The British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced today that Andy Murray will compete for Team GB in the men’s singles event of the tennis competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The British men’s number one, currently ranked fourth in the world, will be participating in his second Olympic Games after making his Team GB debut in Beijing four years ago, when he played in both the men’s singles and doubles events.
Murray, 25, has won 22 ATP singles titles to date and is coached by Ivan Lendl. The Dunblane born player will compete in the men’s singles event which begins on 28th July on the world famous grass courts of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon. The final takes place on 5th August.
Team GB top the all-time Olympic tennis medals table, having accumulated 16 gold, 13 silver and 16 bronze medals between 1896 and 1924. The sport did not feature on the Olympic Programme for the next 64 years, but Tim Henman and Neil Broad returned Team GB to the podium with a men’s doubles silver medal at the Atlanta 1996 Games.
With 36 days to go until the Opening Ceremony, the addition of Murray brings the total number of athletes officially selected to compete for Team GB at London 2012 to 248 across 23 sport disciplines: archery, athletics – marathon, badminton, boxing, canoe slalom, canoe sprint, cycling, diving, equestrian -eventing, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, synchronised swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
The athlete was formally nominated to the BOA for selection to Team GB by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the National Governing Body for tennis in Great Britain. Wild cards for the Olympic tennis event will be awarded by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and announced on 28th June.
Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt said:
Andy Murray said:
Team GB Tennis Team Leader Paul Hutchins said: