Judy Murray has said she remains frustrated at the lack of a legacy in Scotland from her son Andy’s tennis career after his decision to retire.
Sir Andy Murray brought the curtain down on a glittering 20-year career after losing in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles at the Olympics in Paris on Thursday.
He has been hailed as Scotland’s greatest ever sportsman after winning three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals.
But his mother – who was also his coach in the early years of his career – believes not enough has been done in his home country to build on his global success.
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Video caption,’I wish we had more in Scotland to show for Andy’s success’
“What he has done has changed the face of British tennis,” she said.
“I suppose, if I had a wish, I wish we had more in Scotland to show for it.
“I think people get sick of hearing that we’ll never have another Andy or Jamie Murray.
“But they’ve built this enormous fan base in Scotland and all over the world, so why shouldn’t we?”
The Lawn Tennis Association recently pledged £5m to a new community tennis centre near Dunblane.
The project, led by Judy Murray, includes plans for a multi-sport site including outdoor tennis and padel courts.
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Judy added: “Certainly, we have the will to invest in the game in Scotland.
“We’re trying to build a multi-sport community centre with tennis at the heart of it just out of Dunblane, which we run as a charitable foundation.
“We are all really relishing the opportunity to give back to a sport that has given us so much.”
Judy has spoken out in the past about the lack of funding for public courts across Scotland.
She has also criticised Scottish tennis for failing to live up to its promise to leave a lasting legacy by building on the success of her sons.
She said in 2021: “I predicted, quite some time ago, that Jamie and Andy would retire and there would be nothing to show for it, and I really feel that now.
“We will never get this chance again.”
Importance of year-round facilities
Karen Ross, who is head of performance at Tennis Scotland, believes indoor facilities are key to discovering the next Andy Murray.
She told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “To be able to play all year round is a massive benefit. We’ve seen that with facilities coming on in Moray and in Oriam (Scotland’s sports performance centre in Edinburgh).
“To have competitions all year round gives far more opportunities for the players to compete and train.
“We don’t have the benefits of the weather like Spain or some of the other countries, so indoor facilities makes a massive difference.”
Meanwhile, Judy Murray says she is looking forward to spending more time with her son after his retirement.
She said she is excited about what comes next for Andy and admits he has been thinking about retiring for some time.
“I think he’s been considering at least since his hip operation in 2017,” Judy said.
“And you know it’s a shame because when he got that injury, he was number one in the world and playing the best tennis of career.
“Typically for him, he fought to give himself the chance to get back on the tour and start playing again. His resilience and determination, and his attention to detail in rehab in getting the best out of himself, are second to none.
“But now he feels it’s the right time physically and emotionally and he’s ready to move on to the next stage of his life, whatever that may be.
“I’m actually really excited to see what he does next.”
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