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Andy Murray attempted to prank us all with a carefully placed April Fools’ joke yesterday.
The problem was it was so carefully placed, that almost everyone missed it entirely and thought the announcement about his hotel was the actual scam .
Turns out, not so.
He has indeed just opened a 15-bedroom Victorian building, called Cromlix , based three miles from his hometown of Dunblane in Scotland.
And it does boast tennis courts and pristine gardens and a restaurant run by renowned French chef Albert Roux.
What he isn’t about to do is announce a new tennis coach:
Geddit? Geddit? No. Us neither.
The dour Scot’s attempt at humour once again fell on deaf ears, surrounded by tumble-weed as it wandered the news feeds of Twitter bereft and alone.
Show all 15 1 /15In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world 'NEW Vegemite iDRINK 2.1' Elsewhere it appears those japesters at Vegemite have decided to have a crack at the energy drinks market, unveiling their 'NEW Vegemite iDRINK 2.1' drink. Although judging by some of the comments, there may actually be a market for it
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Alex Salmond to replace the Queen on new Scottish pound coin The Daily Telegraph has "reported" that plans have been unveiled for a new Scottish pound coin in the event of a victory for the Yes campaign in September's referendum. "The plan,", according to their reporter Flora Poli, "which would be introduced on April 1, 2015, would see the head of Scotland’s First Minister replace that of the Queen if the country votes for independence"
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Union Jack without the blues The Mail said 'an aide' had accidentally revealed the plans while stepping out of a car in Downing Street
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Chickens lay square eggs ITV deserve high marks for craftsmanship with their reporting on 'square eggs'
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Scotland switches to the right The Guardian produced a video 'explainer' for the new system
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Google Japan's 'Magic Hand' Google has also got involved. First up is the Magic Hand, which Google Japan claims will mean even the laziest smartphone user won't have to go to the trouble of using their own fingers. The - entirely made-up - device functions a a thumb, cat paw and even a back scratcher
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Pokemon Master Those brainiacs at Google also came up with a nice little Pokemon wheeze. In a video posted by Google Maps, the company said it was creating a new job - Pokemon Master. The search giant wants people to search the globe looking for 150 of Nintendo's fictional characters. Anyone who finds them all will be invited top the company's headquarters for a final interview. Or not. A cute idea, but one that might have been better for April Fool's 2008
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Ban on selfies Metro included a feature today on the development that the Government is trying to ban people from taking selfies. It included an interview with the "poster boy for a growing anti-selfie movement in the US", Louie "Bull" Geary". And the newspaper said it "has learned" that "a new branch of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport has drafted proposals for a ban on selfies, which could come into force as early as the end of next year"
AP
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Piers Morgan to advise Lib Dems Nick Clegg has made a "surprise appointment", according to the Huffington Post, by hiring Piers Morgan in a media-consulting role ahead of the next general election
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world One Direction North Korea ban The Mirror revealed that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has drawn up plans to challenge the worldwide dominance of One Direction. He has banned them from entering the country unless "the boys opt for the short-back-and-sides hairdo he models." And in a bid to provide competition for Harry Styles and co the leader will set up an X Factor-style talent show to find his own hit band, "dubbed Un Direction"
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Frackingham Palace According to the Sun (£), the Queen has given "her royal seal of approval" to prospectors for fracking in the grounds of Buckingham Palace
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world First shark sighting in a Midland canal An 8ft shark has been "spotted" in the Birmingham canal, the Birmingham Mail reported. The predator was seen by a "quick-thinking passerby" - a Mr S Harks - who filmed the spectacle on his smartphone. The footage, a snapshot of which can be seen above, is indeed shocking
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world Joey Essex is set to be immortalised in a large statue According to the Brentwood Gazette, plans are underway to create a "bizarre juxtaposition" by placing a six-foot bronze statue of Joey Essex in the grounds of the town's 14th century Chapel Ruins. Brentwood Borough Council will be "investing up to £300,000" in immortalising the The Only Way is Essex star
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world An extraordinary archaeological find In the north-east, the Hartlepool Mail reported that a joint team of archaeologists from France and England have discovered the skeleton of a monkey famously hanged in the early 19th century for being a French spy
In pictures: April Fools' Day 2014 round-up: Best spoofs and fake articles from around the world A dodo The Bristol Post, meanwhile, has discovered "recent archaeology and documents" which suggest the last of the Dodos was actually fried and served up with chips in the city. The birds apparently may have been eaten in the west of England more than 50 years after the last previously recorded sighting
Murray split from his long-time coach Ivan Lendl a few weeks ago , which no doubt served as the context for his quip. Unfortunately, however, there was no punchline. Just a few gullible tweeters and confused looking sports journalists.
Much like that time he appeared on Mock The Week and cracked jokes about Rafal Nadal’s skin and bouncy balls. Which you can watch here , if you so desire.
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