British tennis star Neal Skupski found out his grandmother had died shortly after coming off court at Wimbledon.
The Liverpool-born player was already coming to terms either the tragic death of footballer Diogo Jota when he learnt of his grandmother’s passing.
Skupski and men’s doubles partner Joe Salisbury advanced to the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday with a 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory over fellow British pair Joshua Paris and Charles Broom.
It was a difficult occasion for Skupski, who like the rest of the world was left shocked by the passing of Liverpool star Jota, who died in a car accident at the age of 28.
Before his first-round match at the All England Club, the passionate Liverpool supporter posted: ‘Tragic news. YNWA.’
But the three-time Wimbledon champion was also rocked by the death of his grandmother, which he only learnt about shortly after his first-round match.
In a press conference after the match which The i Paper attended, the three-time Wimbledon champion said: ‘It’s been a tough day for Liverpool fans.
‘I found out this morning that Jota had passed away and then I’ve just found out my nan has just passed away, so it’s been a very tough day.’
Skupski described his grandmother Mary, 98, as a ‘fighter’ and insists she would have wanted him to give his all in his pursuit of a fourth Wimbledon title.
‘Obviously I’ve only just found out, but walking onto the tennis court is only going to help me take my mind off it,’ he said.
‘It’s something she’d have wanted me to do. I’ll just go out on court and try and enjoy it as much as possible, not worry too much if I’m missing too many shots, there’s more to life than missing a tennis shot.
‘I’m glad I’ve had time to know it was coming, rather than just “Boom” and she’s died out of the blue. I’ve been able to come to terms she was coming to an end.
‘It’s part of life, it will be a tough one for my family tonight and the next few days but she would want me to be here. She’d be proud of me for what happened today, fighting through.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot on tragic death of Diogo Jota
‘What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not.
‘All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.
‘My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.
‘My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football.
‘My condolences go to Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three beautiful children and to the parents of Diogo and Andre Silva.
‘When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song. For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten.
‘His name is Diogo.’
‘It’s Wimbledon now, it’s my job. Being with Joe, it’s something that she’d have wanted me to do, to fight. We’re here, we want to win the whole thing but one match at a time.’
Reports of Jota’s death first emerged in Spain before confirmation of his tragic passing came in the form of statements from the Spanish authorities and Liverpool Football Club.
‘You never think your heroes or sportsmen or people that you look up to… they’re like invincible,’ added Skupski, who was invited to Liverpool’s training centre in 2023 after winning Wimbledon.
‘It just shows that everyone’s human. Things come at you and you just don’t know what’s around the corner.
‘I met the whole team. I’ve spoke to some people today who are connected to Liverpool and they basically say he’s not just an amazing footballer, but the person he was, he was incredible, so down to earth, very nice.
‘A great finisher but also someone that kept the whole dressing room together. It’s going to be a big loss, I’m sure they’ll do something in his memory.’
Skupski won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 2023 and the mixed doubles title in 2021 and 2022.
He and his current doubles partner Salisbury were beaten in the final of last month’s French Open. They continue their 2025 Wimbledon campaign with their second-round match on Saturday.
Wimbledon has relaxed its strict all-white dress code to allow players to wear black armbands in tribute to Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who also died in the crash.
Portuguese player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon on his shirt during his men’s first-round doubles match on Friday.
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