Murray to mentor young sports stars after signing trio to management agency
For aspiring young sports stars of the future, there could surely be no better mentor.
Sir Andy Murray has taken three upcoming athletes under his wing and vowed to help them in their careers.
The three-time Grand Slam winner has signed a promising teenage tennis player from Glasgow to his management company, as well as twin sisters from London, both of whom are tipped to make a name for themselves in British sprinting.
With Murray now approaching the back end of his playing career, he hopes he can build a “stable of talent” consisting of hungry young competitors across various sports.
The 30-year-old from Dunblane said he was inspired to dip his toe into sports management after reflecting on his formative years in tennis.
That experience, he said, will stand him in good stea when it comes to advising his young charges.
“When you start out on a career in sport, it’s not easy for athletes or their families to make the right decisions or find the right people to trust,” he explained. “Growing up I made decisions that, with experience, I might not have made now.”
For those fans of the double Olympic gold champion hoping that the move will unearth a new tennis talent, one of the athletes who has signed to Murray’s 77 Sports Management agency is of particular interest.
At just 17, Aidan Mchugh is already making a name for himself and is the current British junior number two.
He has six junior titles and made his debut at the Wimbledon boys championships this year, getting through to the third round after defeating the sixth seed, Marko Miladinovic in three sets.
The opportunity to learn from Britain’s greatest ever tennis player, he said, was a dream come true.
“I’ve been watching him my whole life and following his career, so it’s obviously very cool to be able to speak to him now and get advice,” Mchugh said.
“He’s got the pinnacle of what he’s doing, so there’s no better person to learn from.
“It shows how special he is that he’s numbers one in the world, he’s won slams, but he’s helping younger players – he cares about the younger players coming up. It’s really nice and I think it’s overlooked a bit.”
Murray’s emerging roster is completed by Shannon and Chriece Hylton, both 20, who are making strides in their chosen sport.
Shannon, who competes in the 200 metres event, recently competed in the IAAF World Championships in London, narrowly missing out on the semi-finals. She was crowned British champion at the British team trials earlier this year.
Cheriece, who runs in the 200 metres and 400 metres, has been selected to compete in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia’s Gold Coast.
While the sisters compete in a different sport from Murray, the Scot believes he has what it takes to lend them a hand where necessary.