Great Scot Andy caps glorious summer to win hearts

But no one could have been more delighted at Andy Murray’s historic win against Novak Djokovic in yesterday’s nailbiting US Open final than his proud family.

The 25-year-old’s grandparents Roy and Shirley Erskine stayed up along with most of the residents of his Scottish hometown of Dunblane to watch him take the title – just weeks after he won Olympic gold in the men’s singles.

The couple said they had received congratulatory phone calls from all over the world, and had got very little sleep.

Mrs Erskine said: “It was a late finish but we’re so glad we saw it all. He has had an amazing 
summer and we’re just so delighted and proud of what he’s achieved.”

Murray’s maternal grandmother said his determination to win and commitment to the sport had been “remarkable”.

She recalled him having a fiercely competitive streak even as a child playing board games with his brother Jamie, when “the board would go on the floor if Andy wasn’t winning”.

“It was a problem at the time but now you look back and recognise the temperament and the desire you need to always win,” she said.

“He had a temper on him and would always stamp his foot and say ‘I’ve got to do better, I’ve got to get better’, but he focused that eventually and used his energy to play tennis.”

Mr Erskine said his grandson’s victory against Roger Federer at the Olympics and the support of his coach, Ivan Lendl, had given him the boost he needed to win.

“That set him on the path and gave him the extra confidence,” he said.

Mr Erskine has seven scrapbooks of Press cuttings from Murray’s career so far and is now looking forward to starting a new scrapbook dedicated to his US Open win.

There has been massive support for Murray in Dunblane, where a gold post box now marks his London 2012 victory.

Mrs Erskine added: “Going into the town for shopping now takes so long. Roy will say he’s just popping out and I won’t see him for two hours because everyone just wants to talk about his success. I tell Andy on the phone that he wouldn’t believe the support in the town.”

Murray has also had the unwavering support of his girlfriend Kim Sears, who was among his 30-strong entourage celebrating his win until 2am at an upmarket Chinese restaurant, his father Will and his mother Judy – who has become almost as recognisable as her son as an ever-present courtside fixture.

The tennis coach told BBC Scotland that watching her son compete at New York’s Flushing Meadows had been “absolute torture”, but at the start of the fifth set she had sensed “he wasn’t going to let it get away from him”.

“It was just an incredible experience and I’m so delighted for him that he’s got his first Grand Slam at last,” she said.

She said the support of the British public had helped him to get over the bitter disappointment of his Wimbledon final defeat to Roger Federer in July and go on to glory at the Olympics.

“Hopefully it will give him a lot of belief to kick himself on and to win some more because I’m sure that’s exactly what he’s planning to do,” she added.

David Cameron yesterday led an outpouring of national praise for Murray’s “truly great victory”.

The Prime Minister said: “It’s a huge achievement. For 76 years Britain has waited for a Grand Slam win in tennis and Andy has done it in huge style.”

Paying tribute to Murray’s “immense physical and mental endurance”, he added: “You are all on your own in singles tennis – there’s no one to blame but yourself when it goes wrong – and he should have all our praise for such a magnificent game.”

Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, said it was a “fantastic performance”.

“Now Olympic and US Open champion, Andy truly is a Scottish sporting legend and I’m certain more Grand Slam titles will follow.” he said.

Fellow sportsmen and celebrities were also quick to congratulate Murray on his success.

Former British number one Greg Rusedski said: “It shows you what a champion he is and, having won this, he can go on to win many majors and maybe end the year as the British number one.”

Meanwhile, eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi took to Twitter to congratulate him on a “well-deserved” victory.

Also writing on the micro-blogging website, comedian Jimmy Carr quipped: “Andy Murray has just made me cry. The man is a God. I’m so happy”, while Scottish writer Irvine Welsh had some patriotic praise for his countryman: “God bless Andy Murray, his friends, family, and the good people of Dunblane, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Big love and big thanks from us all.”