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Andy Murray has always had a way of creating alchemy on a tennis court. But, even in retirement, he is discovering new tricks. For more than an hour he has little kids from West Byfleet junior school transfixed as he coaches them through the joys of mini-tennis. There are swings and wild misses, gentle advice and high fives. In fact Murray is so locked in, he even makes his familiar power-exhale noise while he gently lifts the ball over a tiny net.
In short, he is a natural – even if he doesn’t quite see it that way himself. “I think they were just buzzing to get a few hours out of the classroom to be honest,” he says, typically self-effacing, as he chats during a quick break. “But it’s great. I love seeing kids on a tennis court having fun.”
That includes his four children. Although he indicates that none of them have the desire or talent to be the next Andy Murray.
“They’re not good tennis players,” he says, smiling. “But my eldest daughter had her first school match yesterday. I hit a couple of balls with her in the morning. She was saying to me, ‘oh, I’m terrible’ and she was laughing about it. But she actually went undefeated. She and her partner won their matches. We were a bit surprised at her level being that high. So they all hit a little bit, but not a whole lot.”
Murray is in West Byfleet to promote an LTA and government initiative that has led to more than 3,000 dilapidated park tennis courts being brought back to life in three years. It is something that clearly matters deeply to him.
“When I was growing up, a lot of the park courts around where we lived were almost unusable with broken nets and weeds growing out the ground,” he says. “So to have 3,000 more courts just gives more people an opportunity to play. If you want more players at the top, this is where it starts.”
With that, Murray’s thoughts inevitably turn to Wimbledon. Although he admits that now his playing days are behind him, and his coaching stint with Novak Djokovic has ended, it will take something special to lure him back to the All England Club this year.
“I don’t have any plans to go,” he says. “I’m not working there. I don’t go to watch tennis as a fan. But if one of my kids wanted to go along and watch, I obviously would take them. Or if a British player made the final I would go. I went to the Djokovic v Alcaraz final a couple of years ago, just because I had a feeling it was going to be a great match. But I won’t be there otherwise.”
Given Jack Draper’s form, Murray may have to change his mind and he is clearly impressed with the 23-year-old’s development.
“I’m not surprised that he’s up there,” he says. “I trained with him quite a bit when he was younger, and he’s very good. He has a brilliant game. He’s a big guy, lefty, with a big forehand and a really consistent backhand. He also moves really well for a big guy.
“He just had lots of niggles and various injury issues. But this year he’s been fit for the majority of the season and his ranking is where it should be and where it deserves to be.”
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Murray is also too smart to offer advice in public to Draper – not least because when he was coming up he had the likes of Greg Rusedski making suggestions that weren’t always helpful.
“I try to stay away from that,” he says. “Because I just know from when I played Wimbledon the first few times that it was really hard when you had ex-British No 1s, or people that you’ve watched on the TV and looked up to, making public comments.
“And if I say, ‘this is what Jack should do’, I’m pretty sure that when he goes to Wimbledon, he will be getting told, ‘Andy said that you should do this’. And sometimes that advice is contrary to what your coach is telling you. But I would obviously speak to him and his coach privately.”
However, Murray is optimistic about the state of British tennis, with Jacob Fearnley also coming through and three women – Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal – all in the world’s top 50.
“We’re going well at the moment,” he says. “Jack’s done very well. Emma’s a grand slam champion. Sonay’s had a brilliant year. And what Jacob has done in the last year is not quite unprecedented, but it’s very impressive. To come out of college and be around the top 50 is great to see.”
For now, though, Murray admits he is likely to spend more time working on his golf game than watching tennis. Especially now his handicap, which was seven last year, has come down.
“It’s not seven any more,” he says. “I’m two now. I was a bit better than that, but recently I’ve been struggling. So yeah, my handicap is going in the wrong direction.”
But didn’t he nearly win his club championship recently? “I don’t know about nearly won,” he shoots back. “I was one shot behind the leader on the middle of the 13th fairway on the second and final day. But I didn’t manage to get it done.”
When it comes to ex-players Murray reckons that Tim Henman, who is off scratch, is the one to beat. “I played with him on Monday,” he says. “Wimbledon had a golf day with some of the players. He played, along with Alcaraz, De Minaur and Lleyton Hewitt. We were in different groups but Tim played very well. He’s really, really good.” Before he leaves, Murray wants to get a final message across: that he is backing the LTA’s call for more government funding to provide 40 covered tennis, padel and multisport facilities, especially in areas of highest social deprivation.
“It is essential in this country for the winter months,” he says. “Because the weather is not great, particularly up north. It’s tough. It’s not easy to go out and want to run around when it’s freezing cold and raining. So more covered courts will make a big difference.”
It is a message that is soaked in Murray’s upbringing in Scotland. But, as you watch him high five another excited child, you realise it comes from the heart too.
English (US)