Sir David Beckham received an unexpected thank you from tennis player Aryna Sabalenka on Monday at Wimbledon. As the Royal Box began to empty following the conclusion of the men's match, Sabalenka, the world No. 1 from Belarus, publicly acknowledged Beckham for staying in his seat to watch her first-round match.
Sabalenka, 28, defeated Serbian teenager Teodora Kostovic, 19, with a score of 6-2, 6-3. After her victory, she addressed the crowd and specifically thanked Beckham, stating, 'Sir David, thank you for being here!'
Beckham, 51, had been in attendance with his mother, Sandra, to watch the men's match between Jannik Sinner and Miomir Kecmanovic. Also present in the Royal Box were Katherine Jenkins, Ronan Keating, and Mary Berry. However, many guests departed after the men's game concluded, seemingly to get refreshments or use the restroom.
Alexander Armstrong, host of the BBC quiz show 'Pointless,' and his wife Hannah Bronwen Snow, were among those who remained. They were seen conversing with Beckham. Images from the event showed Beckham intently watching the match while other attendees were occupied with their phones. He was also observed speaking with Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, as some surrounding seats remained vacant.
Beckham's son Romeo, 23, and his girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 25, were also present at Centre Court, though they did not have Royal Box invitations.
The notes mention a pre-existing professional and personal relationship between Sabalenka and Beckham, stemming from their collaboration with IM8, a health and nutrition brand co-founded by the former footballer and the health sciences company Prenetics.
Following her win, Sabalenka commented on her opponent's performance and her own approach to managing nerves and expectations, rating her own play at '8 out of 10.'
Earlier in the day, the crowd witnessed Jannik Sinner, the defending champion, win his opening match against Miomir Kecmanović in a five-set contest. The day's final match saw Novak Djokovic defeat Wu Yibing. Following this match, Djokovic also interacted with Sir David and his mother.
The article also touches upon a past controversy involving Beckham and Katherine Jenkins. Jenkins was seated behind Beckham, and while they did not interact, the situation alluded to a 2017 incident where leaked emails, allegedly from Beckham, questioned Jenkins' OBE award. Jenkins received her OBE in 2014 for services to charity and entertaining troops. Sir David was knighted by King Charles III in November 2025 for his services to sport and charity. Beckham's representatives had previously dismissed the leaked email claims as 'hacked and doctored.'