Andy Murray
Tennis fans have seemingly been conned for decades after a new video revealing the origins of the ATP Tour uncovered Andy Murray’s true identity – along with a host of other stars.
It turns out tennis fans didn’t know Andy Murray that well at all.
That’s because the humble two-time Wimbledon-winner has been a work of fiction this entire time, according to a new trailer for the ATP. The promotional campaign surmises that Murray – who in fact has a different name – is just one of many paid actors playing out a script.
The ATP was established in 1972, meaning the 2024 campaign would be the 52nd ‘season’ of the supposed set-up. And Scotland’s greatest player of all time isn’t the only one in on the act.
“Yeah I mean, I think that’s what people don’t realise. Like, it’s all just scripted,” Murray – or ‘Fraser McKnight’ – can be seen telling the camera. “We usually get our storylines at the start of the year, and we just try to make everything look natural.”
Russian Andrey Rublev is among the trailer’s funniest features as he’s seen practicing soundbites for his on-court grunts with a frying pan. Meanwhile, athletically gifted Gael Monfils is captured as a bumbling actor who’s much more accident-prone away from the sport, while the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stan Wawrinka, Francis Tiafoe and Stefanos Tsitsipas all feature.
World No1 Novak Djokovic also stars as ‘Bert Critchley’, another deceptive plant supposedly fulfilling his role as tennis’ most successful player of all time: “Something that I’m really trying to evoke with this Novak character is not just the performance and the achievements, but a bit more of an essence, a bit more personality, try to have people relate to him.
“I want to bring truth to Novak. What is he thinking, what is he feeling? What would motivate him, if he was a real person?”
