Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's stepfather unveiled as Sir Andy Murray statue sculptor

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's stepfather has been named the sculptor behind Sir Andy Murray's forthcoming bronze statue at the All England Club.

David Williams-Ellis, the acclaimed artist once hailed as "the greatest living sculptor working in portraiture", has been given the esteemed privilege.

The monument will form a centrepiece of Wimbledon's 150th anniversary celebrations when it is unveiled next summer.

It will be the first statue honouring a former champion at tennis's spiritual home since the Fred Perry sculpture was installed.

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Mr Williams-Ellis, aged 67, was chosen from a shortlist of three artists to immortalise Britain's two-time Wimbledon champion in bronze.

The commission was announced last year but details surrounding the project had remained tightly under wraps until now.

The sculpture will stand considerably larger than life, measuring approximately a fifth bigger than Sir Andy's 6ft 3in frame.

Weighing roughly half a tonne, the bronze figure will dwarf the existing Perry statue, which stands at just three-quarters life size.

Williams-Ellis confirmed the artwork would capture Sir Andy's mid-shot, embodying the dynamic energy that defined his playing career.

The piece is being constructed using clay moulded around a steel framework before being cast in bronze.

"You should be able to recognise the sculpture of Andy from his position," Mr Williams-Ellis said. "When you see it, I hope people go, 'Oh gosh, that really is Andy in flying form'."

The sculptor emphasised that capturing Sir Andy's distinctive playing style was paramount to the commission's success.

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Mr Williams-Ellis brings an impressive portfolio to this prestigious commission, with his most celebrated work being the British Normandy Memorial sculpture, which served as a focal point during the D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations.

His sporting credentials include the bronze tribute to Manchester City legends Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee, which stands outside the Etihad Stadium.

Mr Williams-Ellis crafted a bronze statue for the Princess's 31st birthday and created another piece marking the couple's wedding.

His reputation for capturing movement and energy in his work appears to have secured him this latest commission from the All England Club.

Mr Williams-Ellis revealed that Sir Andy proved remarkably cooperative during their initial meeting, holding poses repeatedly for an hour and a half in a small room.

"He must have done it 50 times. And he was charming, he was smiling and he put his heart into it," the sculptor recalled. "He was actually playing a shot. He hadn't got a ball but he was playing a shot, and nearly falling over through this rather small room. He was flying round the room."

Work on the statue commenced approximately three months ago, with Williams-Ellis employing a tennis-playing stand-in named Joe to pose during the clay modelling phase.

The sculptor confirmed he is now approaching the final stages of the clay work before the bronze casting begins.

"If you don't get the face right, you've had it," Mr Williams-Ellis acknowledged.

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