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'First male player': Andy Murray corrects reporter who overlooked Serena Williams

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Andy Murray has been praised on social media for correcting a reporter who said his opponent was the "first US player" to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam match since 2009, seemingly forgetting that a number of women players had done so.

Footage from a post-match press conference shows Murray correcting a reporter after he asserted that Sam Querrey, who knocked out the defending Wimbledon champion in Wednesday's quarter-final match, was the first US tennis player to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in eight years.

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Murray corrects casual sexism

The defending Wimbledon champion may have been defeated on the court, but that wasn't going to stop him correcting a reporter who forgot about the women's game.

"Andy, Sam is the first American player to reach the semi-final of a Slam since 2009," a reporter is heard to say on the footage.

"Male player," Murray interjected.

"I beg your pardon?" the reporter responded.

"Male player, right?" Murray repeated.

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"Yes, first male player, that's for sure," the reporter said, laughing at the error while Murray appeared unamused.

Serena and Venus Williams, Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe are all US players who have qualified for Grand Slam semi-finals since 2009. Venus Williams did so at Wimbledon on Tuesday, and will play Australian-born British player Johanna Konta on centre-court on Thursday.

In an article earlier this week, the Guardian dubbed Murray "the feminist tennis needs".

He criticised the organisers of Wimbledon this year for routinely hosting two men's matches and only one women's match on centre court.

"I think ideally you would have two men's and two women's on Centre, potentially starting the matches a bit earlier would allow for that," he said. 

Wednesday's incident was not the first time Murray has corrected a member of the media who appeared to not consider women's tennis in their statistics.

After his win at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Murray found himself again reminding a journalist that he and the Williams sisters play the same sport, when BBC commentator John Inverdale congratulated him on being the first person to ever win two gold medals in tennis.

"I think Venus and Serena have won about four each," he replied.

Murray has also stood up against the scrutiny laid on his female coach,  Amélie Mauresmo.

"Inequality is something I started to see and become passionate about," he said two years ago