Tennis star and wife Kim Sears expecting bouncing baby

‘Private couple’ will not say any more, as bookies give odds on future Wimbledon champ

Andy Murray is to become a father for the first time next year, after it was confirmed his wife Kim Sears is pregnant.

The couple married in the tennis player’s home town of Dunblane in April.

It is understood they told family and friends the news after Kim, 27, visited hospital for a 12-week scan, with the baby due in February.

His agent confirmed the pregnancy, saying they are a very “private couple” and no further details would be revealed.

Murray fans were quick to congratulate the couple, tweeting him their best wishes.

The former Wimbledon champion’s mother Judy recently told a magazine that she was “really looking forward to being a granny”.

Murray, 28, enjoyed a strong run of form after marrying his long-term girlfriend in front of family and friends at Dunblane Cathedral on April 11, reaching the semi-finals of the French Open and Wimbledon, and winning his first titles on clay.

Speaking to Sky Sports this year, he said: “It (marriage) has been nice and a lot of people have spoken about the honeymoon period. But we’ve been together a very long time and getting married was the next step.”

The couple, who met as teenagers in 2005 through tennis circles, live in Surrey with their two Border terriers, Maggie and Rusty. As well as offering odds on what their baby will be called, Labrokes has the child at 500/1 to be a future Wimbledon champion.

Murray has been competing in Washington this week as part of his preparations for the US Open, which takes place at the end of the month in New York.

He may have triumphed at Wimbledon but there’s no doubt that the latest task lying ahead of Andy Murray will prove every bit as tough. The news that our national sporting hero is expecting his first child has been greeted with cheer across the land.

Of course, like every new father, the pressure will be on to make sure he does his part around the house.

How sleepless nights and nappy changes will affect the tennis star’s game remains to be seen.

Picture: GC Images. Andy and Kim married in Dunblane.