Murraymania has descended on SW19 before the Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles final in which the Scot will take on Canadian Milos Raonic.
With Centre Courttickets long ago sold out, die-hard fans of Andy Murray queued from the early hours to claim a spot on Henman Hill to watch on a giant screen at the All England club on Sunday.
Murray, 29, the No 2 seed, is the bookmakers’ favourite at 2-7 to win his second Wimbledon and third grand slam title, with Raonic, 25, the No 6 seed and playing his first grand slam final, at 3-1.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the prime minister, David Cameron, actors Hugh Grant and Benedict Cumberbatch, and the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, are among guests expected in the royal box.
Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is also expected although she is thought unlikely to repeat the stunt of her predecessor Alex Salmond, who flouted Wimbledon’s strict rule to unfurl a saltire in the royal box.
Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, 80, is also among the expected spectators. Raonic was born in Podgorica, Montenegro, part for former Yugoslavia, before moving to Canada at three.
Tennis legends including multiple Wimbledon champions Chris Evert, Boris Becker, Björn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Roy Emerson are also expected.
On Henman Hill – or Murray Mound – there was a frenzied sprint by fans to claim a spot in front of the large screen beaming the game live.
There was no doubting the loyalties of Jill Thomson, a 27-year-old environmental campaigner originally from Edinburgh, and friend Lizzie Edwards, 25, originally from Dumfries, both now living in London and sporting blue and white flags on their cheeks, and who had camped out overnight to get tickets.
“I’m confident Murray will win,” said Thomson, “but because he has done it before, maybe that adds greater pressure.” Edwards, a Labour parliamentary researcher, was looking forward to some drama away from the party’s leadership battle. “It’s very nice to be here, away from the madness,” she said. “Everybody is Scottish today.”
Draped in the Guernsey flag, supporting local girl Heather Watson in the mixed doubles finals as well as Murray, Channel islanders Margaret Poidevin, 65, and Jan Yabsley, 52, sprinted straight to Henman Hill to claim a prime spot. “I’m pretty confident Murray will win. He’s playing very well this year,” said Poidevin. “He’s not the underdog so there is more pressure on him to do well. It’s a good job Federer is not playing as my loyalties would have been very torn.” Yabsley added: “There is definitely more pressure on Andy. I’ll be really sad for him if he loses.”
Nurse Cath Powis, from Chelmsford, was looking forward to a good game, regardless who wins. “We seem to have allegiance to Murray when we feel like it, usually when he is in a final,” she said. “Is he British, or Scottish? But I hope he does well.” Musing on the threat of a post-Brexit breakup of the UK, she added: “I wonder, will he have to have a passport to get here in the future?” Fellow nurse Sue Butterworth, from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, was putting her faith in Murray to make it a double. “I’m confident he can do it, because he has been playing really well,” she said.
Murray was not the only Scot going for a title. Gordon Reid, 24, is hoping to take home the inaugural Wimbledon men’s singles wheelchair title on Sunday.
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