- Olympic champions Andy Murray and Mo Farah knighted in New Year honours
- Wimbledon star Murray will ask not to be called ‘Sir Andy’ by All England Club
- Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katherine Grainger have received Damehoods
Andy Murray will ask the All England Club not to address him as ‘Sir Andy’ at Wimbledon after receiving a knighthood in the New Year honours.
The down-to-earth star is hugely honoured to accept the title at just 29, and will be the first tennis-playing knight to appear as a professional at Wimbledon when he defends his singles title next summer, but he does not want ‘Sir Andy’ to appear on scoreboards and club literature there.
A source close to Murray told Sportsmail: ‘He won’t want to be known as Sir Andy. That will make him feel uncomfortable. He wants as little fuss as possible.’
Andy Murray has been knighted but will ask Wimbledon not to address him as ‘Sir Andy’
The Scot won Wimbledon for a second time and scooped an Olympic gold this year & was the Team GB flag bearer at the Olympics, said he felt too young to be a Sir
The Scot has said he felt ‘too young’ to be knighted but he has enjoyed a year of unprecedented success, winning a second Wimbledon title, a second consecutive Olympic gold and ending the year as world No 1.
Quadruple Olympic champion Mo Farah and 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Lee Pearson have also been given knighthoods, while Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katherine Grainger, who both retired after glittering careers in athletics and rowing respectively following the 2016 Olympics, receive Damehoods.
Rower Grainger, 41, is awarded a damehood after she became Britain’s most decorated female Olympian with a silver in Rio — her fifth medal at a fifth successive Games.
Paralympian Lee Pearson, 42, also becomes a knight for services to equestrianism after winning his 11th gold in Rio.
Farah, 33, said it was ‘incredible’ to be given a knighthood after he retained his Olympic 5,000 metres and 10,000m titles in Rio last summer, while Ennis-Hill, 30, will become a Dame after calling time on a stellar career which included three heptathlon world titles and Olympic gold at London 2012.
Mo Farah, the quadruple Olympic champion, has also been given a knighthood
Katherine Grainger (left) and Jessica Ennis-Hill have each received Damehoods