09 July 2013

Long may it continue

More reasons to admire young Murray.

Here:
Given the nature of modern sport, there was something remarkable about Andy Murray's Wimbledon victory – beyond his defeat of the world No 1, Novak Djokovic, and overcoming 77 years of crushing expectation. The Scot, now the most feted sportsman in Britain, won the tournament without a full complement of sponsors' logos on his shirt.
Nor, according to his advisers, should you expect to turn on the television any time soon to see him mugging his way through a financial services or broadband advert. Many of the brands who will now beat a path to his door will be given short shrift.
For the past 18 months his potentially lucrative right shirt sleeve has been free of advertising, apart from a patch worn during Wimbledon fortnight promoting awareness of the Royal Marsden hospital – to which he donated his £75,000 winnings from the warm-up tournament at Queen's in light of the treatment his close friend Ross Hutchins received there as he battled cancer.
In short, Murray wants to be remembered for his sporting achievements rather than his advertising campaigns. Despite sharing some similar character traits, the last thing he wants is to be branded like David Beckham. Which is not to say that he is not alive to his value.
...
Murray has at times driven his agents to distraction through his obsessive focus on the task at hand, refusing to sign up to anything that he is not comfortable with or that might compromise his training or disrupt his routine. He has turned down a string of lucrative deals either because they make him feel uncomfortable or because they do not fit in with his schedule.
And here:
Good for Mr Murray. Asked about a knighthood today, he replied:
"It's a nice thing to have or be offered. I think just because everyone's waited for such a long time for this, that's probably why it will be suggested but I don't know if it merits that."
So Mr Cameron is now arguing for a knighthood for Andy Murray that even Andy Murray doesn't think is justified. Maybe that will persuade Mr Cameron to be wary of clambering aboard celeb-culture bandwagons in future. Maybe.

Nice to think that at least one of our sporting heroes can be more sensible than the Prime Minister.



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