World No.2 Andy Murray has received an unexpected ego boost ahead of the Aegon Championships following praise from former football player David Beckham.
The two British sporting stars got acquainted on Sunday when Beckham and his Son, Romeo, spotted the top seed in practice at the Queen’s Club. During the encounter, Romeo got the chance to display his tennis skills to the world after conducting a series of rallies with the world No.2. The 13-year-old is a keen tennis player and plays the sport between four to five times a week.
Beckham senior has called Murray a great role model for his son and other children. The former Manchester United and England footballer is a known fan of Murray and was spotted watching him last year during the Wimbledon Championships.
“When you look at role models, you want them to be passionate about the sport, passionate about what they do, to play hard all the time, and Andy’s one of those players,” Beckham said.
“It’s great for any young kid to have great role models in sport and Andy’s definitely one of those for many kids around the world.”
Calling somebody a role model is a flattering compliment, but it is even more significant coming from somebody who is known as a sporting icon. During his career, Beckham captained the England football team 59 times and scored 17 goals. He was also voted the seventh most influential Premier League player in history, according to a report published by the Daily Mail in 2015.
In the future, it seems like Romeo is more likely to follow in Murray’s footsteps than his dad. Speaking about Romeo’s sporting preference, Beckham joked that his son is ‘retired’ from football.
“He retired at the old age of 13 from football and now he’s happy hitting a ball around on the tennis court, he plays four or five times a week and he enjoys himself.” The 41-year-old said about his son.
This week Murray is hoping to make history at the Queen’s Club. Bidding to defend his title, the world No.2 could become the first player in history to win five titles in the prestigious tournament.
