Thibaut Courtois has revealed how an interest in tennis helped him strike up a friendship with world No 2 and two-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray and helped improved his football skills.
The Chelsea goalkeeper, who who was in action in the 2-1 win against Southampton on Saturday afternoon, played competitive tennis as a kid and still enjoys picking up a racket and hitting the court in his free time.
He took part in an exhibition match hosted by Iker Casillas and Rafael Nadal in May 2014 and got talking to Murray, who loves football and supports Scottish club Hibernian.
‘I’m an Andy Murray fan,’ Courtois told The Daily Telegraph. ‘We talk sometimes and, if I can, I try to go to watch him.
‘When we were both in Spain, there was a charity exhibition before the Madrid Open and we started talking and he said he likes football and we talked some more. We have kept in touch and we send some messages.
I played some regional tennis competitions when I was a kid and my serve is OK, but since I concentrated on football then tennis is just for holidays or if we have a week off.’
Courtois is regarded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world, having helped Chelsea to the Premier League title last term and Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title in 2014.
But despite his prodigious talent, the 23-year-old admits that he still watches tennis to try and improve his game further.
‘Sometimes I watch tennis and try to take something from it,’ Courtois added.
‘In tennis your footwork is important and how you position yourself, so obviously that is something you can take to the football field. Not actually knowing you are taking it, but, because you have played tennis, it is there.’
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