Jamie Murray

Jamie Robert Murray, (born 13 February 1986) is a Scottish professional tennis player from Scotland who specialises in doubles. He is a seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion (five in mixed doubles and two in men's doubles), a Davis Cup winner, and a former doubles world No. 1. Murray is the elder brother of fellow tennis player and former singles world No. 1, Andy Murray.

He has won seven Grand Slam titles: in mixed doubles at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships, with Jelena Janković, the 2017 Wimbledon Championships and 2017 US Open, with Martina Hingis, and the 2018 and 2019 US Open, with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and in men's doubles at the Australian Open and US Open in 2016, with Bruno Soares.

Murray had an early career partnership with Eric Butorac, winning three titles in 2007. His following seven ATP finals came with six different partners. In 2013, he began a new partnership with John Peers, winning six ATP tournaments, and reaching two Grand Slam finals. After this partnership ended, Murray played alongside Soares from 2016, with the new pair enjoying almost immediate success after winning only their second ATP tournament together. They went on to win the 2016 Australian Open and US Open, and Murray became world no. 1 in April that year, spending nine weeks at the top of the rankings. He and Soares split in 2019, with Murray competing alongside compatriot Neal Skupski until the end of 2020, winning one ATP title together. He then reunited with Soares, with the pair finishing runners-up at the 2021 US Open.

Murray was part of the Great Britain team that won the 2015 Davis Cup, the nation's first victory in the tournament for 79 years. He and his brother recorded crucial doubles victories in Britain's quarterfinal, semifinal and final wins.
The Davis Cup team was awarded the 2015 BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year Award. Murray has also competed at the Summer Olympics on four occasions.

Brad Gilbert, who coached Andy Murray, gave Jamie the name 'Stretch' because of his 6-foot-3-inch height and long arms.

Early and personal life

Jamie Murray was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the elder son of Judith (née Erskine) and William Murray. He grew up in Dunblane and attended Dunblane Primary School. He and his brother Andy were present during the 1996 Dunblane school massacre, when Thomas Hamilton killed 16 children and a teacher before shooting himself. Both brothers were part of a group of pupils who took cover in a classroom. His parents separated in 1998, with the boys living with their father while being mentored in tennis by their mother.

At the age of 10, Jamie was No 3-ranked tennis player of his age in Europe. At 11 years and 5 months, he finished runner-up in the ''boys under 12'' category at the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl. Murray was the junior world number 2 when he was 13 years old and was selected to be educated at The Leys School in Cambridge with four other boys whilst being trained by national coaches. But being the youngest meant that instead of Leys, he went to St Faith's School down the road, which was a feeder school. He was isolated from the other players and the coaching wasn't to his liking, so after eight months he returned home. He has not criticised the coach in charge, and stated that blaming the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) would be an easy option. Back home, he did not touch a tennis racket for two years.

In 2004, he partnered his brother to the semi-final of the Junior US Open.
Jamie and Andy call each other 'Tight' as a nickname.
Murray said that André Sá is probably his best friend on the tour.

Murray supports Hibernian F.C. and Manchester United F.C. His maternal grandfather, Roy Erskine, is a retired professional footballer who played reserve team matches for Hibernian and in the Scottish Football League for Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath.

In 2009, Jamie began dating Alejandra Gutiérrez, a Colombian MBA student. They married in Cromlix House near Dunblane on 28 October 2010, with brother Andy acting as best man; Andy would later buy and refurbish the struggling hotel, and both he and their father Willie also subsequently celebrated their wedding receptions at the venue.

Career

2005

Murray partnered Colin Fleming, winning their first Futures tournament on 4 September 2005 at the Great Britain F10 in Nottingham.

Murray/Fleming won Futures titles at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Exmouth, amassing a total of four Futures plus four satellite titles.

In October, they made their debut at an ATP Challenger tournament in Southampton. The duo won their first round match but were defeated in the quarterfinals. Murray also played in the singles tournament draw in which he won the first qualifying round match but lost the second qualifying.

That year, Murray also partnered Ross Hutchins, to win Futures in Bolton and Maïder Laval in Rimouski, Quebec

In November 2005, Murray was part of the Scotland team in the inaugural Aberdeen Cup against England. This was an exhibition tournament, and the first time that Jamie and his brother Andy Murray played doubles as seniors. Murray also played singles, and mixed doubles with Elena Baltacha. Scotland defeated England – .

2006

In January 2006, Murray partnered Fleming in the Wrexham Challenger where they ended as runners-up after losing in the final to French duo Jean-François Bachelot and Stéphane Robert 6-4, 7-5.

In February, Murray and Fleming played together in the Wolfsburg Challenger where they reached the quarterfinals.

In April, Murray partnered Israeli Dudi Sela in the Santa Clarita Challenger where they lost in the first round. Murray also played the León Challenger, this time with fellow Briton Jamie Delgado where they lost in the first round.

In May, he returned to action, this time with Australian Alun Jones in the Men's Pro Challenger at Tunica National where they reached the second round.

In June, he played with Fleming in the Surbiton Trophy where they lost in the first round against Mardy Fish and Jeff Morrison. That month, Murray made his debut in an ATP Tour tournament at the 2006 Nottingham Open partnering with his brother Andy. The siblings had to retire in the first round due to Jamie's injury when they were 0-4 down to Stan Wawrinka and Justin Gimelstob. Murray and Colin Fleming's success gained them a wildcard into the main draw of the men's doubles at the 2006 Wimbledon Championships, though they lost in the first round against Lucky Losers Zack Fleishman and Robert Smeets. Colin Fleming decided to quit the tour to return to the University of Stirling to complete his degree.

In July, Murray and Fleming reached the final of the Shelbourne Irish Open where they were defeated 6-3, 2-6, 0-8against Jasper Smit and Martijn van Haasteren. That same month, the Murray brothers played together again at the Newport Hall of Fame Tennis Championships where they lost in the first round against Igor Kunitsyn and Danai Udomchoke. Murray stayed in the U.S. to play the Comerica Bank Challenger with American Mirko Pehar where they reached the semifinals. Murray and American player Eric Butorac, playing together for the first time, reached the final of the Los Angeles ATP tournament which they lost in straight sets to the world's top-ranked doubles team, the Bryan brothers. The pair came to be known as Booty and Stretch, putting their nicknames on the back of their shirts. Murray finished the month playing the Vancouver Open with Fleming, where their lost in the quarterfinals.

In August, Murray continued to make progress. He and Fleming reached the final of the Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger, where they lost to 7-5, 5-7, 0-3against Scott Lipsky and David Martin. Murray ended his North American tour playing the GHI Bronx Tennis Classic with Chilean Paul Capdeville, where they lost in the quarterfinals. That same month, Murray won the Como Challenger along with Jamie Delgado, after beating Romanians Victor Crivoi and Gabriel Moraru in the final 6–2, 4–6, 0–7

In September, the British duo remained in Italy to play the Genoa Open Challenger, where they lost in the final 6-4, 4-6, 3-11against Adriano Biasella and Marcelo Charpentier. At the end of the month, Murray reached the final of the Bangkok ATP tournament with his brother Andy, losing to the top Israeli doubles pairing, Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich.

In October, the brothers played together the Tokyo ATP tournament, where they reached the second round after losing to eventual runners-up Paul Goldstein and Jim Thomas. Jamie returned to play Challenger tournaments partnering with Delgado in the Nottingham Challenge, where they lost in the final 6-4, 4-6, 0-7against Filip Prpic and Nicolas Tourte. In the Lambertz Open he switched partnership and played with Australian Jordan Kerr, where they reached the semifinals.

In November, Murray continued to play with Kerr and the duo reached the final of the Slovak Open (where they lost 7-5, 6-3 against Butorac and Travis Parrott) and the quarterfinals of the PEOPLEnet Cup. At the end of the month, the Aberdeen Cup was held for the second time. Playing for Scotland, Murray participated in the singles, doubles with Andy, and mixed doubles with Elena Baltacha. Scotland won –1.

2007: Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Champion

In January, the Murray brothers reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open where they lost to eventual winners Mikhail Youzhny and Nenad Zimonjić.

In early February, Murray played with Butorac to claim their first doubles title in the AT&T Dallas Challenger after defeating Americans Rajeev Ram and Bobby Reynolds. They then won back to back doubles titles on the ATP Tour, at the Pacific Coast Championships in San Jose defeating Chris Haggard and Rainer Schüttler 7–5, 7–6^(8–6) in the final and the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships at the Racquet Club of Memphis winning 7–5, 6–3 against Julian Knowle and Jürgen Melzer. Murray remained in the U.S. to play the Tennis Open in Las Vegas. This time, his partner was Australian Ashley Fisher and they reached the semifinals. These victories lifted Murray into the top 50 in the ATP doubles rankings for the first time.

In March, Murray returned with Butorac to play the Indian Wells Masters, where they lost in the second round, and in the Miami Open, where they lost in the first round.

In April, Murray received his first call-up to the Great Britain Davis Cup team, where he was picked for the doubles rubber in the Europe/Africa Zone Group I tie against the Netherlands. Jamie played alongside Greg Rusedski, beating Robin Haase and Rogier Wassen. After the match, Rusedski announced his retirement on court. Murray then played the Valencia Open with Butorac, where they lost in the quarterfinals. That month, he played with his brother Andy the Monte Carlo Masters, where they retired in the first round due to Andy's back injury. Murray partnered again with Butorac in the Barcelona Open