Judy Murray

Judith "Judy" Murray (née Erskine; born 8 September 1959) is a Scottish tennis coach and current captain of the British Fed Cup team. She is also the mother of professional tennis players, Jamie and Andy Murray.[1]

Murray was born in Bridge of Allan, Scotland, the daughter of Roy Erskine, an optician and former footballer who had played for Stirling Albion in the 1950s, and his wife, Eileen Shirley (née Edney).[2]  She says that growing up, there were no indoor courts in Scotland, so she played tennis in the summer and badminton in the winter. She won 64 titles in Scotland during her junior and senior career, but when she toured internationally she says she was out-matched by players in stronger programs. She thus decided to go to university instead of competing herself. She began coaching and was the initial coach for both her sons before handing over the reins as their professional careers bloomed.[3]  Interestingly, Andy Murray switched back to a female coach in 2014, and Amélie Mauresmo became the first female coach of a British number one male player.[4]

Aside from her own sons, she has coached multiple players at regional and national level under the auspices of the British tennis governing body, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). In December 2011 she was elected to lead the British Fed cup team as their captain.[5]  She says she took the job in part to raise the profile of female coaches and alleviate some of thesexism that she says remains in the sport.[6]

Murray was awarded an honorary Doctorate by the University of Edinburgh on 8th October 2013.[7]  She had previously graduated in French and Business at the University in 1981.

On 18 August 2014, it was announced that she would be competing in the twelfth series of Strictly Come Dancing that began airing in September 2014.[8]  She is paired with professional dancer Anton du Beke.