It’s been tough to watch Andy in pain but, while I feel sad after a hard week, mostly I’m just so very proud
Getting kids close to their heroes should be about sport not money
When Andy and Jamie were little, Wimbledon was just something you saw on TV.
So I took them to see it as part of a trip with Dunblane Sports Club.
Who knows how big a part that played in the inspiration and belief that would lead them to go on and compete at the highest level in the game, but I know they never forgot that day.
Big money will change hands in football in the January transfer window.
Sadly, big sums are also being demanded for the mascots who walk out with their heroes before a match.
Reading that some clubs are charging around £500, it made me wonder why sport nowadays is too much about money-making and not about inspiring talent.
To me, cashing in on kids represents everything that is wrong with sports.
Being a match day mascot is such a big thing in a child’s life.
The closer you can get kids to the action the more chance you have of helping them believe they can do it – and walking out into a stadium with your heroes is a massive opportunity.
The priority in sport should be to involve kids for whom it would have real meaning.
Iknow you will all understand that it’s not been an easy few days out here in Australia.
I’m incredibly sad to see Andy announce the end of his tennis career. Who would have thought a wee boy from Dunblane would ever win Wimbledon and create tennis history?
He has made our nation proud and has proved that anything’s possible if you want it enough and work your socks off. He’s a classic example of “it’s not what you have, it’s what you do with what you have”.
It’s been very tough to watch what Andy has been going through over the past 18 months.
Trying to regain his fitness after surgery and get back on the tour has been a huge challenge. He’s been in pain for a long time and though he’s been working so hard to recover I know just how frustrating it has been for him.
As a parent, all you can do is try to understand what your children are going through so you can help in whatever way is necessary. But it’s tough to see your kids in constant pain.
I’ve said before that with a longterm injury like Andy’s, the only thing you can do is trust that you are being given the right advice and try to weigh up the implications.
That’s why it’s so important to have your family and oldest friends around to give unconditional support, and we will continue to be there for him.
I’m hugely proud of what Andy has achieved in the golden era of men’s tennis. His commitment and professionalism are second to none.
Though these are difficult days right now, I’m sure he will continue to have a huge impact on the world of tennis.
I know he has inspired so many – young and old – to both watch and play tennis and I will continue to hope that the powers that be will find a way to capitalise on his success to create a lasting tennis legacy in Scotland and help to make us a fitter, healthier and more ambitious nation.