Andy Murray explained how he wanted Nazanin Zagari-Ratcliffea British-Iranian philanthropist who was detained in Iran for about six years, staying to watch his matches. Wimbledon “In a completely different situation” after inviting her to his first round earlier this week.

Zagari-Ratcliffe has been accused by Iranian authorities of collaborating with a regime-change organization, an allegation she and her employer, the Thomson Reuters Foundation, have repeatedly denied.

She told the BBC last year that she watched Murray win Wimbledon in 2016 from an Iranian prison, prompting the former world number one to send an invitation to Tuesday’s first round.

“She had never been to Wimbledon before,” Murray told reporters. “After talking to her and hearing her story about watching the Wimbledon final while she was in her cell, I wanted to invite her over and watch tennis in a completely different setting. felt.

“Hopefully, [it was] Experience more fun. He felt that way when he talked to her. She wanted to see if she could accompany her. ”

Zagari Ratcliffe, sitting behind 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer and Princess of Wales, royalized Murray’s straight-set defeat of fellow Briton Ryan Penniston 6-3, 6-0, 6-1. watched from the box.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today program last year, Mr Murray said: remembered After watching the final against Milos Raonic from Iranian custody, he said: Words cannot express how happy I was. ”

Murray responded by saying it was “the strangest and most incredible story of someone watching me” and will see Zagari-Ratcliffe’s first-round victory over Penniston on Tuesday. said, “Excellent.”

The two-time Wimbledon champion faces Greece’s fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in Thursday’s Grand Slam second round.

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