Murray supports women’s shows

ANDY Murray has backed calls from Venus Williams and French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko for more women’s matches to be played on Wimbledon’s show courts.

Five-time Wimbledon winner Williams was handed a Centre Court slot for her tussle with Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh and British home favourite Johanna Konta played France’s Caroline Garcia on Court One.

But those were the only women’s four th-round matches played on t he biggest t wo courts on ‘Magic Monday’, and All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said t hat was down t o demand.

“I wouldn’t say i t ’s favouritism. I would say it’s taking the marquee matches,” Lewis said. “It’s not about male or female, in the end it’s about which matches you feel the public and broadcasters want to see.”

In the opening seven days of play, 14 matches on Centre Court have been from the men’s singles draw while only eight have come from the women’s.

Murray, along with Roger Federer, was on Centre Court for his match against France’s Benoit Paire on Monday and t he world No 1 agreed the schedule should be more balanced.

“Obviously I think, ideally, you would have two men’s and two women’s on Centre,” Murray said.

“If there’s better matches on the women’s side than the men’s side, you can flip it. If there’s better matches on the men’s side, then that has to go first, as well.”

Andy Murray backs more show court matches for women.