Sir Andy Murray has shared that he frequently experiences a sense of “humble” as his five-year-old son has begun to defeat him in a new activity.
While Murray, who is 38, may have initially hoped to see his son follow in his footsteps and become a tennis star, it seems the youngster is instead developing into a promising chess player.
The retired Scottish tennis player has been spending his time away from the court engaging in chess matches against his son, Teddy.
Murray mentioned that his young child is rapidly picking up the strategic game and is performing so impressively that he often comes out victorious against his dad.
In an interview with the BBC, Murray discussed the difficulty a parent can face when losing to their own son.
The Wimbledon champion, who has four children with his wife Kim, commented, “My five-year-old boy has become very interested in chess, which I truly enjoy playing with him.”
He added, “I am not a particularly strong chess player, but I do have a rather analytical mind, and I appreciate the game and seeing him learn and playing alongside him.”
Murray further elaborated on the peculiar situation: “It is challenging to lose to a five-year-old when, mid-game, he`s effectively asking you to come and clean him up.” He continued, “He steps away to use the toilet during our game, then comes back and defeats me at chess. That, for my perceived intelligence, is quite humbling.”
Murray has had more opportunity to refine his chess skills since concluding his coaching role with Novak Djokovic last month. Their professional relationship ended amicably after Murray spent a significant part of the year on Djokovic`s team.
Nevertheless, he has recently taken on a new professional challenge by venturing into the world of venture capitalism.
The holder of two Wimbledon titles has accepted a position as an associate partner at Redrice Ventures, an investment firm based in London.
He shared his thoughts with the Sunday Times, stating, “It`s difficult to move away from a sport like tennis, which was so completely consuming for me for such a long time, and then find yourself without something else to fill that emptiness.”
He noted, “I`ve observed this with other athletes – when they don`t have other interests lined up immediately after retiring from their sport, it becomes hard for them to figure out who they are.”
Murray also pointed out, “I am only 38 years old, so that`s a considerable amount of time ahead to be retired.”
“My plan had always been to dedicate more time to my various business interests once my tennis career concluded, and I am now enjoying starting to work on some of these undertakings,” Murray explained.
He attributed his approach to success, saying, “I think for me, it comes down to the work ethic and singular determination to succeed.”
Murray`s connection with Redrice dates back to 2018 when he participated in a co-investment deal involving the sportswear company Castore.
He already possesses a range of business interests, including a luxury country house hotel in Scotland, a company focused on padel tennis, and a crowdfunding platform known as Seedrs.
Andy Murray`s Career Journey
Sir Andy Murray is widely regarded as Great Britain`s most successful tennis player in the Open era.
His rise began in 2005, and he quickly became the British No. 1 by the following year. He reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in 2008 and appeared in subsequent finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
A pivotal moment occurred at the London 2012 Olympics where he secured a gold medal by defeating Roger Federer on home soil. Shortly thereafter, he claimed his first Grand Slam title at the US Open.
In 2013, Murray achieved a historic victory, becoming the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title. He added a second Wimbledon trophy in 2016.
The year 2016 was particularly momentous, as he also won his second consecutive Olympic gold medal and reached the World No. 1 ranking, a first for a British male player.
Throughout his illustrious career, Murray reached 11 Grand Slam finals, winning three of them. He also earned two Olympic gold medals and one silver.
He retired with a total of 46 career titles and earnings exceeding £50 million. His final professional appearance was at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
