IT’S no secret that Andy Murray will be retiring from tennis soon.
And it’s now been revealed the legendary Scot has turned down bumper opportunities for a big career change.
Murray, 37, bid an emotional farewell to Wimbledon earlier this month.
After playing in the men’s doubles alongside brother Jamie, the two-time SW19 champion received an incredible send-off on Centre Court.
Murray was due to return the court a couple of days later, but Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal due to injury from their planned mixed doubles contest saw an earlier than planned end to his Wimbledon swansong.
His playing career isn’t quite over yet.
Inside Judy Murray’s 11-year battle to cement Andy’s legacy with tennis centre
Gold medallist Murray is part of the Team GB squad for the Olympics with the games getting underway in Paris in less than a couple of weeks.
But once he has put the racket down – professionally at least – for the final time, what’s next for Murray?
Well, speaking to iconic broadcaster Sue Barker during his tearful Wimbledon send-off, Murray hinted that he saw a future in coaching.
After being asked if he’d be back at Wimbledon in a non-playing capacity in the future, he said: “I love tennis, I watch it all the time.
“I would probably be more comfortable sitting up there watching it in the coaching box rather than somewhere else.”
His mum Judy has now revealed that Murray HAS had coaching offers.
But he has turned them down, according to Judy.
She’s revealed how Murray has rejected offers to lend his name to tennis centres in China, the United Arab Emirates and South America.
Why? Well, according to Judy, because he wants to give back to SCOTLAND instead.
She told The Sunday Times: “We have had offers from other countries to open an Andy Murray tennis academy.
“But, for us, it will always be about Scotland and our backyard.
“We want to give back to the game that has given us all so much.
“None of us have ever wavered from the position that we want to do this in our home country.”
For more than a decade, Judy has been proposing the creation of an Andy Murray tennis centre between his hometown of Dunblane and Bridge of Allan.
She’s been battling to cement her son’s legacy permanently with a community centre near the Kier roundabout on the A9.
The proposal includes coaching facilities, as well as a Murray Museum and a small golf course.
But the plans have proved controversial for several reasons, with the fact it would be built on greenbelt land the primary one.
Several local campaigners have also voiced concerns.
Planning permission for the complex has, however, been granted in principle.
Judy, along with Andy and Jamie, would play a central role in the facility should the proposal get off the ground.
She said: “Andy is coming to the end of his career and Jamie won’t play for too much longer either,” she said. “The three of us want to be able to share what we know, and what we did, with the next generation of players and coaches.
“When the boys are finished with their playing days they will have a lot more time to come to Scotland. We all want to give the country a centre of national significance for tennis and other sports and the time is now.”
