Andy Murray joins talks to design his statue for Wimbledon anniversary

Andy Murray (Pic: AFP)

Wimbledon organisers have revealed plans to honour British tennis icon Andy Murray with a statue, set to be unveiled during the tournament's landmark 150th anniversary in 2027. The two-time Wimbledon champion will play an active role in designing the tribute at the All England Club.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by All England Club chairwoman Debbie Jevans, who confirmed that discussions with Murray and his team are already underway. "He's got to rightly be very involved in that and him and his team will be," Jevans stated.

Murray, widely celebrated for his contributions to British tennis, famously ended a 77-year wait for a homegrown Wimbledon men's singles champion in 2013 by defeating Novak Djokovic in a historic final. He repeated the feat in 2016, overcoming Milos Raonic to claim his second Wimbledon crown. In total, the Scotsman captured three Grand Slam singles titles before announcing his retirement after the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The inspiration for honouring Murray in statue form came in part from the recent tribute paid to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. Murray was present when the French Open celebrated Nadal's unmatched 14-title record with a special plaque earlier this month. "We looked at Rafa Nadal having that sort of plaque unveiled to him at Roland-Garros which was all very special," Jevans said. "But we thought, what do we want for Andy?'"

The All England Club is no stranger to commemorating legends. A bronze statue of Fred Perry, Britain's last men's champion before Murray, was erected in 1984 to mark the 50th anniversary of his first singles triumph. Calls for Murray to receive a similar honour have grown over the years, with tennis greats including John McEnroe and Billie Jean King voicing support for a permanent tribute at SW19.

While the statue is set for a 2027 unveiling, preparations for the upcoming 2025 Wimbledon Championships are already in motion, with the tournament slated to begin on Monday.