Judy Murray has served a fresh verbal volley against Scottish sporting authorities for ruining her sons Andy and Jamie’s tennis legacy.
Her fury at having to shelve plans for a £20 million national tennis centre was aimed at the Scottish Government and Tennis Scotland for their ‘apathy and lack of co-operation’.
The ‘legacy’ development near the Murrays’ home in Dunblane, Perthshire, had been designed to mark her family’s contribution to the sport and the retirement of Sir Andy from the game.
She had hoped to have the tennis centre established so Andy and Jamie could spend time there giving back to tennis in Scotland, but the project was axed over planning issues and rising costs.
In an interview the former tennis coach launched her latest stinging attack on her plans hitting the net.
It came three months after The Scottish Mail on Sunday revealed her ‘anger’ at having to drop her tennis centre plans.
She said: ‘It was an opportunity for all of us [Murrays] to share the knowledge and experience we have gained from our 30-odd years in tennis, from our local club to grand slam player boxes.
‘You’re left with the bleak sense that Scotland has missed a golden opportunity.’
Judy Murray has a long tradition of cheerleading her sons, Jamie, left, and Andy, right
Plans for a tennis centre near Sir Andy Murray’s hometown of Dunblane were scrapped
Ms Murray said the doomed project had left her ‘exhausted and deflated’ and angry
Sir Andy, the former men’s world number one and two-time Wimbledon singles champion, who also won the US Open, retired after this year’s Olympics.
His brother Jamie is a seven-time grand slam doubles champion.
The charity Murray Play Foundation announced this year that ‘with deep regret and sorrow’ the project would not go ahead.
In an interview with The Herald Ms Murray said the project had consumed 12 years of her life and left her ‘exhausted and deflated’, and that she was angry that Tennis Scotland and Scottish sporting authorities had let her down.
‘I was encouraged to give it scale by sportscotland and the Lawn Tennis Association to become a centre of national significance.
‘I didn’t need that – I just wanted somewhere to work to develop other coaches and players.
‘And I wanted it to be about community, to be open to everybody.
‘Everything just took so long and got bigger and so the costs went up, and we had challenges with planning delays.
‘I wondered how it can be so difficult to build something that is inherently good. I worked my butt off to try to get it to where we got it to.
‘But when the construction costs began to rise steeply, we really needed all the stakeholders who had committed to step up to help us to fill that gap. And that didn’t happen.’
Ms Murray has now reluctantly conceded the game. ‘I’ve done 12 years on this already.
‘I’ve spent a fortune. I’m absolutely knackered and I’m not getting the support from those who are responsible for delivering both tennis and sport in Scotland.
‘There was just apathy and a lack of cooperation, and far too many obstacles put in our way.
Ms Murray said the Scottish Government should be helping to build more tennis facilities
‘Almost like they were kicking the can down the road trying to make it as hard as possible for us. It will always be a huge source of disappointment to me that this didn’t happen.
‘But, really, to build something like that should be down to the Scottish Government and the governing body of the sport.’
She expressed her disappointment with the way Sir Andy’s legacy has been squandered in Scotland.
‘I don’t have any confidence in the leadership of Tennis Scotland. Even when it was the 10-year anniversary of Andy winning Wimbledon, they didn’t do anything, nor when he retired.
‘But it’s never been about celebrating his achievements, it was about using them to increase the profile of tennis in Scotland and the UK and reach communities that had previously been excluded.
‘What are they [Tennis Scotland] actually doing? When they had a golden opportunity, they dropped the ball spectacularly. This was not to find another Andy. This was all about community sport.’
Forbes Dunlop, chief executive of sportscotland, said: ‘We remain committed to recognising and celebrating the impact that Andy, Jamie and Judy have had on Scottish sport.’
Tennis Scotland said: ‘This is a period of unprecedented growth for tennis in Scotland. More people are playing than ever before – participation is growing, while our club membership numbers are at an all-time high.’
