|
New York: Sean Connery and Alex Ferguson gate-crashed Andy Murray’s post-match press conference to uproarious effect on Saturday following the tennis player’s US Open semi-final win.
Murray had produced a masterful performance in atrocious conditions to beat Czech Tomas Berdych and edge closer to his first Grand Slam title.
With both players struggling to control the ball in near gale-force winds at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Murray regained his composure after dropping the first set and made the necessary adjustments to triumph 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 ,7-6 after a four-hour battle.
“Excuse me for interrupting,” shouted out former James Bond actor Connery, 82, as he approached the seated Murray at the front of the conference room with Ferguson, who is the boss of Manchester United and British football’s most successful ever coach.
Halting the press conference, the two Scottish legends were greeted by Murray, 25, who commented to both Connery and Ferguson and his mother Judy who joined them that they all smelt suspiciously of wine.
Having communicated via text and email previously, this was the first time that Murray had met his two illustrious countrymen and thanked them both for coming, despite the unscheduled interruption to his post-victory press conference.
“You smell of wine,” said Murray to Connery and Ferguson during their meeting as he detected the distinct whiff of alcohol off the three gate-crashers.
“He made me have wine,” said Judy Murray of Ferguson. “He has just been telling me that Scotland invented the world.”
Ferguson, who has won 12 national league titles in the English soccer league since 1986 is a frequent visitor to New York and enthusiastically spoke to Murray and the press.
“Been coming here the last three years to New Yok and I explained how Scotland invented the world,” said Ferguson, repreating Judy Murray.
“Today we invented the wind.”
“Today they conquered the world,” shouted out Connery.
Ferguson, 70, who famously despises rooms full of journalists, was full of praise for his countryman, telling him, ‘Well Done, well done.’
After posing for pictures and private words, the two icons and Judy Murray departed, leaving the tennis player to comment on the unplanned meeting.
“It has been a strange day for sure,” said Murray.
“I’m a huge James Bond fan and I love football as well,” Murray said.
“Sir Alex is one of the most successful managers of all time and both of them are from Scotland.
“So to have them both here was very nice.
“I had been in touch with them, we had traded messages and e-mails, but I had never met them before. Nice to have their support.”
| 
