Players Photos Biography Videos: Andy Murray

Friday, 1 July 2011

Andy Murray

Andy Murray Biography
Andy Murray (born 15 May 1987) is a Scottish tennis player born in Dunblane, Perthshire, Scotland. He prefers to play on clay courts but seems more than comfortable on grass. Murray is 190 cm tall (6ft3") and generally uses a double-handed backhand.
Early life
In 1996, aged 8, Andy Murray survived the Dunblane Massacre, in which 16 children and their teacher were killed at his primary school. Murray hid in the headmaster's office as the massacre occurred. He says he doesn't remember any of it.
Early career
Won the Orange Bowl in Florida at the age of 12. In September 2004, aged 17, he won the U.S. Open tennis Boys' title. Two weeks later, Andy Murray found himself a member of Great Britain's squad for the Davis Cup match versus Austria, although he didn't play in the team's 3-2 loss. In December he was named the Young Sports Personality of the Year at the BBC's famous awards ceremony.
Into the limelight
After his selection for the Austria Davis Cup match, Andy Murray was called up again in 2005, this time taking part in the doubles against Israel and becoming Britain's youngest ever Davis Cup player.
Andy Murray and David Sherwood produced a surprise win over the Israeli doubles team; at the time the World number eight pairing and who had reached the Wimbledon semi-final in 2003. This helped the British team to a 3-2 victory.
The Scot then went on to reach the semi-finals of the Boys' tournament at the French Open, but this would prove to be his last foray into the Junior events at the Grand Slams.
Stepping up to the seniors
Just prior to the French Open, Andy Murray turned professional and played his first senior tournament, being given a wild card to an ATP International Series Gold clay-court event in Barcelona. He lost in the first round to Jan Hernych.
This got Andy Murray his first senior ranking point - and he was soon handed a second wild card for the Stella Artois championship at Queens Club, England. In an unheralded run of form, he beat Santiago Ventura and highly-rated American Taylor Dent on his way to reaching the third round, before losing to sixth seed Thomas Johansson in three sets, after picking up an injury; sustained while collapsing with cramp when just two points away from victory. This ankle injury forced him to withdraw from another grass warm-up for Wimbledon, the Nottingham Open.
Miscellaneous
Before all his first four major matches on the senior tour (v. Dent - which he won, Johansson - where he was two points away from winning, Stepanek - which he won and Nalbandian - which he lost from 2-0 up) he has predicted/expected to lose, stating this publicly, showing mental shrewdness - some say.
Andy Murray has vowed to sign all autographs he is asked for - having been ignored by his idol Andre Agassi after a Wimbledon match as a child.
Having been born and bred in Scotland, Andy Murray becomes hugely annoyed when forgetful - often American - journalists refer to him as English.

Andy Murray