THE good news for those who wish to see Scottish youngsters explore their potential, which also represents bad news for a tiny handful of people in the area Judy Murray has played such a part in putting on the global sporting map is that the first lady of Scottish sport is going nowhere.
A long, on-going wait for a decision on whether the development she wants to install in the tennis backwater where she nurtured two world number one players, allied to placing her Bridge of Allan house on the market have been conflated into meaning something they do not and consequently seized upon by critics.
The conclusion drawn is that the erstwhile ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ star is set to abandon the Scottish scene in favour of a more glamorous lifestyle close to her sons’ homes in the south east of England.
Nothing, it seems, could be further from the truth.
“No I’m not leaving Dunblane, I just put my house on the market. Everyone says ‘you’re moving,’ but no, my house is too big,” she said with a rather frustrated sounding laugh.
“I’m hardly ever in it because I travel so much so I want something that’s more manageable. The boys live in London so I’m up and down like a yoyo, but Scotland will always be my home.”
It is not something she wants to talk about, but for all that the majority of those who do not agree with the Park of Keir proposal have conducted themselves with civility, the nature of some of the vitriol directed her way on websites and social media has been eye-opening.
The image that tiny minority would like to convey of someone driven by greed and a desire for self-aggrandisement could not sit more at odds with how Murray has conducted herself before, during and after the enquiry into the tennis centre plan.
After all the battles she fought on their behalf Murray could justifiably have sat back and basked in the reflected glory of her sons’ achievements, undertaking the odd ego-stroking public engagement. Instead, whether through ‘Tennis on the Road’, driving around the country introducing the tools required to set up coaching programmes or the Miss-Hits campaign, specifically aimed at primary age girls, she has used the platform to be an evangelist for tennis.
That is not to cast her as a plaster saint because she can, by all accounts, be pretty tough to deal with. However this week provided the latest evidence of an open-mindedness her most severe critics would do well to learn from, as she rejected protectionism on behalf of her sport, in favour of helping another by taking on a role as ambassador for the Badminton World Championships that are taking place in Glasgow later this year.
“All sports have to work really hard to capture kids’ attention because there are so many other things they find interesting,” Murray pointed out.
“From the Commonwealth Games to the Ryder Cup and Davis Cup, we want more people to participate in sport, whether that’s actively or as a fan watching,” said Murray.
“Having role models in your own country is the best way to really stimulate interest.”
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