Andy Murray world ranked number two has announced the launch of his own tennis event in the UK. The event will take place in Glasgow at the SSE Hydro and is the brainchild of the Brit. Murray wants a legacy tennis event in the UK, and saw the ideal opportunity to raise money for charity at the same time.
To ensure that the event is affordable the cost of half of all the seats was set at £25. The new event will be taking place in Glasgow and will feature a singles and doubles match. The proceeds from the evening will be split between UNICEF, of which Murray is a UK Ambassador and a local Glasgow charity Young People's Futures. UNICEF is the worlds leading children organisation and like all charities relies heavily on donations.
Young People's Futures is a Glasgow based charity that works with children between the ages of five and eighteen, providing drop in diversionary activites in the Glasgow area. Both charities are close to the Brits heart, especially now that he has become a father himself.
Singles line up
The singles line up will see Murray, US Open 2012, Wimbledon 2013 champion and reigning Olympic Gold medallist play against Frenchman Gael Monfils world ranked 14. Matches involving Monfils are always fun, as the frenchman is known for leaping around the court and reaching shots that others find impossible.
Matches between Monfils and the Brit are always fun to watch so there will be plenty of entertaining tennis on display in the first match of the day, including smiles and laughs from the players on court. Fans will have a full evening of tennis to watch as there will also be a doubles match to entertain the ticket holders.
Doubles line up
The doubles line up will see Murray junior team up again with his older brother Jamie Murray. Andy and Jamie teamed up throughout the 2015 Davis cup campaign to win 3 vital rubbers, including in the final. It is possible that the Murray brothers may play together at the Olympics in the mens doubles, but that is no means guaranteed at this stage.
The Murrays will play against Monfils and Brit Tim Henman. Henman, the former British number one and world ranked number four does not often since retiring from the circuit. He commentates a lot for the BBC, and does play selected events during the year, mostly exhibitions and the senior tour events.
Henman is a great friend of Murray, so there is little doubt he would not have jumped at the chance when asked to take part. This line up will be a lot of fun for the assembled crowd, and if televised will give doubles more much needed coverage. Murray and Henman have played doubles before in exhibition matches. Once at Queens, where Murray hit his then coach Ivan Lendl with a ball, and then at the O2 arena in 2014 when Roger Federer pulled out of the World Tour Final match against Novak Djokovic, and the Brit stepped in to save the day.
Everyone will win from this event, the players will get to play without any pressure, the fans will get to watch entertaining singles and doubles matches, and of course the two charities will benefit from the proceeds.