Holding Court With A Tennis Ace

While brother Andy may make most of the headlines, Jamie Murray has enjoyed a great deal of success.

- Garry Fraser

FOR any tennis-daft youngster who dreams of serving up on Centre Court, Andy and Jamie Murray are role models par excellence.

For years, they have shown a grit and dogged Scottish determination that has seen them through the toughest of tests.

Nothing illustrated this more than their inspiration for Great Britain’s Davis Cup victory in 2105, the nation’s first success in that tournament for 79 years.

But better was to follow. Both men – Andy in singles, Jamie in doubles – rose to the top of the tennis tree with individual performances that thrilled the spectators and unnerved their opponents. Each ended 2016 as world number one in their respective fields and, with the Wimbledon championships fast approaching, both will hope that the green lawns of London SW19 will yield further glory this summer.

Andy tasted success there last year – Jamie 10 years ago. Can it be his turn again in 2017? On paper, he and his partner Bruno Soares start among the favourites but the competition is sure to be intense.

“The doubles game is really open just now,” Jamie says. “I think the French guys who won last year, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, played really well and John Peers, my former partner, and Henry Kontinen have already won the Australian Open.

“The Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, are still up there but hopefully I will do well. There are seven or eight good teams right now and everyone has beaten everyone else. It is really open which makes it very exciting.

“For me, Wimbledon is the biggest grand slam. American players all want to win the US Open, while some of the European players want to win the French Open in Paris at Roland-Garros. Likewise, the Australian players want success in the Australian Open.