Judy Murray Wants A Scottish Tennis Center

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 11th December 2013

Judy Murray Wants A Scottish Tennis Center

epa03765079 Judy Murray arrives on Centre Court to watch her son Andy Murray of Britain take on Tommy Robredo of Spain in their third round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 28 June 2013. EPA/TOM HEVEZI |

Judy Murray is starting to compile her holiday-and-beyond wish list, with the mother of Andy Murray hoping to someday establish a Scottish tennis center which will surely ride the famous coat-tails of her Wimbledon-winning son.

The British Fed Cup captain has called establishment of the institution the “one remaining big goal” in her life. Murray told Scottish media that the envisioned center would be named for Andy and would promote the sport among Scottish children. She is said to be currently searching for a suitable building site.

“This is my big goal. I want it to be something to leave behind,” said Murray. “It would absolutely kill me if Andy finished his career in five years’ time or whenever and we didn’t have much to show for it here in Scotland. The opportunity is there. I’ve got to do it. Ideally, the center would be somewhere near (the Murray family home of) Dunblane. The town and its surroundings are where it all started for me, so I’d want the community and families to be right at the heart of it.”

There is still the small matter of funding to be raised to the tune of around $25 million. But that would not be the end of the expenditure, with annual running costs also expected to be hefty.

“We have this huge opportunity in Scotland,” said Judy Murray. “Tennis has gone through the roof and every kid in every primary school will know something about tennis and Andy. But I don’t think tennis in Scotland has been able to capitalize on the profile, because we have insufficient facilities or an insufficient tennis workforce.

“Andy has been in the world top five for five years now. He has been in a number of Slam finals and has won the Olympics. Yet in all that time there have been just two new indoor tennis courts in Scotland – both at private clubs. For me, that is very sad. Right now in Scotland we have this huge opportunity, but thus far we haven’t taken it.

“If you asked me if there was one big thing I would like to do, this is it: to establish a tennis base for teaching, coaching and playing. It is the one area in which I feel I could leave some sort of legacy.”

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Judy Murray, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon