Tennis legend Sir Andy Murray has dipped his toe in the footwear market by partnering up with emerging brand hylo – whose shoes are crafted from castor beans, corn and seaweed instead of typical synthetic materials.
On Wednesday, the two-time Wimbledon champion was unveiled as a global ambassador for the trainer company, who claim they produce the ‘world’s cleanest, high performing running shoes’.
The Scot appeared in a parody press conference in which the microphones failed to work and the stage fell apart.
Murray is grilled on the new venture, with the 38-year-old asked if he is looking to rival former nemesis Roger Federer – who has helped Swiss footwear brand On achieve a market valuation of £15bn.
The Briton denies there being any competition, before he shares a villainous grin into the camera to hint that he is eager to cut into Federer’s empire.
‘It’s about my belief in joining a world-class company like hylo, and their ability to make the cleanest, highest-performance running shoes,’ Murray says in the video.
Murray is involved in a number of business ventures including Game4Padel, a leading developer of new padel sites across the UK, while he was also an early backer of new kit manufacturer Castore.
He also runs a luxury five-star hotel business with his wife Kim in Dunblane, Scotland.
Murray’s main focus since retiring, however, has been on golf, with the two-time Olympic gold medallist bringing his handicap down to 0.7. He is hoping to compete in a regional qualifying event for the Open Championship.
Hylo’s shoes are being advertised as the environmentally cleanest on the market, with the footwear having a carbon footprint of around nine kilograms per pair. In comparison, a typical running shoe is closer to 14kg.
Murray is joined by Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford as a high-profile backer of the eco-friendly shoe brand.
