Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka publicly thanked David Beckham for remaining in his seat in the Royal Box as other attendees left following the conclusion of the men's singles match at Wimbledon on Monday.
Sabalenka, 28, expressed her appreciation for the former footballer's presence after her own first-round victory over Teodora Kostovic. "Sir David, thank you for being here!" she stated.
Beckham, 51, had been in attendance with his mother, Sandra, watching the match between Jannik Sinner and Miomir Kecmanović. Also present in the vicinity were Katherine Jenkins, Ronan Keating, and Mary Berry. However, many of these spectators were observed leaving their seats after Sinner's win.
Pointless host Alexander Armstrong and his wife Hannah Bronwen Snow were among those who stayed, engaging in conversation with Beckham. Reports indicated that Beckham appeared intently focused on the matches, while some other guests were seen on their phones.
Beckham also interacted with Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, as some surrounding seats remained unoccupied.
This gesture of support from Beckham comes amidst a known professional and personal connection with Sabalenka through IM8, a health and nutrition brand co-founded by the footballer and Prenetics.
Sabalenka's match followed Jannik Sinner's successful defense of his title in a five-set encounter against Miomir Kecmanović. Later, Novak Djokovic defeated Wu Yibing, and subsequently met with Beckham and his mother.
Earlier in the day, a packed Royal Box had watched Sinner begin his title defense. Beckham's son, Romeo, and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull, were also present on Centre Court but did not have Royal Box invitations.
While seated near Katherine Jenkins, the occasion did not appear to involve interaction between them. This seating arrangement could have been notable given past reports of critical comments attributed to Beckham regarding Jenkins's OBE award in leaked emails from 2017. Jenkins received her OBE in 2014 for her charity work and entertaining troops. Beckham was knighted in November 2025 for his contributions to sport and charity.
Sabalenka commented on her match, praising her opponent's performance and her own ability to manage nerves. "I think with experience I learned how to deal with nerves and expectations a bit better," she said, rating her performance an "8 out of 10."