The former British No 1 speaks to i about Murray’s potential move into coaching, the ‘obsession’ with Emma Raducanu and Novak Djokovic’s preparations for the US Open
For most people, the US Open will be the same as it always was.
“Loud, noisy, the biggest stadium in our sport – and those night sessions are just absolutely electric,” in the words of Tim Henman.
He will be there for the fortnight as a Sky Sports pundit, as will all the biggest stars of the game – but not Andy Murray.
For Murray, this will be a unique grand slam, the first one of the rest of his life. Instead of spending it sweating under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, he will be chasing around after his four children, trying live a normal life.
His wife Kim deliberately booked a family holiday to overlap with the US Open in order to remove any temptation for Murray to get involved: summer holidays with his family have been a rarity in the last 20 years after all.
“The doubles in Paris kind of epitomised Murray’s career in a funny sort of way: saving those match points, the never-say-die attitude, and the energy and the passion on the court.
“It was great that he could finish off in an event that has meant so much to him, and it’s played such an important part in his career.”
Plan as his wife might, it will be hard to keep Murray away from a tennis court. He did try to retire once, telling the world he was “probably” done in 2019 before the well-told story of hip surgery, despair and recovery. This one is permanent, but no one believes it is the last we will see of the 37-year-old in the game of tennis.
He has already been spotted back on court, dropping in on a training session with time with Scottish teenager Dominik Czopek before going on holiday.
“My advice to Andy would be take your time,” adds Henman, the former world No 4 who has often been approached about coaching but prefers spending time at his Oxfordshire home, playing the monthly medal at the local golf course and occasional trips for TV stints.
“He’s had such a phenomenal career and his wife and four kids will want to see a lot more of him. He can really enjoy that and the list of opportunities for Andy going forward are going to be enormous, and there’s no need to rush into them.
“But if you were going to ask me in which direction I think he will go, I would say a coaching role. He’s got enormous passion for the game, and that’s where I’m sure he’ll still be involved in some capacity.
