The All England Club has announced it will honor two-time champion Andy Murray with a statue at Wimbledon. Murray ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles title in 2013 with a victory over Novak Djokovic in the final, becoming the first homegrown champion since Fred Perry in 1936.
Wimbledon’s move would be reminiscent of the French Open honoring its 14-time champion Rafael Nadal with a statue at Stade Roland Garros in 2021. This year, the tournament held a farewell ceremony for the champion at the Court Philippe-Chatrier, with a permanent plaque of Nadal’s footprint next to a net post on the court.
How Tennis Fans Have Reacted Online After the Andy Murray Statue Announcement
Amid the news, some tennis fans are not happy. They believe that a statue dedicated to Roger Federer, who has won eight Wimbledon championships (the most at the venue), would be more justified. Fans have even suggested that Martina Navratilova, with nine singles titles, and Novak Djokovic, with seven titles, are more deserving of a statue at Wimbledon.
The announcement of a statue dedicated to two-time Wimbledon champion Murray has divided fans. It triggered an intense debate in online circles, particularly on X.
Several fans, reacting to a post on the development by a popular UK tennis journalist, suggested that Murray does deserve the honor, having ended Britain’s decades-long drought for a homegrown champion. However, many fans have blasted the decision, as Roger Federer, the most successful male singles player at Wimbledon, has not been bestowed with a similar honor.
🇬🇧 A statue of Andy Murray is due to be unveiled at Wimbledon in 2027 👏
🗣️ https://t.co/zlCTUCWbAc
📸 Getty pic.twitter.com/7VU8ryMSG2— Olly Tennis 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) June 24, 2025
“I love Murray in fact even more than any of the Big 3,” a commenter posted on X. “But have we forgotten Navratilova, or even Federer or Djokovic. I don’t think he doesn’t deserve it, but it sucks seeing other legends overlooked.”
“If he is such an icon to British tennis because he won Wimbledon two times, then make a statue at uk’s official tennis hq at LTA or something,” another fan suggested. “This just goes to say if you have 7 or 8 titles, we don’t care as long as you ain’t British,” he fumed.
“Where is (Roger) Federer’s statue?” a third user asked.
Andy having his own statue at Wimbledon before Roger is “one of the most British things I’ve ever seen,” another social media user noted. However, he admitted that the Scot does deserve the recognition.
Andy has statue at Wimbledon before Roger is one of the most British thing I’ve ever seen. Doesn’t mean he’s not deserved tho. https://t.co/yD8Cb2Pg3w
— HMsoloist (@HMsoloist) June 24, 2025
Another person commented, “I haven’t been to Wimbledon grounds … I have no idea if there are statues of other players. But this seems extreme.”
Then again, a set of fans asserted that Andy Murray’s statue at Wimbledon was justified in light of the context of the significance of his victories.
Quote tweets confirming that 95% of people here were born in 2018 and have zero awareness of context https://t.co/FRf7kUNPvq
— Srihari 🌌 (@haddockovic) June 24, 2025
Another poster dug up statistics to highlight Murray’s massive significance in UK sports history.
“he hasn’t done enough to deserve it” https://t.co/ZQNuohWYCK pic.twitter.com/blUbnZGAi5
— н 🔻 ( retired ) (@b4nanash0t) June 24, 2025
“People are so dense,” another X user wrote, defending the move. “Think about why the BRITISH PLAYER is having a statue erected at the BRITISH GRAND SLAM that he has won multiple times.”
“What will be a great moment is being ruined by absolute idiots questioning it,” another user wrote, slamming the naysayers. “It’s beggars belief some of the replies to this.”
What We Know About the Andy Murray Statue at Wimbledon
The All England Club will honor two-time Wimbledon champion Murray with a statue, to be unveiled in 2027 during the tournament’s 150th anniversary.
As per Wimbledon director Debbie Jevans, discussions around a tribute gained momentum following Nadal’s commemoration at Roland Garros. Notably, Murray will be personally involved in the statue’s design.
Murray, 38, retired from professional tennis in August last year, following his participation in the Paris Olympics. He cited ongoing hip issues as the reason for his retirement. The statue will join the bronze statue of Fred Perry, the previous British men’s champion before Murray, which was erected at Wimbledon in 1984 marking 50 years after his first singles title.
