Andy Murray has been inundated with offers to be his mixed doubles partner at Wimbledon after admitting he was struggling to find one.
Murray made a successful return from hip surgery alongside Feliciano Lopez at Queen's Club on Thursday evening, beating Colombian top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
Oh how we've missed this! 🤗 The best points as @Andy_Murray made a winning return in doubles alongside @feliciano_lopez. #QueensTennis pic.twitter.com/Tpu7g20oeg — Fever-Tree Championships (@QueensTennis) June 20, 2019
The Scot then announced he had secured Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert to partner him in the men's doubles, but revealed he had been turned down by the women he had asked.
That prompted a host of top female players to throw their hats into the ring, with Murray's former doubles partner Kirsten Flipkens tweeting: "Wimbledon 2006, Wimbledon 2019, Andy Murray?"
Wimbledon 2006... Wimbledon 2019, @andy_murray ? pic.twitter.com/aB6hsqAsVm — Kirsten Flipkens (@FlipperKF) June 20, 2019
When Murray revealed that French Open champion Ashleigh Barty had already rejected the chance to play with him, two of the Australian's previous doubles partners, CoCo Vandeweghe and Casey Dellacqua, offered their services.
I'd come out of retirement for this. Sorry @ashbar96 💁♀️ — caseydellacqua (@caseydellacqua) June 21, 2019
Britain's Naomi Broady declared she was prepared to snub her brother Liam in favour of partnering the three-time grand slam winner.
@andy_murray I would totally ditch my own flesh and blood AKA @Liambroady to play with you #SORRYBRO #LOVEYOU 😬 — Naomi Broady (@NaomiBroady) June 20, 2019
Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova retweeted a video of her in mixed doubles action, saying "I heard Andy Murray was looking for a mixed dubs partner. Thanks US Open for sending in my resume today."
I heard @andy_murray was looking for a mixed dubs partner. Thanks @usopen for sending in my resume today 😂 https://t.co/ug6ES2m7X5 — Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) June 21, 2019
And even 75-year-old Billie-Jean King, winner 39 of singles and doubles grand slam titles, got in on the act, saying she was "available and lacing up".
*Checks calendar*Available, and lacing up, @andy_murray.🙋🏻♀️ — Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 21, 2019
ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'c24d8bf1-034a-47c0-b76a-fd4c32232835');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:tennis');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Offers flood in to be Andy Murray\u2019s mixed doubles partner at Wimbledon'});
