"Putting morals before millions, genuinely remarkable that everyone doesn’t have the same attitude" - Tennis fans hail Andy Murray for his comments on refusing to play in Saudi Arabia

Andy Murray has often been hailed as one of the most upstanding players on the ATP tour currently and the Brit showcased it once again during his recent press conference at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.

When asked whether the former World No. 1 would consider playing for an alternative tour in Saudi Arabia, similar to the situation that is going on in golf right now, Murray outright declared that he would never do so.

The 35-year-old further added that he had been approached by event organizers from the country a few years ago, along with other top players at the time. Despite being offered large sums of money to secure their participation, Murray revealed that they had all collectively declined the request, a decision he was ready to repeat in the future.

"They did [try to offer a sack full of money to play on a different tour]. They put on an event in Saudi Arabia a few years ago, and I was offered to play there. I know a number of the other guys on the tour were offered to play there," Murray said. "I don't think the player field that went was what they were hoping. Yeah, a lot of the, I would say, top players and bigger names turned it down. And I personally wouldn't go and play there."

The answer has since gone viral on social media, with fans praising the Brit for his morally righteous approach to the game, unlike the golf pros who sided with the money. More than a few users on Twitter thought that the former World No. 1 deserved a lot of credit for being outspoken about the issue in public and standing up to a powerful country like Saudi Arabia.

"Now THIS is a man of principle!" one fan tweeted.

"Massive credit where it’s due," another user posted.

"As if this is shocking? Murray has character," one account wrote.

"Sir Andy Murray putting morals before Saudi millions. Absolutely love to see it. Genuinely remarkable that everyone doesn’t have the same attitude, but here we are," another fan tweeted.

Andy Murray plays James Duckworth in his opener at Wimbledon

Andy Murray locks horns with James Duckworth in his opener at SW19

Andy Murray's quest for his third Wimbledon title begins against James Duckworth on Monday. The Brit is yet to lose against him on the ATP Tour and has a 2-0 lead in the head-to-head.

A victory against Duckworth would pit the former World No. 1 against either John Isner or Enzo Couacaud in the second round. Potential blockbuster third-round and fourth-round clashes against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz loom ahead for the 35-year-old.