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British tennis star Andy Murray recently weighed in on the football GOAT debate by picking Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi fired Argentina to their third and his first FIFA World Cup title in Qatar last year, which makes him the GOAT according to the former World No. 1.
Despite inconsistent success, Andy Murray has played some fantastic tennis in the 2023 season. The 2015 Madrid Masters winner was knocked out in straight sets in the first round of the 2023 edition by Italian Andrea Vavassorri, 6-2, 7-6(7).
Murray recently appeared on the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast to answer some fans’ questions, where he was asked, “Messi or Ronaldo?” The World No. 52 was quick and to the point in his answer and picked the former Barcelona player without any hesitation. He also stated the reason for picking Messi was Argentina’s triumph at the World Cup.
“Uh, good question, I think after the World Cup, I've gotta go with Messi,” said the Brit.
The three-time Grand Slam champion also revealed that his favorite Beatles song is “Let it be” and that he is currently obsessed with Shakira’s “Try Anything.” When asked about which player from the tour he would pick to be stuck on an island, the 35-year-old picked Frenchman Gael Monfils.
“I need someone resourceful to get me off the island,” said Murray. “But also, I'd want someone to keep me entertained as well, so I'm gonna go with Gael Monfils. He's a fun guy, he's always entertaining, so I'll take him.”
Andy Murray and Gael Monfils face off in ATP Challenger in Aix-en-Provence
Meanwhile, old pals Andy Murray and Gael Monfils are set to face off in the first round of the ATP Challenger tournament in Aix-en-Provence, France. The Brit exited in the first round of the Madrid Open this week, which enabled him to play the challenger in France.
Both players have returned this season after long injuries and are not in their prime. However, the two will be the only big names at the challenger tournament. Monfils has played only three matches in 2023, losing all of them. Murray, on the other hand, has more matches under his belt in 2023, with a win-loss record of 8-6.
The last meeting between the two friends was back in 2014 in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. The Brit edged past the Frenchman in a tight-fought 5-setter 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-0. The 35-year-old currently leads the head-to-head against the 36-year-old by 4-2.
