Judy Murray OBE

Judy Murray’s dedication to tennis is recognised nationally and internationally, and has shaped the sport’s standing at both performance and participation level in Great Britain.

A gifted tennis player, Judy has won 64 Scottish titles. Despite the offer of a tennis scholarship in the USA, and the chance on the Women’s Tour, she chose to attend the University. She studied French & Business Studies but only after taking her first tennis coaching qualification at 17. Later this led to her becoming a volunteer coach at Dunblane Sports Club when her children were toddlers, and thus an inspiring career in tennis coaching was born.

Judy coached her sons, Jamie and Andy Murray, who have both achieved major success, including wins at Wimbledon and becoming year-end World Number 1s in 2016 in doubles and singles respectively.

Away from the court, plays a pivotal role as a tennis coach and advocate. From being Scottish National Coach to Team Captain for the British Federation Cup Team, to creating Set4Sport, which helps families enjoy physical activity, Judy has raised the profile of tennis and made it more accessible to all. Other initiatives include She Rallies, with the Lawn Tennis Association, which creates opportunities for women and girls in tennis, and Tennis on the Road, which aims to develop the tennis workforce across Scotland. In 2018, she launched The Judy Murray Foundation to take tennis into rural and disadvantaged areas of Scotland; her motto is ‘Tennis for everyone’.

Judy’s work continues with the development of a tennis complex outside the family’s native Dunblane, a testament to the legacy of her sons and their outstanding tennis successes. The University recognised Judy with an honorary doctorate in 2013, which was followed by an OBE in 2017 for services to tennis, women in sport, and charity.