Andy Murray is loving retirement

By CLAIRE ELLIOT FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL

Published: | Updated:


He may be the most successful tennis player the country has ever produced.

But it would appear Andy Murray is no different to any other parent after admitting he felt a ‘certain amount of guilt’ every time he had to leave his family to go off to work for weeks at a time.

The 37-year-old former double Wimbledon Champion made the remarks as he talked about his retirement which allows him to spend more time wife Kim and their four children.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: ‘The thing that I always found difficult in recent years was that there was always a guilt associated with what I was doing.

‘If I was going away for a trip of like three to four weeks I would feel guilty leaving my children at home or being away from my wife for a long time with them, so missing the kids I found hard.’

Scots tennis ace Andy Murray bowed out of competitive tennis at the Paris Olympics

Scots tennis ace Andy Murray bowed out of competitive tennis at the Paris Olympics

The Dunblane star called time on his illustrious 19-year career at the Paris Olympics last month and left fans chuckling when he changed his status on X to ‘I played tennis’, adding ‘I never liked tennis anyway’.

Now only a few weeks after hanging up his racquet he says he feels ‘really free’ and has ‘lots of time to do whatever it is I want’.

‘I can dedicate time to my children and have free time to play golf or go to the gym on my own terms.

‘It is really nice and I didn’t expect that.’

The three-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medal winner admitted he was expecting to find retirement hard and be ‘missing tennis a lot and wanting to get back on the tennis court on tour’.

But he said: ‘So far it has been the complete opposite to what I was thinking.’

Andy Murray felt 'guilty' for leaving his wife Kim and four children for weeks at the time to compete

Andy Murray felt 'guilty' for leaving his wife Kim and four children for weeks at the time to compete

Murray, who won his first Grand Slam in 2012 at the US Open, went on to end Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s Wimbledon champion in 2013 when he defeated Novak Djokovic, before winning it again in 2016.

But in recent weeks his life has taken on a different pace and the tennis ace even posted a picture of himself in a face mask, with the comment: ‘I knew retirement was going to hit me hard.’

His tongue-in-cheek social media update sparked a string of comments, including five laughing faces from broadcaster Piers Morgan.

Murray, who played 1,001 singles matches in his career, however has no intention in turning his back on sport altogether.

He says he will continue to ‘love tennis’ but is now turning his focus to the golf course.

Despite not being able to play much in recent years because of back and hip problems, he is still determined to push himself.

He said: ‘I want to get to scratch, whether that is possible or not I don’t know.

‘I’ve got a lot of time on my hands to practise.’

And he will be in full swing later this month after it was announced he is to team up with Scottish Open champion Robert MacIntyre for the prestigious BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am.

The contest will see professional golfers and celebrities combine forces at Wentworth Club in Surrey later this month, along with Spiderman star Tom Holland and Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

WimbledonAndy MurrayNovak DjokovicScotland

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