Here are some photos from last night’s Wimbledon Champions Dinner in London. Serena Williams was there, as she picked up her 22nd Grand Slam at Wimbledon, plus Serena and Venus won the doubles tournament too. I can’t find the ID on Serena’s dress, but it doesn’t really look like a major designer piece. My guess is that she either designed it herself or she just picked up something in London. I’m also including photos of Andy Murray with his wife Kim Sears/Murray at the event. Kim wore Jenny Packham, the same designer who did Kim’s gold dress at the final.
While I’m incredibly pleased for both Murray and Serena Williams on their Grand Slam wins, something about this event bothered me. It’s become a tradition for the Wimbledon singles winners to dance together on stage at the Champions Dinner. Last year, that meant Serena danced with Novak Djokovic in what was one of the funniest moments to ever come out of the Champions Dinner.
It’s sort of charming that even though Novak is brilliant on the court, he can’t dance AT ALL. But since it’s tradition, Novak went up there and made the most of it and had fun and it was sweet and cute. But this year, Andy Murray refused. When asked about the dance ahead of the Champions Dinner, Andy said: “No, no, it can go into retirement again. The next winners can try it again but no dance for me tonight unless I’ve had a few glasses of champagne. And then it’s possible.” I haven’t seen any videos of the dance and I really don’t think it happened. I understand that Murray was probably trying to be self-deprecating, but if he refused to dance with Serena, is that as rude as I think it is?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Did he dance when he won before? If he did then rude. If not then slightly less rude and maybe just a wet blanket. I did love when Novak danced because he knew it wouldn’t be good and he had fun anyways.
I think wet blanket. He’s not the type to be rude in the way of disrespecting a fellow competitor. He is the type to poo his pants at the thought of dancing in public and end up being rude in a wet blanket way.
Agree! And to be honest, many of us DO NOT want to see Andy Murray ‘made’ to dance. That’s an ice bucket challenge right there…
Right, it doesn’t sound like it was about Serena, more about not wanting to be embarrassed-I agree that he should’ve just got up there but sometimes people who can’t dance are REALLY self-conscious about it. You know when you see someone playfully dragging another person onto the dance floor and they start freaking out?
It’s an excellent mark of good character to be able to laugh at yourself. But then Murray isn’t known as the best sportsman. Neymar is not a good dancer and he jumps up whenever he’s asked.
Can I just say that whatever about the dance floor, he did a bloody brilliant job on the court, superb performance. Kim looks gorgeous, though I find the hair a bit too Middletonesque for comfort.
but really who would refuse a dance with Serena Williams???
Me! That dress is hideous…..
Here’s hoping she did not pick that up in London.
Maybe it was like a Mr. Darcy situation. Mr. Murray is just a little stiff and awkward socially but madly in love with Ms Williams none the less.
Ok, that would be sort of amazing. Dammit, Naya! Why must you make me ship them??
Uh, highly doubtful. Why was she dancing anyway? Had she heard about the five police officers who lost their lives in Texas to a demented psychopathic sniper?
@Dinah: What’s the connection between Serena and that shooting in Dallas? I don’t get you.
Doesn’t seem rude or anything against Serena. Half the guys I know wouldn’t dance in public to save a life!
Love the colours on that dress but could be a slightly better fit. Her body is incredible!
Could be a little insulting, I guess. Since it’s tradition. But it sounds like he’s a bad dancer and self conscious about it? Maybe doesn’t want to take THAT mantle from Djokovic too. I would probably let it slide.
–TheRealPinky
Oops, wrong post.
maybe he’s just a really crappy dancer and is self conscious about it.
no mention of Serena’s awesome “clap back” tweet at Drumpf?
ETA the link – hope it’s OK!
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/serena-williams-goes-hard-donald-trump/
Could you not like her more after that. Internet is 4EVA.
Oh my god, that’s…. how is Trump allowed access to his twitter account. How has nobody wrested it away from him? Serena is incredible. I love her for saying that.
I don’t think Andy was trying to be rude; he just didn’t want to dance in public which is fair enough. I can’t think of anything more toe curling myself. Novak made it funny because that’s his personality, he likes entertaining and showing off. It’s not Andy’s style.
Doofus are you Nigerian?
Serena’s tweet was awesome.
Her tweet was perfect lol love her even more
nope, ‘murican here.
@doofus Is that real? Trump tweeted I’m proud of you to Serena Williams or something to that effect. Where’s the screenshot of the tweet?
TBT, I didn’t see it on either person’s twitter as I’m not on that platform, just heard it reported second hand, so I cannot verify either tweet but I think it’s real.
Holy ish! How did I miss this!?
Integrity.
I will say it again: I LOVE HER!!!
Doofus- Thanks for the link 😉
I couldn’t find any confirmation of either of these tweets, so I’d be careful about posting them. I put it on Facebook, then took it down when I couldn’t verify it anywhere.
The tweets seem to have disappeared. I’m curious, though, why is “Drumpf” considered an insult? It was his ancestors’ surname and was changed when they came to the U.S. It’s okay to insult someone because of their ancestors’ name?
Could you tell us what it said? I clicked and it said its not available 😢 Thanks!
I don’t think he was refusing to dance with Serena per say. I think he just didn’t wanna dance, he’s a great player but I always feel like he’s a bit awkward. Just watch his post win speeches and interviews. And while Novak looks really serious on court for professional tournaments. He’s a huge dork!
I can understand why it can be seen as rude. He won, he should have sucked it up and done the dance. Even if he’s a horrible dancer as he claims, it would be cute and funny to try it. People will forgive him for being bad and atleast trying.
I don’t think he meant to b rude or disrespectful to Serena. He’s a typical bloke who Is allergic to dancing.
Come on, he did not refuse to dance with Serena, he refused to *dance*. It’s not as if he did dance with Angelique Kerber or something. It’s understandable, you know- he’s a stiff Brit and terrified of making a fool out of himself.
I don’t think this makes him rude, but it is a little cowardly. right? He could have tried. Prepared something, make two twirls and be done with it. It’s tradition, Andy. This, too, is Wimbledon.
This. Stereotypical stiff Brit.
Murray is the worst, ugh. Serena is the GOAT, forever! Love her so much.
I’m sorry but he’d just proved he was the best.
If it’s tradition he should have suck it up. If Nole with all his misogynic rhetoric and BAD dancing was man enough to dance, than I expect no less from Murray.
Its not a tradition. It was decades ago when it was a ball n they would waltz. No one has done it in over 20+yes. Djoko dances to Saturday night fever, it was ts ballroom. Murray did not want to dance,nothing wrong with that.
He should have done it
It doesn’t happen most years nowadays, hence ‘it can go into retirement AGAIN’. Rafa didn’t do it either time and I’m pretty sure Federer also never did it.
Djokovic LOVES attention, which is why last years dance was such a thing. It’s not the norm anymore, it only happens when one of the athletes pushes for it too.
It’s a really weird tradition, making two athletes basically act out the first dance of a married couple. If you do it these days you’ve got to make a joke of it, and not everyone wants to play comedian.
Nothing wrong with it. He should have done it
I read Agassi’s memoir (Open) and in that book he stated that he was so disappointed the year he won, because he had been longing to dance with Steffi Graf (the female winner) who he had been crushing on forever, but Wimbledon had cancelled the tradition that exact year.
I think the tradition has been cancelled since, and last year was probably just a revival for fun?
Anyway, as a fellow non-dancer and non-graceful person I understand Murray. I really don’t think he meant to be rude of offend Serena (the Queen, the GOAT!!!). At least I hope not.
I read that memoir too. But I remembered it as Steffi specifically not wanting to dance with him and getting the tradition cancelled. I could be wrong though.
Really? This is such a reach. He wasn’t rude- he has a preference and dancing in public isn’t it. 99% of the men I have ever met have only danced at their weddings- and weren’t thrilled about dancing then. Nothing to get worked up about it.
If he dances anything like his mum then Serena should be very happy he declined, The Murray’s seem to be a really nice family but it looks like they all missed out on the rhythm gene.
No one wants to see Murray dance.
No one wanted to see Novak dance either but he usually has no problem in showing different sides of himself, so he managed to pull off some comedy.
This isn’t rude towards Serena at all. If you follow tennis, this behavior isn’t surprising, Andy Murray is about as interesting as a wet mop. This is his personality and has nothing to do with Serena.
There used to be a ball where they would dance, it ceased decades ago only to be brought back last year by Djoko. So that is not a thing.
People are not against Serena. This is not the norm.
Yes, the tradition was discontinued a while back, but Andy is such a wet blanket for declining this year. Especially since it was started again last year, and it was fun. Hopefully someone more fun wins next year. -_-
I would take dour Andy who openly advocates for equal pay and female coaches any day over the rest of the fun lads of the ATP who believe the women have a hard time controlling their hormones or whatever (looking at you Djokovic). I think Andy’s got a rather dry sense of humour that often gets misunderstood, particularly in print.
Totally agree Bex, well said.
Then again, he is a tennis-man, not a clown made to dance for public fun.
My favourite moment from Wimbledon 2016 was David Cameron getting booed by the crowd at Centre Court. Amazing.
Doubt it had anything to do with Serena at all, so not rude IMO, just a little boring haha.
God what an awful tradition! It’s like a father daughter tea dance or something. Just a bad idea. Let it die.
Yes, let it die. It’s not as if he thumbed his nose at tradition because it had already been put away. I know people say “it’s all in fun,” but many are judging Murray negatively because he would not do something he’s uncomfortable doing. Many people I know equate dancing to public speaking. It TERRIFIES them. It doesn’t make someone a bad person if they decline. It makes them human. Some people just lack the sense of humor needed to get over their self-consciousness.
I agree that he’s a stiff and uncomfortable Brit and most likely does not dance well. He should have danced with Serena anyway. I don’t think he deliberately meant to be rude, but his refusal itself (no matter who his female partner would have been) is rude and unsportsmanlike. I get that he didn’t want to look like an ass, but now he looks like a bigger ass for not modeling the good manners, good will and graciousness his sport has traditionally represented. Yes, in this day and age, when some athletes behave criminally off the field, Andy’s breach of etiquette is a mere quibble. But it was a tone-deaf and inappropriate refusal all the same and he should learn from it. Twit.
Guys- the Champions dance hasn’t been a tradition for over a decade (might even be more than that). That’s why it was such big news last year, Novak just started to dance impromptu because he’s that kind of goofy showboat. Andy’s personality is totally the opposite. I read this as him being his sarcastic self. He’s the one proclaimed feminist on the tour and has spoken multiple times about how much he admires Serena and she’s returned the compliment (there was a sweet photo of the two on her Snapchat)
It has nothing to do with Serena. Andy and Serena seems to get on really well. I am so happy they both won!
So happy for Serena and 22🎉 And Venus & Serena won the doubles too!🇺🇸🇺🇸🎉🎉👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾❤️
Thats a lot of reaching.
This is a complete non-issue. It is no longer tradition for the champions to dance. Murray did not refuse to dance with Serena, nor did he refuse to participate in a tradition.
What Novak did was not a formal thing and Murray was casually asked if he was going to be dancing like Novak – he didn’t refuse a formal duty.
Reaching for the stars.
Milos would have danced with Serena for sure! Next time. 😉
It wasn’t been a tradition for decades now.
Both Andy and Serena privately danced the night away in nightclubs.
Djokovic needs the attention on him all the time, that’s why he proposed the dance last year. He wanted to do the whole waltz thing but Serena only accepted to do something a little bit more modern.
Pat Cash refused to dance with Martina Navratilova way back when.
serena and this british murray declined to dance with you because you are black i suppose… shame on him. a no class player… novak is and was a gentleman always. i love novak for his jokes, behaviour, and love he has on the court and off court… dont worry sirena … novak will win next year… and this british ass will be licking his …
They stopped that tradition a long time ago. Djokovic just brought it back last year because he’s an attention hog.