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36-Year-Old Andy Murray’s Big-Hearted Gesture Allows Iranian Activist to Sit Right Behind Roger Federer and Follow the Brit’s Inspiring Victory at Wimbledon Championships

Published 07/05/2023, 3:23 PM EDT

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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an Iranian-British activist who was detained in Iran in 2016 and was imprisoned for six long years. She was accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, a charge that she vehemently denied. Her detention and imprisonment sparked international outrage and calls for her release. During her detention, she watched Andy Murray’s 2016 Wimbledon final, which gave her hope. She even shared with her inmates about the same and vowed that she would contact Andy after release. To everyone’s surprise, her dream came true, and not only that, she also got a chance to witness one of his matches sitting right behind Roger Federer in the ongoing championships.

Iranian-British activist’s dream comes true as Andy Murray invites her to watch his match

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1978. She moved to the UK in 2007 and worked as a project manager for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a charitable arm of the news agency. She was visiting Iran with her young daughter in 2016 when she was arrested at the airport and charged with espionage.

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Since her detention, Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case has gained international attention, with human rights organizations and political leaders calling for her release. Throughout her ordeal, she found strength and inspiration in various ways, including the incredible victory of British tennis star Andy Murray in the 2016 Wimbledon Championships.

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His victory in the 2016 Wimbledon Championships was particularly inspiring, as he overcame immense pressure and expectations to secure his second Wimbledon title. This remarkable achievement resonated with Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who drew strength from Murray’s triumph during her own challenging circumstances.

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Seven years after his iconic win, in a heartwarming gesture of support and solidarity, Andy Murray invited Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to watch him play his first-round match at Wimbledon. This invitation not only served to lift her spirits but also brought further attention to her plight and the ongoing efforts to secure her permanent release.

Nazanin gets a chance to sit behind the tennis legend Roger Federer as she enjoyed Andy’s match

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On the day of the match, Zaghari-Ratcliffe had the privilege of sitting behind another tennis legend, Roger Federer, who was also in attendance. During the tournament, Federer was supposed to be felicitated and the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, was also in attendance for the same ceremony.

 

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And in the same box, Nazanin had the chance to sit and enjoy the match in totally different circumstances. This certainly shows that Andy Murray gave Nazanin a chance she would have never thought she would get. To be able to enjoy the Wimbledon match of your favorite tennis player from so up close and sitting next to another legendary player is surely a privilege that the activist earned through her incredible work.

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Written by:

Ishmeet Kaur

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Ishmeet Kaur is a tennis writer at EssentiallySports. Although she completed her Masters in Business Administration, her passion for writing motivated her to hone her skills as a Content Writer. After sharpening her skills in writing and managing content, Ishmeet finally stepped into her dream field: sports journalism.
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Edited by:

Tony Thomas