Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka singled our David Beckham for praise after he stayed put in his seat as Wimbledon’s Royal Box emptied out after the men’s game finished on Monday.
A social media video showed Sir David surrounded by dozens of empty seats alongside the words: ‘In a world where the stadium clears after the men’s match ends… #womeninsport.’
Belarus’s Sabalenka, 28, clearly appreciated her friend’s show of support after beating Serbian teenager Teodora Kostovic, 19, 6-2 6-3 on day one of Wimbledon.
After her first round victory, the world No 1 addressed the crowd for their support and then turned to the football legend and said: ‘Sir David, thank you for being here!’
Sir David, 51, had been in the audience with his mother, Sandra, sitting near his former nemesis Katherine Jenkins, 46; Ronan Keating, 49, and Mary Berry, 91, for the men’s game between Jannik Sinner and Miomir Kecmanovic.
But they were later seen vacating their seats after Sinner’s win, with people using the opportunity to have a toilet break and top up their drinks or just go elsewhere.
Pointless host Alexander Armstrong, 56, and his wife, Hannah Bronwen Snow, 49, remained in their seats after the men’s game and chatted with Sir David.
Sir David’s son Romeo, 23, and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 25, were also on Centre Court, but they didn’t have invites for the Royal Box.
