Andy Murray‘s rarely-seen father has revealed how his sons were ‘distraught’ when he split from his wife Judy, claiming the divorce ‘ripped him apart’.
Speaking ahead of what could be his son’s last ever tennis match at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, Andy’s father William discussed the effect his divorce had on the tennis star and his brother Jamie.
William married Judy in 1980 and went on to have two children – Jamie in 1986 and Andy a year later in 1987.
The couple divorced in 1987 after being separated for nine years and the boys lived with their dad.
Both Andy and Jamie took the news of the divorce hard, their father said, telling the Daily Record: ‘I had to tell them that their mum was leaving home. It ripped me apart to have to hurt them by telling them what I did. They were distraught. They are very different personalities but they took the news much the same way.’
Andy Murray’s father William (right) married Judy (left) in 1980 and went on to have two children – Jamie in 1986 and Andy (pictured with his wife Kim) a year later in 1987
The couple divorced in 1987 after being separated for nine years and the boys lived with their dad
While William has kept a low profile during his sons’ careers, Judy has been regularly pictured court-side with the pair.
In 2019, Andy Murray’s brother Jamie revealed that their ‘quiet’ father has been just as crucial to their tennis success as Judy.
Speaking on Lorraine, Murray, older brother of Andy, said their mother Judy often got all the headlines because she’s ‘in the public eye’ but William was the one who would also ‘ferry’ the duo to tournaments and wash and iron their kit when they were younger.
‘Mum’s in the public eye. My Dad, he was there for us, raised us as much as my mum.
‘We lived with him when my parents separated when we were younger.
‘He did a lot of the ferrying around to tournaments, all the washing and ironing – all the fun stuff I’m sure he enjoyed. He’s in the background but he’s a great dad to us.’
William, who married partner Sam Watson in 2016, said he ‘kept the family home and looked after them for the next four or five years’.
He added: ‘A lot of people don’t realise that because the story isn’t portrayed that way. That’s fine by me because the boys know exactly what happened.’
Andy spoke about his parents ‘painful’ separation in 2007, telling the Telegraph: ‘They didn’t speak too much and they didn’t get on too well together… they are just two different people.
‘If I stayed with my mother for two nights, then I felt I should stay with my father for two nights. At Christmas I didn’t know how long to spend with each of them. I would get stuck in the middle of their arguments.
It has been revealed that William has been just as crucial to their tennis success as Judy
William (left) married Sam Watson (right) at son Andy’s hotel Cromlix House in Dunblane in 2016
Andy Murray and Dan Evans fought back to reach the men’s doubles second round in Paris
‘I would get really upset, and one of the things I would have loved to have more than anything was a family that worked better together, although I love my mother and father to bits.’
William and Judy were seen hugging each other in 2013 at the Wimbledon Ball after Andy had claimed his first Wimbledon title.
Eleven years later, having won a total of three Grand Slams and two Olympic gold medals, the Scot is set to play his last ever professional tennis match at the Paris games.
The 37-year-old is currently competing in the Men’s doubles with partner Dan Evans and the pair sensationally came from behind to win their first round tie.
The British duo looked down and out when Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel had five match points, but they won seven points in a row to take the deciding tie-break 11-9.
Murray and Evans are back on the Rolland Garros court this evening to face the Belgium duo Sander Gillé and Joran Vliegen.
