Andy Murray’s standing as an international athlete ought to be established beyond doubt – certainly in tennis he is universally respected and admired – but it is a little odd, still, to hear commentators occasionally say that he has “finally arrived” in the hearts of fans.
This lingering perception of Murray as a Scot and an outsider was the subject of a controversial advert put out by the bookmakers Paddy Power earlier in the tournament, which attracted widespread criticism for branding certain established athletes as foreigners. The advert also features Mo Farah, who was born in Somalia, the Jamaican-born footballer Raheem Sterling, the Irish-born cricketer Eoin Morgan and the Samoan-born rugby player Manu Tuilagi, all of whom have represented England or Great Britain.