Clare Balding bursts into tears live on BBC after Andy Murray’s retirement confirmed | Tennis | Sport
BBC presenter Clare Balding broke down in tears after Andy Murray was knocked out of the Olympics. The Scot and Dan Evans were beaten 6-2 6-4 by the Team USA pair of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul, bringing the curtain down on his iconic career.
Murray himself struggled to contain himself as he waved goodbye to the crowd, clearly emotional as he left the court.
And after the Beeb aired a montage paying tribute to his Olympic legacy, the occasion also got too much for Balding.
“And that is why he so desperately wanted to be here, to make it to Paris,” she said. “He wasn’t fit enough to play singles but he said ‘I’ll play doubles, I’ll pay with Dan Evans’.
And my word hasn’t he shown us in the three matches he’s played here everything that he is about. It is never over until it’s over. And now sadly, in terms of his professional playing career, that is it. It is now over and all we can say is thank you, thank you….”
Balding then muttered “you better say something” to her fellow pundits before having to put down the microphone as the tears streamed down. And a BBC staff member then appeared to hand her handkerchief as she tried to regain her composure.
Rebecca Adlington then said “don’t you’re going to make me cry.” Mark Foster added “you’ve gone all Becky tonight,” before Balding steadied herself and joked “Ok I’m fine” before previewing the rest of Thursday’s action.
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