Andy Murray
Andy Murray is set to retire from tennis after the Paris Olympics and has given fans a glimpse into his life away from the court with wife Kim and their four children
Andy Murray, the 37-year-old tennis star has retired from tennis following an incredible effort at the Paris Olympics. He teamed up once more with Dan Evans in the men’s doubles quarter-finals, which saw the duo bow out.
The pair succumbed to a 6-2, 6-4 straight-sets defeat in the Olympic men’s doubles quarterfinals on Thursday, August 1. The British pair clinched their spot in the quarter-finals after overcoming two match points against their Belgian rivals – and missing two of their own – with Evans’ triumphant smash winner prompting wild celebrations from both players.
The tennis superstar’s accomplishments on the court are well-documented, with 46 titles to his name, including two Wimbledon and one US Open championship, as well as Olympic victories. However, as one of Britain’s most successful and talked-about athletes, there’s also been a lot of interest in Murray’s off-court life throughout his career, reports Wales Online.
As he hangs up his racket following his last match, we delve into Murray’s life outside the tennis court, from his staggering wealth to his surprising split from wife Kim.
Impressive wealth
Being one of the all-time greats, Murray has accumulated an impressive personal fortune, raking in over £50million just in prize money throughout his glittering career.
His earnings are further boosted by lucrative endorsement deals and sponsorship partnerships with big brands like Jaguar, Castore, Under Armour, and Head. Over the years, he’s also teamed up with other major brands such as Amazon Prime Video, Standard Life, and American Express.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates that these deals and winnings have contributed to a net worth of around £85million. However, some sources suggest it could be closer to a whopping £100million.
Andy Murray boasts a mighty portfolio in the property game, kicking off with the purchase of his lavish Oxshott pad back in 2009 which set him back over £5 million. Not just sitting pretty on his Surrey spread, the tennis ace has rolled in profits from flipping other assets including a trendy Miami flat.
But that’s not all – he showed true love for his Scottish roots by snapping up the posh Cromlix House, a stone’s throw from where he grew up, doling out £1.8 million for the pleasure ten years ago.
Split from Kim and ‘s*****’ father musings
Tying the knot with Kim Sears turned the public’s heads as much as his backhand. The daughter of tennis coach Nigel Sears caught his eye at a 2005 US Open bash, and they decided to make it official circa 2006.
Fast forward to 2015, and wedding bells were ringing.
The Murrays are now a fab four plus one, juggling kiddos Sophia, eight, Edie, six, Teddy, four, and Lola, three. The sports star even quipped in a chat back in 2021 that wrangling the brood into bed was top of his victory list.
Yet, it hasn’t always been child’s play for the couple – they hit a rough patch in 2009, calling time on their romance after a three-year public run. Instead of drama, it was a peaceful parting, with Kim claiming guardianship of their furry friend, Maggie.
The separation was short-lived though, as within half a year, they reunited with Murray candidly expressing: “I work better in a relationship. At the end of the day, especially if I’ve lost a match, I don’t like talking about tennis, so it’s nice to have someone to talk to about other stuff.”
Kim Murray, known for her passionate support of tennis ace hubby Andy, famously let rip with a tirade during his 2015 Wimbledon semi-final victory over Tomas Berdych, exclaiming: “F****** have that you flash Czech f***”.
Sir Andy Murray, who was knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours in 2016, quipped about his wife’s courtside language, saying, “She’s going to have to [do] no more swearing during my matches any more, for any of you who saw that a few years ago,” as he chuckled at the memory.
The tennis star has always been vocal about the importance of fatherhood, once confessing in an interview that being a top-notch dad trumps his on-court triumphs, stating: ”I’d rather be getting up in the middle of the night and helping [with the kids] than winning every tennis match and her thinking when she grows up: ‘Actually, you know what, he was a s****y dad but he won a lot of tennis matches so, you know, well done’.”
Ups and downs with brother Jamie
Despite a strong bond with his brother Jamie, Andy Murray has had his fair share of sibling rivalry, leading to occasional fallouts. Their most notorious disagreement occurred in 2008 when Andy chose to sit out a Davis Cup match against Argentina to protect his knee, a match he would have played with Jamie.
Jamie Murray was miffed when his brother Andy pulled out of the match, leaving him to partner with Ross Hutchins, a game they unfortunately lost. Jamie didn’t hide his feelings as he shared: “It kind of affects the way we feel about him.
“Further expressing his discontent, Jamie said: “I think it’s disappointing he chose not to come. From what I have been reading he hasn’t come out and said he’s injured, it’s more a prevention thing.
“I think if he had really wanted to push himself he could have come here for the match.”
Jamie also mentioned his surprise at the withdrawal, stating: “It was a shock for me and for the team. I was not aware he had a problem. From his point of view, I guess he doesn’t have anything to apologise for as he’s taken the decision not to come.
“The older Murray brother praised Andy’s skill on the court and expressed what might have been: “If he had come here, he would have caused them problems because he has the ability to win singles matches, he’s a world-class player. He’s been in the top 10 and not by fluke.
“I think he would have liked to come here and had the crowd against him, he plays better in those circumstances.”
Andy however was swift to counter Jamie’s critique, replying: “It was a little bit disappointing. But he obviously felt pretty strongly about it and he’s entitled to his opinion. If he knew what it was like playing three five-set matches in a row on clay then maybe he’d understand my position a little bit better.”
Andy opened up about the upcoming tough chat with his brother Jamie regarding their stance on the Davis Cup, admitting: “I’ve not spoken to him yet. I’ll see him soon. I guess we’ll have to have a chat about it and just discuss our feelings on Davis Cup and the sort of position that I am in, but it’s probably not going to be the most fun conversation to have with your brother.”
Despite a brief period of silence, the brothers patched things up after two weeks.
Retirement plans
Looking ahead, Andy Murray contemplated life post-retirement. During an Olympics Village interview, he discussed his future, indicating a step back from tennis to focus on family: “I don’t know exactly what the rest of my life will look like, but I will still stay in touch with the sport,” he remarked. “Initially, I want to be at home with my family. I want to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife, so I won’t be on the road much, I know that.”
Not one to sit idle, Murray is eyeing the golf course for his next challenge once his illustrious tennis tenure comes to a close. He revealed his new goal: “I’ll play a lot of golf.
“I want to become a scratch golfer. I’ve always loved playing golf, but because of the issues with my back, I haven’t played for five or six years.”
Giving a nod towards remaining a part of the Olympic scene, Murray says he’s keen to be involved in the next Games in some way, though specific plans remain undetermined: “I would also love to be part of the next Olympics in some capacity, but I don’t have any clear plans on what it is I’m going to do from a work perspective.”
The tennis star made it clear that a leisurely game won’t suffice, proclaiming: “I don’t see myself playing any of the invitational things or those sort of events. I expect I’ll still hit some balls and stuff, but when I play sport, I like to compete – whether that’s in cards, golf or whatever. I want to be competitive.
“I don’t want to just have a hit and giggle.”
Definitively concluding on retirement sentiments, the athlete confessed: “I know it’s the right time to stop – I didn’t feel that way a few months ago when I thought this is when I was going to stop but I didn’t really want to, whereas now I want to – and I know that it’s the right time for me, so I feel good about it.”
