Tennis fans queue to bid adieu to Andy Murray but cheer new British stars

On Thursday, there was a shift in leadership. Many people were focused on choosing a new prime minister, but at Wimbledon, a large crowd gathered to say goodbye to Andy Murray and support the up-and-coming British tennis players.

Murray will play with his brother Jamie in the men's doubles at Wimbledon this week. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from the singles competition after not fully recovering from back surgery he had just 12 days ago.

On Thursday morning, as soon as the doors opened at 10am, around 12,000 individuals were lined up for tickets. Most of them were eager to watch Murray's debut doubles match later that afternoon. By noon, it was recommended that others not make the trip to the venue to avoid missing out on tickets.

Stephen Young, aged 50, was one of the many excited fans waiting to see Murray's final appearance at Wimbledon. "He's my favorite player, and always will be," he expressed, as he lined up at 5am.

He had journeyed from Glasgow to London with his wife and daughter for the tournament. His daughter waited in line early in the morning on Wednesday to get tickets. The family returned on Thursday to watch Murray compete in his last Wimbledon.

"It's unfortunate, but he has had a great career. We are extremely proud of him, and all of Scotland is too," Young expressed. "It's disappointing that just as he was reaching his peak, the injuries began to occur. I'm sure he's completely devastated, but he has truly had a remarkable career."

As Murray bids farewell, there are significant matches happening at the tournament. Jack Draper, the latest top-ranked men's player from Britain, is set to compete against the No 2 player, Cameron Norrie. Meanwhile, Katie Boulter, the current top-ranked women's player, is going up against the No 2 player, Harriet Dart. This will be the first time in Wimbledon history that the top two ranked British players in both the men's and women's categories will be facing each other.

The young individual is excited to see Draper do well. "He's performing excellently. I hope he follows in Murray's footsteps. I believe he's the next talented British player. I wish him success in today's match," they commented.

John and Caroline Atkinson, age 58, were hopeful about how well Britain would do this year. "It's surprising. Typically, by Thursday, there aren't many Brits left, but today there are still plenty around. We're really looking forward to seeing them," John said.

"It's been great for the women, but I feel the men's performance has been lacking this year," he noted. "Although it's exciting to have a British player advance to the next round, it's a shame that another one will be eliminated."

The couple is also caught up in the Murray excitement. "The atmosphere is electric when he's around," explained John.

There were both experienced Wimbledon attendees and first-timers in the line. Alex Nairn, a 22-year-old from Edinburgh, had come specifically to watch Murray play. This was her first time at SW1. "It's a rare opportunity," she commented.

If she couldn't get tickets for Centre Court, she hoped to watch the Scot on Henman Hill, where big screens will be broadcasting the match. "It will be enjoyable no matter how he performs," she stated.

Nijla Mingo, who is 32 years old, and Emeka Ezugwu, who is 37, are currently in London on a trip from New York. They arrived at the line at 5am. Ezugwu mentioned, "We thought coming early would give us a good spot, but we're actually around number 3,000 in line."

Ezugwu, a British expatriate residing in the United States, expressed his admiration for Andy Murray, who is from the same generation. He hopes that the British tennis star will have the strength to advance through the rounds and achieve success in the tournament.