News surfaced on Saturday morning that actor Sir Sean Connery had passed away at the age of 90. He had remained away from the spotlight for years following his retirement roughly 17 years ago. However, Connery did frequent the U.S. Open.
The James Bond star drew attention when he arrived to watch a match featuring Roger Federer and Frances Tiafoe. The tournament organizers spotted Connery in the crowd and decided to honor him uniquely. They played the James Bond theme over the loudspeakers while the fans gave him a standing ovation. Those watching from home tweeted about the U.S. Open being a huge sports event and expressed excitement about seeing Connery out in public.
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We are saddened to hear of the passing of Sean Connery, a lifelong fan of the sport and a familiar face at the US Open.
Our thoughts are with his friends & family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/X5awIfu1wy
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) October 31, 2020
Fans spotted Connery at the U.S. Open multiple times over the years, sitting in the stands and cheering on the athletes. He would sit near other prominent figures, such as Alec Baldwin, Bradley Cooper and Ben Stiller. Connery also sparked attention in 2012 by crashing Andy Murray’s press conference with Sir Alex Ferguson, the then manager of Manchester United, and Murray’s mother, Judy.
The trio came into the press conference and surprised many members of the media. “Excuse me for interrupting, but I just wanted to make a point,” Connery said. Where’s Alex? I don’t know where your mother is. Ah, there she is.” According to the Guardian, Murray then asked Connery if he would be around for the final match, but the longtime actor did not hear the question.
Murray then noticed that his mother smelled like wine, and she responded by saying that Ferguson had convinced her to have some while explaining how Scotland “invented the world.” At that point, Connery then said, “Today they conquered the world!” Ferguson agreed, and then they departed once again to let Murray resume his press conference.
Connery’s interruption was not the only interaction with Murray on the day. He also had a one-on-one conversation with the tennis star and then posed for some photos. Murray went on to defeat Novak Djokovic in the finals, securing his first Grand Slam title.
When he wasn’t taking in high-profile matches, Connery was enjoying retirement. He lived in Nassau, a city in the Bahamas, with his second wife, French painter Micheline Roquebrune. Connery remained there until his death on Friday night at the age of 90.
