Home Wimbledon hope Andy Murray has thrown his weight behind Stirling’s bid to host Scotland’s new National Performance Centre for Sport.
The Scot, along with his older brother Jamie, hails from nearby Dunblane and knows the area well, having trained at Stirling University’s national tennis centre, so he is all too aware what it would mean if Stirling is chosen to become the country’s centre of sporting excellence.
The Stirling bid is one of three short-listed, along with Dundee and Edinburgh, to host the planned National Performance Centre for Sport, which calls for “an environment that impresses and inspires athletes, establishing a world class destination where Scotland’s elite athletes can focus on their sport”.
And Murray, who is preparing to face Spaniard Tommy Robredo in the third round at Wimbledon, reckons Stirling more than fits the bill.
“As a high-profile international sport, tennis is very important in the sports mix in Scotland,” he said.
“We must have better facilities and resources to encourage and coach more young people to play and from them identify and develop those with the potential to compete on the world stage.
“A national performance centre, where the best tennis players mix with the best in other sports, is a big step forward for Scotland, and Stirling has unequalled credentials.”
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