Scot ace Andy Murray says mum Judy deserves an OBE for her services to British tennis
British No 1 got his gong in 2013 and wants ex-coach and women's tennis trailblazer to get a day at the Palace too
ANDY MURRAY is immensely proud that big brother Jamie has joined him in the ranks of British sport’s top brass.
But after Jamie and Davis Cup captain Leon Smith were made OBEs in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, Murray is not the only one wondering: What about a gong for mum Judy?
The British No 1, who himself became an OBE in the 2013 New Year Honours, said: “I’m obviously going to be biased.
“But I know how much time and effort she has put into British tennis — and it’s a lot more than me, Jamie and Leon have!
“I think she has done a great job in all the different roles she has had within the game.
“She has dedicated a large part of her life to the sport.
“It’s not a coincidence that Leon was mentored by my mum and was given the chance to coach me and Jamie from a young age. Or that me and Jamie have gone on to achieve what we have.
“There are more people than my mum involved in that, our dad as well, helping us travel and making sacrifices financially to allow us to do stuff.
“But there’s one common denominator in the success of me, Leon and Jamie — and that’s her.”
Judy now spends a lot of her time on her grassroots initiatives, Tennis on the Road and Miss-Hits, inspiring future generations by starting them off with some of the simple games which she once played with her sons.
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Born just 15 months apart, Andy and doubles ace Jamie were each other’s first playing partners and rivals on a journey to the peak of their sport.
Andy, 29, said: “I think we were both really lucky that we had each other.
“Until we were 13 or 14, to have someone to practise with, to compete against, to play with, it made a huge difference.
“It meant we were able to keep improving. We are extremely lucky we both played to a good enough level that we could keep pushing each other.
“We’re both very important to each other’s success.”
And no one is happier than Andy to see his brother fulfilling his talent after some difficult times.
Jamie, 30, has had a stellar year, reaching Grand Slam finals with previous partner John Peers, winning another in his new pairing with Bruno Soares and claiming three crucial doubles rubbers with his brother in Britain’s historic Davis Cup-winning campaign.
He also goes into Wimbledon next week having regained his world No 1 doubles ranking.
Andy said: “Since Wimbledon last year, he’s achieved great things.
“He has kept believing in himself and has got right to the top of what he does. There are very few people who are able to say that in their job. I’m really proud of him.”
l ANDY MURRAY was training underground at Under Armour’s hidden tennis court in London ahead of Wimbledon.