Tennis icon Serena Williams shared a touching message for Andy Murray as the Brit prepares for his Wimbledon swansong.
Murray, 37, suffered defeat in the men’s doubles with brother Jamie Thursday, and while he still has the mixed doubles with Emma Raducanu to come, the Scot bid a tearful farewell to SW19 in his last Wimbledon before retirement at the Olympics.
Williams, who evolved away from tennis herself following the 2022 US Open, paid tribute to her fellow on-court legend Friday morning.
The mother-of-two shared a video to social media, congratulation the three-time Grand Slam winner on his career.
‘Congratulations to you Andy Murray for such an incredible career,’ Williams began. ‘I have to say I have always enjoyed watching you.’
Tennis icon Serena Williams shared a touching video message for Andy Murray Friday
Murray is waving goodbye to Wimbledon as he nears the end of a glittering tennis career
However, the 23-time Grand Slam winner’s reason behind her love of watching Murray take to court was surprisingly less to do with his tennis and more to do with his fiery nature.
‘One of the main reasons [is] because you would be one of the few players who would be more angry than me on the court, which is very hard thing to do,’ the 42-year-old said with a wry chuckle. ‘And [you] may have had an attitude a little bit like mine, let’s just say. But to me it was the most exciting thing to watch.’
Williams and Murray teamed up in 2019 to form a blockbuster all-star mixed doubles pairing at Wimbledon.
Despite Team MurRena, as they became known, crashing out in three sets to the top seeds Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares, the experience created memories Williams will cherish.
‘I had the pleasure of playing mixed doubles with you by my side, which was such a fantastic experience to do that at Wimbledon,’ she continued earnestly. ‘It really was one of the highlights of my life. I’m so grateful I had that experience.’
Murray has long been an advocate for women’s sports throughout his career, which Williams lauded.
‘I always hold a special place in my heart for you because you always speak out so much for women and everything women deserve, You were the leader in that.
Williams and Murray teamed up in 2019 to form a mixed doubles pairing at Wimbledon
Murry was visibly emotional following his and brother Jamie’s defeat at SW19 Thursday
‘The things you spoke up on… the things you said about myself and Venus and so many things about how we were so inspiring and what we meant to you. It really went such a long way in my heart. I will always be grateful for that. I will always be grateful for the support you gave myself, the support you gave women and the excitement you brought to tennis.
‘Watching you win Wimbledon, the US Open and those gold medals was so exciting and I just truly enjoy it.
‘I’ve always been such a fan, as you already know, and I will always be cheering for you and whatever you decide to do next.’
Following his defeat alongside Jamie Thursday, the two-time singles champion chose this moment for the All England Club to celebrate his legacy.
His wife Kim, his two eldest children, eight-year-old Sophia and six-year-old Edie, mother Judy and father William were among those in the crowd.
Murray was visibly emotional as he was shown a video including messages from the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Andy Murray was visibly emotional as the crowd paid a Centre Court tribute to the star
Murray’s wife Kim and two of their children, eight-year-old Sophia and six-year-old Edie, were in the crowd on Centre Court
A host of tennis legends were on Centre Court to say goodbye to two-time champion Murray
Murray shared a warm embrace with brother Jamie after their loss in the men’s doubles event
Fans gave Murray a standing ovation as the British star wiped tears from his eyes during his on-court interview with Barker.
A host of tennis greats were also present, such as Djokovic, Tim Henman, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Lleyton Hewitt.
Murray was forced to bow out of the singles on Monday with a back injury to the heartbreak of scores of British fans.
But the Scottish star – who underwent spinal surgery just 12 days ago – committed to playing with brother Jamie and the mixed doubles with Raducanu.
