As an interviewee, Murray has nearly at all times been well mannered, affected person and beneficiant along with his time – and excellent worth. I can rely on one hand the variety of occasions he turned me down for an interview, and a kind of events was after the 2016 Australian Open ultimate in opposition to Novak Djokovic. He went straight from the Rod Laver Enviornment to the airport to catch the final flight of the night time, as spouse Kim was at dwelling, closely pregnant with their first little one.
Murray is commonly shivering once I interview him – a current plunge within the ice bathtub tends to try this to you. Nevertheless it exhibits character to do a (non-mandatory) radio interview after a Grand Slam ultimate or semi-final defeat, of which Murray suffered a number of.
As with all marquee names, there was typically stress within the air because the post-match media spherical approached – particularly, I bear in mind, at Melbourne Park following considered one of his frequent semi-final victories. Commitments can be honoured within the early hours of the morning, however everybody was very aware of the clock ticking all the way down to the Sunday ultimate.
Murray is invariably good copy, as we wish to say. He has been steadfast in his criticism of those that break doping guidelines and in his help for equal pay and feminine coaches – as soon as describing the extent of sexism in sport as “unreal”.
His sturdy opinions are, although, expressed diplomatically. And on events, when time allowed and microphones had been off, he was completely happy to increase on his ideas in confidence.
There have been variations of opinion – and the odd falling out – with the British tennis media. Following his late withdrawal and subsequent hasty exit from the 2018 Brisbane Worldwide, Murray was sad about a few of what was written within the absence of any formal rationalization.
A barely surreal off-the-record, clear-the-air session adopted on speaker cellphone per week or so later – however solely after he had briefed us from his Melbourne hospital mattress in regards to the hip operation he had undergone earlier that day.