Jamie Murray has opened up about how his father, William Murray, quietly played a huge part in shaping both his and Andy Murray’s tennis careers, even though their mum, Judy, often receives the spotlight.
Speaking on Lorraine, Jamie, 33, explained that while Judy’s outspoken support has made her a well-known figure in the tennis world, their dad was just as important behind the scenes. After their parents separated, the brothers lived with William, who handled much of the day-to-day responsibilities, from driving them to tournaments to washing and ironing their kits.
“Mum’s in the public eye,” Jamie said. “But my dad was there just as much, raising us equally. He did all the ferrying around and the boring chores — he’s always been a great dad, even if people don’t see it.”
William, who has since remarried and works as a regional manager for RS McColl, has generally stayed out of the limelight, unlike Judy, who has built a career as a tennis coach and advocate for women in sport. She has even appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and was awarded an OBE for her contribution to tennis.
Reflecting on the impact of his parents’ divorce in 2005, William once admitted it was painful to break the news to his sons, saying both Andy and Jamie were “distraught” at the time.
Jamie, who has just launched his own YouTube channel featuring cooking and tennis content, also touched on Andy’s uncertain tennis future. After undergoing hip surgery, Andy is still in recovery, and while Jamie hopes they can one day play doubles together again, he emphasized that his brother’s health is the priority.
“He’s gone through a lot,” Jamie said. “Nobody has really come back from this type of surgery in sport before. He’s working hard on rehab, and we’ll just have to see how it goes. There’s no pressure on him.”
