and a couple of English journalists were taking the mickey out of Scotland not being at the world cup. When they asked Murray who he'd be supporting instead, he JOKINGLY said anyone but England. The furore about that was beyond belief, with English people going onto his website and posting that they wished he'd been killed in the Dunblane massacre. Notice, of course, that Tim Henman and the journalists who were making fun of Scotland didn’t suffer any abuse over this, and Henman still got the full support of Scots when he played at Wimbledon.
If Murray hates England and the English, please explain his home in England, his English girlfriend, his mostly English coaching team, his close friendship with Tim Henman…
- Duncan, London, UK, 22/06/2009 15:34
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Blimey, didn't recognise him, he's actually smiling!
Shame he hates the English and has the personality of a haggis.
Still, good luck, anyway.
- Sed B, harrow, mddx, 22/06/2009 13:31
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He's Scottish, so I could not care. Since when have any Scotts supported anything English.
- Dom, London, 22/06/2009 13:09
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Good luck to Murray, couldnt care less if he wins though. If he does he can start paying some of the taxes the scots nab off us....And Lee from London its not the English that are bitter, after 400 odd years the scots still get taught to hate the English at school and by their parents...
- Dc, Ealing, London, 22/06/2009 13:01
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KH,
No I am just bitter that when I me and my mates went out and bought tennis rackets as youngsters all the the local courts were and still are mainly filled up by non locals who despite having the cash invade the cheaper municipal facilities rather than join clubs much to the detriment of the locals. Yes loads of people play tennis in and around (almost exclusively perhaps) the South East but mainly in private clubs and outside the pocket of most.
Yes I am playing the class card because it is extremely pertinent to the point. Show me a top English tennis player from any decade from a working class background and I may start changing my mind.
- Mark, South-East London, 22/06/2009 12:16
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Pleese all this hype! give murray a chance to breathe!!! And to Mark: maybe there is no interest in tennis around elephant & castle , but i can assure you many people young and old enjoy watching and playing tennis, all around london and the south east. Your comments sound as if they come from someone who wants to play the 'class' card. However you don't sound as pathetic as St, who sadly sounds like a bitter jealous indidivual, who needs to grow up
- Kh, London UK, 22/06/2009 11:56
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You people really need to grow up. Life is too short to be so bitter... Yes, he's Scottish. He is also British. I for one hope Murray goes all the way. As for Tiger Tim, don't make me laugh. He was more pussy cat than Tiger. Murray has done more than Tim ever did.
- Lee, London, 22/06/2009 11:47
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I think the money's quite safe....
- English Tennis Fan, London, UK, 22/06/2009 11:19
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Spot on St.
Most people in the UK have no interest in tennis and see it as an elitist sport anyhow. All the parks around the Elephant & Castle have tennis courts but it is interesting to see in the summer the courts full-up with surrey's middle classes.
Good luck Tim; Break a leg!!!
- Mark, South-East London, 22/06/2009 10:28
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Look, Murray is Scottish and I don’t know anyone English who feels any affection for him. We know he doesn’t like the English from his comments during the last football World Cup, so I wish him good luck, the same as I wish all the other players from around the world, but no more, and probably actually a little bit less. And while we’re at it, until Button and Hamilton start paying taxes to help the poor in the UK, they are not "British heroes" either.
- St, London, 22/06/2009 09:07
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