Knows nothing about me? At upset me but now? Who cares? – Judy Murray
– as she gets ready to celebrate a milestone birthday
Even with the ambition to play professionally, no one believed it was possible because no one from Scotland had done it before. “When I see what the boys have achieved, it is all about someone creating opportunities for them to let them take the next step. That’s the same for all the kids.”
Her lifelong pursuit of excellence and opportunities for her young players has demanded boundless energy and, nearing her milestone birthday, she is starting to conserve her get-up and go.
Judy said: “I’ve just done a detox retreat for five days. People go for all sorts of reasons, but it gave me that peace and quiet where I could read and relax – something I never do at home.
“I realised over the last four or five years that as you get older you need to look after yourself better.
“I travel a lot and when I’m away my diet can be in and out, depending on where I am and what I’m doing. This detox retreat is my reward to myself and I’m going to do it twice a year because your health is your wealth.
“I haven’t looked after myself as well as I ought to and that’s something I’m changing.
“I’m noticeably stiffer when I get up so I now have a stretching routine which makes a difference and helps with circulation.
“I’ve got my grandkids now and want to be fit for them. Heading into my 60s, I’m going to spend more time looking after me.” In a playing and coaching career full of highlights, in the years spent supporting her Grand Slam winning sons, Judy has enjoyed her fair share of golden moments. But one stands out – the 2015 Davis Cup semi-final in Glasgow.
She remembers: “It was the Saturday; doubles day and we weren’t sure if Andy would play doubles in the semi-final. “We were all there as a family and I got a text from Andy saying, ‘I’m going to play with Jamie’ and just thought ‘fantastic’. “They came out in front of 8,000 people to the Red Hot Chilli Pipers playing Scotland the Brave, led by GB captain Leon Smith. He started his career with me when he was 20 and is like my third son. I was really, really emotional.
“I thought, ‘This is the east end of Glasgow where you won’t find a tennis court for love nor money. This is the World Cup of tennis happening here and it’s with my sons and Leon’.
“I felt massive pride in them but also in the knowledge that it would not be happening if I hadn’t had the conviction to take on the national coach job and shrug off all those people who didn’t believe in tennis in Scotland.”