Five interesting facts about Andy Murray's family

Andy Murray married Kim Sears in April 2015 in Dunblane, Scotland.

‘Right place at the right time’ is a phrase used to describe how the world conspired to help a person achieve what he has. The phrase is most often used in the world of sports, which gives more opportunities to create records. But, there is always another side to the story, where a few people by destiny find themselves in the right place at the wrong time.

In tennis, it is none other than Andy Murray, who played in the era of probably the three greatest players of all-time. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic dominated the post-2000 era and Murray was the one who was constantly chasing them.

The fact is that in a period of nine years between July 2008 and September 2017, he was in the top four in eight of the nine end-of-the-year rankings, but could be at No.1 for just one month. Still, Murray had a fair share of success, becoming the first male player to win two Olympic gold medals.

The Brit is known for his off-field antics as well, referring to himself as a feminist and never backing away from voicing his opinions. Let’s look at the five of the most interesting facts about Murray and his family.

5. Trained by his mother – Judy Murray

Talking about destiny, Andy Murray was born in a sporting family with his mother Judy Murray, a professional tennis player and father Willie Murray, a professional footballer. It didn’t take too long for Andy to pick a tennis racquet as he started at the age of three.

It was his mother who trained him and made him compete with adults in the Central District Tennis League at the tender age of eight. His father’s influence and love for the game of football got him an opportunity to train with Rangers Football Club. But, Andy refused it and decided to pursue a career in tennis.

Andy gained a strong work-ethic and a keen sense of competition under his mother’s guidance. He trained and practiced for many hours, constantly seeking methods to get better at what he did. No matter how difficult things were, she urged him to never give up, to be brave and to take chances.

4. Jamie Murray – His brother & doubles partner

It is not just Andy Murray who benefitted from the expertise of his mother. It was his elder brother who was the first beneficiary from the family to be coached by Judy Murray. If Andy emerged as a dominant force in singles, Jamie Murray tasted success in the doubles and mixed doubles.

Jamie has won more Grand Slams and stayed as No. 1 for more weeks than Andy Murray. It all started with Jamie pairing together with Andy in their initial days. The brothers learned to appreciate the game and to have confidence in their own skills. This promoted Andy to take the singles route, but Jamie stayed with doubles.

The duo represented their country in the Davis Cup and Olympics. The pair played a crucial role in Britain winning the Davis Cup for the first time in 2015. Ironically, Wimbledon 2024 will see the duo playing together again with a wild card entry.

3. Held hostage in Dunblane shooting massacre

Every sportsman will have a lot of drama in his sports career. However, the Murray brothers were involved in a dramatic incident during their school days. The duo attended the Dunblane Primary School in Scotland. On 13 March 1996, 43-year-old Thomas Hamilton entered the school and started shooting at the people.

He killed 17 people, injuring 15 before killing himself. Incidentally, the two Murray brothers were part of the many hostages in the school. Hearing the gunshots, Murray along with his classmates took cover in a classroom. Andy Murray is still reluctant to talk about the incident.

But, in his autobiography Hitting Back, the three-time Grand Slam champion divulged some shocking revelations about having attended a youth group run by the killer, Hamilton and his mother gave lifts in the months leading up to the incident.

2. Andy Murray’s marriage – A party, literally

In his first year as a pro, Andy not only made his debut at the Grand Slams but also met his wife. At an after-match party during the 2005 US Open, the then-18-year-old met Kim Sears who was in school. The couple kept their relationship under wraps before an excited Andy Murray revealed it to the world. At the 2006 Pacific Coast Championships, he won his first ATP title and celebrated the win by kissing his girlfriend in the crowd.

The moment was all that the media required as the attention turned towards Kim. The spotlight was a bit too much for the teenager who was waiting to go to school the next day. The pair dated for a decade before tying the knot on 11 April 2015 in Dunblane, Scotland. The attention the couple got earlier in their lives has made them keep their personal lives private.

ALSO READ: Andy Murray to become British player with most appearances at Wimbledon

1. Father of four

Andy Murray and his wife have four children, a son and three daughters. Andy’s eldest daughter is called Sophia, who seems to have found some interest in tennis. His wife Kim gave birth to their second daughter, whom they named Edie. Next, the pair welcomed a son, who Andy and Kim called Teddy.

The lovely couple became parents for the fourth time during the pandemic lockdown in 2021. Like they have done all their life, the family protected the privacy of the news. The two-time Olympic gold medalist initially refused to reveal the gender of the child, later the pair named their third daughter Lola.

In the twilight of his career, the former Wimbledon champion considers the behaviour of his children to be his future achievements and is already feeling proud about it.

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