People | August 27, 2015 05:15 PM EDT
50 Facts about Andy Murray – The Scottish Tennis Player
Andy Murray, currently ranked 2, is the first British male to win a Grand Slam in 70 years in open era. Here are 50 interesting facts about the world famous champion.
- Murray won his first Grand Slam title by defeating Djokovic in the finals of 2012 U.S. Open. He is the first British since Fred Parry to win a Grand Slam title.
- Andrew Barron Murray or just Andrew Murray was born on May 15, 1987 in Glasgow, Scotland.
- He was born with a defective kneecap also called bipartite “Patella.” The defect was not diagnosed until he was 16.
- He was born to Judith and William Murray. He grew up in “Dunblane,” and attended “Dunblane Primary School.” His maternal grandfather, Roy Erskine, was a professional footballer in the late 1950s.
- He and his brother Jamie Murray were present when, the infamous 1996 Dunblane School massacre took place.
- His mother Judy Murray is a tennis player and is the captain of Britain’s Federation cup team. His father is a manager for Scottish newsagent chain.
- Murray was introduced to tennis by his mother, Judith. By the age of eight he started to compete in the district tennis league.
- One of Murray’s coaches Leon Smith describes him as unbelievably competitive. This can be attributed to Murray’s parents split-up and also to sibling rivalry with older brother Jamie Murray.
- Murray’s potential was evident at a young age of 10 when he beat his older brother Jamie Murray in the under 12 final of “Solihull Tennis Match.” His brother was the second best junior in the world.
- At 15, he declined an offer to train with “Ranger Football Club”, to concentrate on tennis career.
- His perception about training changed, when he started losing grounds to his peers, in particular to Rafael Nadal, who was training with Carlos Moya, #1 tennis player in the world.
- Murray moved to Barcelona, Spain and joined “Sanches-Casal Academy.” He trained with world renowned player Emilio Sanchez.
- Murray invested £1.8 million in “Cromlix House,” a Victorian mansion. In April 2014, it was converted as a five star hotel.
- In recognition of his service to tennis he was awarded “Freedom of Stirling” and honorary Doctorate by “University of Stirling.”
- After dating Kim Sears for nine years, he finally married her on April 11, 2015. He first met Sears in 2005 through her father, Nigel Sears a tennis coach.
- At the age of 12 he won the prestigious junior tournament, “Orange Bowl.” He defeated Tomas Piskacek of Czech Rep, 6-4, 6-1.
- As a junior in 2003, he started to participate in senior circuits and won his first “Futures” event in Glasgow. He was the youngest Briton to win a senior tournament.
- As #2 seed, Murray won his first junior Grand Slam tournament, the U.S Open 2004. He defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine, 6–4, 6–2. He was selected for Davis Cup team.
- Murray won the 2004 “BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year” award. He is the only non-English recipient of the award.
- In March 2005, as 17 years old, Murray became the youngest Britain to play a Davis cup match. Partnering David Sherwood he won the doubles against Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram of Israel to give Britain lead.
- By April 2005, Murray turned professional and was ranked 407 in the world. He entered a clay court tournament in Barcelona as a wild card entry.
- Murray was given a wild card entry for the “Queen’s Club Tournament.” He won the first round match against Santiago Ventura, to register his first ATP match win.
- Ranked 312, Murray was given wild card for “The Championship, Wimbledon.” He reached the third round to become the first Scottish in the open era.
- Murray won his first five set match as a wild card entrant in the 2005 “U.S Open.” He beat Andrei Pavel of Romania, 6-3,3-6,3-6,6-1,6-4.
- Murray experienced his first ATP final, when he reached the final of 2005 “Thailand Open” against world #1 Roger Federer.
- Murray’s performance in 2005, catapulted him from 407 to world # 64 in the ranking. He was also awarded the 2005 “Scotland Sports Personality of the Year.”
- On July 26, 2006, Brad Gilbert took over from Mark Petchey as Murray’s coach. He helped Murray to reach career high ranking of #8.
- He reached the fourth round of 2006 “Wimbledon” and “U.S .Open” for the first time, after an indifferent start in the other Grand Slams, “Australian Open” and “French Open.”
- Murray experienced new high of his career, when he beat for the first time top 10 ranked players on the way to title in the “SAP Open,” San Jose. He beat Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt on the way to the title.
- Murray started the 2007 season well by reaching fourth round of “Australian Open.” He was beaten by world #2 ranked player, Rafael Nadal, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 1-6.
- In November, 2007 he again changed coach. He opted for team of experts with Miles Maclagan as the head coach.
- Murray reached his first final of a Grand Slam at 2008 “U.S. Open.” He beat Nadal for the first time after five straight losses, on the way to final.
- Murray learned one of his hardest lessons of his career at the 2008 “Beijing Olympics.” As the six seed, he lost the first round to Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan.
- Murray ended the year 2008 with the ranking of #4 in the world and qualified for the “Masters Cup for the first time. He lost to Davydenko 5-7, 2-6 in the semi-finals.
- On May 11, 2009, Murray became world #3, highest ever ranking by a British male in the open era.
- He won the 2009 “Queen’s Club Tournament,” the first British in 70 years. He defeated James Blake in straight set 7-5, 6-4. Bunny Austin won it last in 1938.
- At 2009 “Wimbledon,” Murray was part of history. His match against Stanislas Wawrinka was played entirely under retractable roof. He beat him in five sets after 3hrs and 56 minutes in a quarter final match.
- When Murray had a difference of opinion about his game with coach Maclagan, he replaced him with Alex Corretja in July 2010.
- He won his first doubles title partnering his brother in the 2010 “Valencia Open 500” tournament. They defeated Boopathi and Mirnyi in the finals.
- He reached the final of 2011”Australian Open” before losing to Djokovic in three sets. Before the tournament, Murray and leading players played a charity match to raise money for Queensland flood victims.
- His win against Baghdatis in the third round of 2012 “Wimbledon” is record for playing up to late in the evening. The match got over at 23:02 BST.
- When Murray reached the 2012 “Wimbledon” finals, he became the first male British since Bunny Austin in 1938. He lost the final to Federer.
- Murray won the gold in the 2012 “London Summer Olympics.” He defeated Federer in the finals. He became the first British male to win a tennis gold in singles, since 1908.
- Murray won silver in mixed doubles and gold in the singles, to become the seventh man in an open era to win two medals in the same Olympic Games.
- Murray was appointed “Officer of the Order of the British Empire” (OBE).
- Murray won his first “Wimbledon” singles title after defeating Djokovic in the finals of 2013. He is the first British male to win the title since 1936. He was awarded the 2013 “BBC Sport Personality of the Year.”
- When Murray won the semi-final match of the 2015 “Miami Open,” he became the first British player in the open era to have 500 or more wins.
- Murray supports charity and he is the founding member of Malaria No More UK Leadership Council.
- Murray and his wife Kim recently revealed the news of their first child due by February, 2016.
- In August 2015, Murray beat Djokovic for the first time since his 2013 Wimbledon final, in 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory after three hours. He dedicated the victory to his coach Amelie Mauresmo.
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