Long before he earned the title Sir Andrew Murray OBE, achieved world number one status, claimed three Grand Slam titles, and became one of the greatest athletes in the nation’s history, he was perceived quite differently by at least one individual.
In 2006, the football World Cup coincided with Wimbledon. The then 19-year-old Murray, who had once harbored dreams of becoming a youth football star, humorously remarked in a conversation that he would cheer for “whomever England was up against.”
His quip didn’t go over well. Online commenters criticized him harshly on his blog, and even his wristbands emblazoned with the Scottish saltire drew negative attention.
Murray quickly became a target in a tense Anglo-Scottish climate. Just a month earlier, the Scottish First Minister had faced backlash for his own comments about not supporting England.
However, the backlash against Murray’s jest was much more pronounced.
Later that same year, during his second Wimbledon, he passed by a fan en route to his match. He caught a snippet of her conversation, filled with expletives and anti-Scottish remarks, as she noted having spotted him.
“I remember thinking, What? I was 19. This is my home tournament. Why is this happening?” Murray recounted in a 2017 interview., external
“As a kid, I received notes sent to my locker saying, ‘I hope you lose every tennis match for the rest of your life.’”
Fast forward to 2012, and Murray had already made significant achievements.
He reached the US Open final in 2008, becoming the first British male to achieve this feat since Greg Rusedski in 1997.
He followed that with two more Grand Slam finals—at the Australian Open in 2010 and 2011—but Britain continued to seek its first male major singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.
Yet, public sentiment towards him remained mixed.
As the joke on Twitter went, he was British in victory and Scottish in defeat.
At that time, Murray stood on the brink of becoming part of tennis’ elite Big Four. Roger Federer radiated greatness, often referred to as a ‘god’ at Wimbledon; Rafael Nadal embodied tenacity and perseverance; and Novak Djokovic, a rising star seeking to disrupt their dominance, showcased remarkable agility and unmatched endurance.
But Murray? He was the most relatable—at times appearing disillusioned with the sport itself. His emotional transparency, while admirable, often drew criticism.
He faced accusations of being whiny, anti-English, and dull, when in reality, he was simply expressing the frustration we all feel in our respective jobs while trying to find humor in it.
“I believe any young athlete thrust into the limelight struggles with media scrutiny,” said his mother, Judy, during an interview in the BBC Sport documentary Andy Murray: Will to Win.
“In tennis, players must confront the media after every match, win or lose. Naturally, it’s easier when you’re victorious.”
“At just 18, he had some media training, but nothing truly prepares you for facing a crowd of approximately 300 people.”
“His instinct is to be authentic and share his thoughts, but with time, he would grow more proficient in handling it.”
