1. Mauresmo coaching stint highlights support for women’s tennis
Throughout his career, Murray has been a staunch supporter of women in sport. After he brought on former WTA No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo as his coach in 2014, the negative reactions to the appointment gave him even deeper appreciation for the challenges women face in tennis and across the sporting landscape.
The groundbreaking appointment made Murray the first male player of his stature to work with a lead female coach. While it was a natural fit for Murray — whose mother, Judy, was his first coach — many outsiders were quick to criticise the Frenchwomen for any of his struggles.
2. “Marriage Works!”
Donning a traditional Scottish kilt, Murray married longtime girlfriend Kim Sears in his hometown of Dunblane in April of 2015. Tim Henman was among the few celebrity guests at the low-key affair.
Immediately following the nuptials, Murray won back-to-back titles in Munich and Madrid. Upon beating Rafael Nadal to win the Madrid title in May, he famously wrote “Marriage Works!” on the camera lens after maintaining his undefeated record as a married man.
3. Living up to the billing at the BBC Sports Personality Awards
Murray is the first and only athlete to win three BBC Sports Personality Awards, having received the honour in 2013, 2015 and 2016. On each occasion, his acceptance speeches showcased his comedic chops with some jokes aimed at his favourite target: himself.
“No matter how excited I try to sound, my voice still sounds incredibly boring,” Murray said after winning his first award. “So I’m very happy and excited right now, but that’s just my voice. I’m sorry.”
