Can Murray survive without Mummy?

Mrs Murray, aka Judy Murray, has long been a fixture courtside whenever son Andy plays a tournament. Shouting, occasionally screaming and fixing her laser-like eyes on every move her second son makes on court, as the dutiful mother of a tennis prodigy she is always relied upon to give her enthusiastic support. So far this Wimbledon however, Mrs Murray has been noticeably absent from Andy’s matches.

A former tennis player herself who enjoyed a brief professional career, 52-year old Judy Murray is the mother of not one but two high-achievers in the tennis world and is also a respected tennis coach in her native Scotland. This is the primary reason for her absence at Andy’s games this year, instead of being called upon to attend Wimbledon as Andy and Jamie’s mother, Judy Murray is attending in a professional capacity mentoring Britain’s top female tennis players.

A popular figure in the British tennis world, who is admired for her warm nature but also her ability to be forthright and tough when necessary, Judy Murray’s official presence at Wimbledon this year is as the Fed Cup Captain for the British team, and when her professional duties clash with her world number 4 son’s matches, she chooses her duty over her family.

This is a remarkable change from the Judy Murray that we are used to seeing, especially at Wimbledon. Although she’s drawn plenty of criticism in the past for smothering Andy with her presence court-side, nobody could accuse her of doing so this year as she’s barely seen her son play at the All England Tennis Club. No longer the pushy mother that some players have labelled her as being; the question is whether our British Wimbledon hope will survive the next rounds without her.

Tags andy murray news andy murray wimbledon 2012 wimbledon 2012