Andy Murray fears he may make Queen regret giving him a knighthood so young after rise to world No 1
Murray capped his best-ever year by beating Novak Djokovic in a winner-takes-all battle for the No 1 ranking and the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in London on Sunday
ANDY MURRAY is afraid he might do something to make the Queen regret giving him a knighthood.
But it is believed the process to make him Sir Andy began months ago, even before he won his second Wimbledon and Olympic titles and became tennis’ world No 1.
The Scot is odds-on to receive the nod in the New Year Honours at the tender age of 29.
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He said: “It is the highest honour you can get in this country — I feel too young for something like that.
“When I win any award or am presented with anything it is nice because it is recognition for what you have given your life to.
“I am still young and there are a lot of things that can go wrong. I could still mess up and make mistakes.
“I am just trying to keep doing what I am doing, working hard and achieving stuff.”
There is recent precedent, though, for an active athlete to be knighted.
Bradley Wiggins added ‘Sir’ to his name after London Olympic glory and his historic Tour de France triumph in 2012.
But no one has ever won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award three times.
Murray capped his best-ever year by beating Novak Djokovic in a winner-takes-all battle for the No 1 ranking and the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in London on Sunday.
He is an even hotter favourite to add the SPOTY gong as well. But if he does, he may not be there to collect it.
He said: “I don’t think I am going to be able to go this year.
“I would have done if my dad wasn’t getting married. I would have gone to Miami earlier and then come back for it.
“But I am only going to get two weeks training in. If I was to come back and lose a few days, I can’t really afford to.”
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The Brownlee brothers won thousands of fans during the Olympics
Of the candidates to beat him to the SPOTY award, Murray has a particular affinity with Alistair Brownlee.
The triathlete is not only a fellow Olympic gold medallist but is one half of another sporting double act with brother Jonny, whom he memorably stopped to help in a race.
Murray, whose older brother Jamie will end the year as world doubles No 1 with Bruno Soares, said: “The Brownlees, what they have done throughout the whole year is pretty amazing and that’s cool as I have a similar thing with my brother.
“What happened a few months after the Olympics was nice to see, that it is not just a win-at-all-costs mentality."