Andy Murray has been called many things over the years, some of them printable. But as far as seven-year-old daughter Sophia is concerned, the fuss that continues to surround her dad is because he is “No 39 in tennis or something”.
Others might describe him as a former world No 1, three-time Grand Slam champion including twice here at Wimbledon, double Olympic gold medallist and Davis Cup winner. Thousands of those fans will once again embrace him at SW19 on Tuesday with millions more watching on television back home.
But on Friday afternoon, Murray could not even get a hug from his little girl. Sophia, seven, is the eldest of his four children and has long teased the Scot with his very public persona, showing off in front of her friends by calling him “Andy Murray” instead of “Daddy”.
Finally, though, Murray felt the need to confront her about publicly distancing herself. “My eldest daughter is aware now of what I do but I don’t think she really sees it as a good thing,” Murray said. “I think she gets more embarrassed by it to be honest. “We went to pick her up from school on Friday and she will never properly acknowledge me at the school gates or around the other kids at school. I asked her that night, ‘Why wouldn’t you give me a hug at school today?’
“She said, ‘Because people know you – you’re No 39 in tennis or something!’ She doesn’t see it as a cool thing, it is more than embarrassing.” Murray, of course, does not need reminding that his reputation counts for nothing once the competitive tennis gets going against fellow Brit and friend Ryan Peniston.
However, it does mean he can pick up the phone to the most decorated male tennis player ever, Novak Djokovic, and ask for a hit. A brief stint at the Laver Cup aside, Saturday was the first time he had traded blows with his lifelong nemesis since the agonising days in Australia before the hip surgery that has given him a second wind along with that metal joint.
It has to be a positive sign to back up Murray’s belief that he is in the best shape he has been going into any of the Wimbledons since the operation. “It is only practice and I am fully aware of that and over the years I have never been the best practice-player, so generally if I am doing well in practice it is not always a good sign,” he said.
“For me he is the favourite going into the tournament and that is why I want to be on court with these guys. It is the best practice you can get provided you go into it with the right mindset.
“It is not like because I played well in practice today I am going to have an amazing run here. But it can give you reassurances about certain things in your game that you are having a few doubts about going through the tournament.
“Also if the practice does not go so well it is because you are playing against the best player at exploiting those things you might miss if you only hit against players who are ranked 150 in the world. It was just good to be on the court with him again.”
