Andy Murray is chasing his first ever world number 1 ranking in Paris at the BNP Paribas Masters. He sported a poppy in Paris, continuing his support of the armed forces.
Andy Murray is rapidly becoming one of the greatest players in men’s tennis. He is on the heels of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic in his fight for the world number 1 ranking. Taking the position from Djokovic would make Murray the first British born tennis player to hold the ranking in the modern era.
Murray entered his match in Paris with Fernando Verdasco wearing a poppy on his shirt. In past tournaments, Murray has said that the poppy is “a mark of respect to all those who serve our country.”
More from Lob and Smash
The move by the Scottish world number 2 to wear a poppy is especially significant right now. FIFA has come down with sanctions on Scottish and English players intending to wear poppies in support and recognition of their armed forces. Football Associations in both England and Scotland have backed their players and plan to take on whatever sanctions FIFA enforces.
In the tennis world, Murray has worn the poppy and publicly supported those who serve and who have served many times throughout his career.
Murray has shown his support for the armed forces on some of the sport’s biggest stages. He’s either worn a poppy or publicly spoken out at tournaments such as the ATP World Tour Finals and Wimbledon, among others.
Entering the quarterfinals in Paris, Murray faces Tomas Berdych. Novak Djokovic takes on Marin Cilic. The world’s top 2 tennis players are in the middle of a battle for the world number 1 ranking.
Check back for updates on the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, the men’s ATP World Tour Finals, and other tennis news from Lob and Smash.
This article originally appeared on 
