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10 causes followers love Andy Murray
As Andy Murray readies for his closing event on the Paris Olympics, ATPTour.com displays on what has made the Scot an everlasting fan favorite
July 26, 2024
Jared Wickerham/ATP Tour
Andy Murray will get up shut and private together with his adoring followers.
By Arthur Kapetanakis
A deep-thinking statesman identified for his dry and self-deprecating humour off the court docket and combating spirit on it, Andy Murray has lengthy been one of the vital common figures on the ATP Tour. The Briton has typically used social media as a solution to give followers a glimpse into his private life, with humour frequently on the centre of his posts.
As ATPTour.com celebrates the profession of the previous No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings throughout his closing event look on the Paris Olympics, we glance again at 10 of our favorite Murray moments by means of the years.
1. Mauresmo teaching stint highlights help for ladies’s tennis
All through his profession, Murray has been a staunch supporter of girls in sport. After he introduced on former WTA No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo as his coach in 2014, the detrimental reactions to the appointment gave him even deeper appreciation for the challenges ladies face in tennis and throughout the sporting panorama.
The groundbreaking appointment made Murray the primary male participant of his stature to work with a lead feminine coach. Whereas it was a pure match for Murray — whose mom, Judy, was his first coach — many outsiders have been fast to criticise the Frenchwomen for any of his struggles.
“Since then, I’ve been requested about ladies’s equality and I might discover it exhausting to look any of the highest feminine tennis gamers within the eye if I didn’t communicate my thoughts,” Murray wrote in a 2017 BBC essay.
Photograph by Jan Kruger/Getty Photographs
The Briton has made a behavior of correcting journalists who neglect the achievements of girls in tennis, together with at Wimbledon in 2017, when he gruffly reminded a reporter that Sam Querrey was the primary “male participant” from the U.S. to achieve a serious semi-final since 2009.
Extra lately, Murray has incessantly used his platform on X, previously referred to as Twitter, to focus on the ladies of the WTA Tour — with reward for Mirra Andreeva and Noami Osaka notable amongst latest examples.
“Have I turn into a feminist?” Murray wrote in a 2015 L’equipe column. “Nicely, if being a feminist is about combating so {that a} lady is handled like a person then sure, I suppose I’ve.”
Anybody put their coronary heart on their sleeve and battle tougher than @andy_murray ? 🥺🙏🏾🔥 https://t.co/c6G2SA2Ycx
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) January 19, 2022
2. “Marriage Works!”
Donning a standard Scottish kilt, Murray married longtime girlfriend Kim Sears in his hometown of Dunblane in April of 2015. Tim Henman was among the many few superstar visitors on the low-key affair.
Instantly following the nuptials, Murray gained back-to-back titles in Munich and Madrid. Upon beating Rafael Nadal to win the Madrid title in Could, he famously wrote “Marriage Works!” on the digital camera lens after sustaining his undefeated document as a married man.
“It has been good and lots of people have spoken concerning the honeymoon interval,” Murray mentioned on the time. “However we have been collectively a really very long time and getting married was the following step.
“I’ve all the time mentioned if the non-public stuff is comfortable and beneath management, that helps your efficiency on the court docket.”
Photograph by Alex B. Huckle/Getty Photographs
3. Residing as much as the billing on the BBC Sports activities Character Awards
Murray is the primary and solely athlete to win three BBC Sports activities Character Awards, having acquired the honour in 2013, 2015 and 2016. On every event, his acceptance speeches showcased his comedic chops with some jokes aimed toward his favorite goal: himself.
“Regardless of how excited I attempt to sound, my voice nonetheless sounds extremely boring,” Murray mentioned after profitable his first award. “So I’m very comfortable and excited proper now, however that’s simply my voice. I’m sorry.”
In 2015 — the one event when he delivered his speech on website on the awards ceremony — Murray talked about a newspaper article that mentioned he was “duller than a weekend in Worthing.”
“I assumed that was a bit harsh… to Worthing,” Murray joked.
Persevering with the theme of laughing at himself, Murray famous in his 2016 speech that his spouse voted for British equestrian Nick Skelton relatively than him. Higher luck subsequent time, Kim!
4. Wimbledon blended doubles with Serena Williams
As Murray eased again into competitors following hip surgical procedure, he joined forces with Serena Williams to type maybe essentially the most star-studded doubles crew in Grand Slam historical past. The well-known companions picked up two wins in must-see matches on the All England Membership in 2019.
One of many extra memorable factors of their run got here within the opening spherical, when Williams was stranded on the internet after chasing down a internet wire. The American fell as she tried to defend herself, leaving Murray scrambling. Although they misplaced what was a set level towards Alexa Guarachi and Andreas Mies, Murray and Serena shared fun on the best way to a 6-4, 6-1 win.
All through their run, which ended after a three-set defeat to high seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar, debate raged amongst followers concerning the correct nickname for the pair. The highest contenders included “SerAndy” and “MurRena”.
Requested for his desire, Murray deferred: “I feel Serena’s the boss so no matter she says goes,” he joked.
Photograph by Matthias Hangst/Getty Photographs
5. Bullseye! Murray hits Lendl in doubles charity match in 2013 at Queen’s
Lengthy earlier than he started teaching Murray in 2012, Ivan Lendl was identified for his intimidating presence on the tennis court docket. As a participant, he by no means shied away from going at opponents.
At a 2013 charity match at Queen’s Membership, Murray was the one who took purpose at his coach… and the document five-time Queen’s Membership champion succeeded with a direct hit off a swinging volley. Large celebrations adopted, after which Murray supplied an apology of questionable sincerity to his coach.
“If I am taking part in properly sufficient to hit Ivan Lendl with a forehand for the primary time ever, I reckon I am in fairly fine condition for Wimbledon,” Murray wrote in a BBC column quickly after.
“Drilling my coach on the internet after attempting for a 12 months and a half rounded off just about the proper day. I hit it so cleanly — it was the most effective shot I performed all week — and I already know that Ivan will attempt to get me again after we practise collectively this week. Imagine me, he will not have any considerations about injuring me the week earlier than Wimbledon.
“As he all the time says: ‘It is only a tennis ball, it is not a hockey puck.’”
6. Marriage ceremony ring: Misplaced & discovered at Indian Wells
Murray ties his wedding ceremony ring to his shoelaces when he performs — a candy gesture that almost turned bitter for the Briton in 2021. After a very sizzling coaching session in Indian Wells, Murray left his sweaty sneakers outdoors by his automobile in a single day to dry. When he returned the following morning, they have been gone.
It was solely when his physio requested him about his ring that he realised he had been dealt a double blow. Murray picked up a brand new pair of trainers at an area professional store, however needed to work a bit of tougher to trace down the ring.
He took to Instagram to inform the story and attraction for assist. Thankfully, the story had a cheerful ending.
After making some calls to resort safety, he shared one other Instagram video the following day with the excellent news: “Just a little replace for everybody: Would you imagine it? They nonetheless completely stink, however the sneakers are again, the marriage ring is again and I’m again within the good books. Let’s go!”
7. The social media comedian
Murray has been identified to crack a joke on social media, and we’ve rounded up a couple of memorable ones right here.
The place else to begin however his well-known Christmas jumper publish on X, the place he revels in his delight at what some may name an “ugly sweater”.
As you possibly can see I am happy to bits with my Christmas jumper #FireInTheBelly pic.twitter.com/qImylslFWG
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) December 26, 2014
Sticking with the household theme, there are the various on-line spats he’s had with brother Jamie and mom Judy… like when Jamie took offense to their mum’s touch upon a photograph of Andy and famed soccer supervisor Jose Mourinho. After all, the youthful brother was fast to set the document straight.
Fast to mock his countrymen for any variety of causes — like Jack Draper for his modeling prowess — Murray additionally takes loads of photographs at himself. On Instagram, he’s shared this video of a wall hit gone mistaken and one other poking enjoyable at his grunting.
Extra lately, he even risked the wrath of Swifties in all places by congratulating Taylor Swift on her “gorgeous efficiency” watching boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs win Tremendous Bowl 58.
8. Enjoying the idiot: Prank sufferer
As one of many extra well-liked gamers on the ATP Tour, Murray has loads of mates and colleagues who’re desperate to get the higher of him in prank wars.
In 2023 on the ATP 500 in Washington, D.C., Frances Tiafoe sneakily listened to a really considerate reply of Murray’s whereas all however respiration down the Briton’s neck. After about 30 seconds of ready for Murray to note him, Tifaoe revealed himself by chiming in.
“How lengthy was he there for?” Murray requested after rolling his eyes.
Be careful Andy: Huge Foe’s behind you 😂@andy_murray @FTiafoe #MubadalaCitiOpen pic.twitter.com/J1ZqzIVPgV
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 30, 2023
Rafael Nadal executed a extra advanced prank lengthy earlier than that. When Murray was out to dinner together with his spouse, the Spaniard despatched him a sequence of flirty textual content messages from one other quantity, having fun with the awkwardness he created from afar.
“I used to be the joke,” Murray mentioned, explaining that Nadal ultimately tapped him on the shoulder and gave himself up. “It was an uncomfortable jiffy for me.”
Murray’s tormentors additionally embrace his personal youngsters. Talking at Indian Wells in 2022, he shared that his oldest daughter was changing into conscious of his fame — and utilizing it towards him.
“Typically she calls me ‘Andy Murray‘, which I discover extremely awkward,” he laughed. “I am like, ‘No, I am daddy. I am not Andy Murray, I am daddy.’
“She does it now to wind me up. She does it particularly when she’s round her mates and stuff.”
9. Undercover ice cream prank in Cincinnati
An unsuspecting prankee many occasions, Murray has additionally performed the function of pranker fairly properly occasionally — like when he went undercover to offer away free ice cream in Cincinnati in 2015.
Totally committing to the function, Murray advisable the important thing lime pie and black raspberry flavours whereas heading off any ideas that he resembled the British No. 1.
When two followers noticed by means of his disguise, they lamented that they might not be on website to see Murray play dwell.
“That’s in all probability not a foul factor,” Murray replied, true to type as ever.
10. Fraser McKnight
Murray performed a starring function in ‘The Tour: A Actuality Present’ — a behind-the-scenes have a look at the manufacturing of the “pretend” tennis season in 2024. Proper at dwelling within the mini mockumentary, the previous No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings revealed his true identification: actor Fraser McKnight.
“I feel that is what folks do not understand. It is all simply scripted,” Murray deadpanned to the cameras. “The gamers, the matches, it is all simply sort of made up… None of it is actual.
“Let’s face it, Persons are silly, so that they’ll purchase something.”
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