WTA No. 9 and former two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray’s countrywoman Johanna Konta has praised him for his unparalleled support of the women’s game.
Konta, whose rise has been quite meteoric as she was ranked outside the top 150 a little over two years ago and now she is a top-10 player. Konta emphasized that without Murray’s support, it wouldn’t have been possible.
“I think we’re reasonably lucky in this country because of two words: Andy Murray,” Konta said. “He’s such a massive supporter of women and women in every role. He’s been so consistent in his messaging in that and we’re so incredibly lucky in that. So I can only try and continue on with his messaging because I believe in that as well.”
“I think my first and foremost intention has always been to stay true to me. To really represent what I love about the sport and the integrity that I love about tennis. That has always been my baseline. I’ve tried to go along with that and really talk about the things I know and things I have experienced.”
“I know quite a few barriers have been broken down but I think sports are not necessarily seen as feminine. I think as a female in sports you automatically gravitate towards continuing to break down those barriers and show the sport for what it is and all the amazing things that it is and how all the other things are irrelevant.”
Murray, who is still recovering from a hip injury that forced him to shut down his 2017 season after Wimbledon will be making his much anticipated return at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi just after Christmas. Alongside him, two more big names will grab headlines due to their respective comebacks from injuries. While Novak Djokovic will be back after undergoing elbow surgery during the summer, Stan Wawrinka will make his return after successfully fixing his knee troubles with the help of a knee operation.
