Former World No. 1 Andy Murray is yet to compete at the BNP Paribas Open this week, but his time in Indian Wells has already got off to a terrible start after the Brit had his wedding ring stolen in a strange incident in California.
The 34-year-old took to Instagram to explain how he had left his tennis shoes under his car overnight to ‘air’ out after training, but returned to find them gone from the hotel car park the next morning.
While he was able to replace the shoes, like many players, Murray ties his wedding ring to his shoes when he plays. When asked by his physio if he had the ring on him ahead of training on Wednesday, the Brit had the dreaded realisation it was missing and has taken to Instagram to appeal for help.
“Last night after dinner here at Indian Wells, got back in the car to go back to the hotel and the car didn’t smell great,” Murray explained on Instagram. “Basically, I’d left my tennis shoes in there. It’s been like 39 degrees so my tennis shoes are pretty damp, sweat and smelly so I decided when I got back to the hotel, the shoes needed some air and needed to dry them out a little bit.
“I have no balcony in room and didn’t want to leave them in my room ‘coz they’d stink the room out so I thought I’m going to leave the shoes underneath the car to get some air to them and dry them out overnight.
“Anyway, when I got back to the car in the morning the shoes were gone. So, my tennis shoes for the tournament had been [stolen] so I had to go to the local pro shop and buy different shoes to what I normally wear.
“Anyway, as I was preparing for my practice, my physio said to me, ‘where’s your wedding ring?’ and I was like, ‘oh no’. I tie my wedding ring to my tennis shoes when I’m playing because I can’t play with it on my hand so my wedding ring has been stolen as well.
“Needless to say, I’m in the bad books at home so I want to try and find it so if anyone can share this or may have any clue where they may be, it would be very helpful so I can try and get it back and get to the bottom of it.”
Murray, who reached the final in Indian Wells in 2009, will begin his campaign against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.