10 Best Tennis Workouts

Best Tennis Workouts in 2023

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Professional Tennis and the Andy Murray Story

For Andy Murray, life has been one challenge after another, and being a professional tennis player is not the least of them. However, he gives the credit to trials, for teaching him the principles of concentration, and perseverance, on the tennis court.

Andy Murray is from Scotland and a star on the professional tennis circuit. However, it was before that, on May 15, 1987, when he was born to Will and Judy Murray that his tennis legacy began. Murray was born into a family of athletes. His mother coached and played tennis before she married, and she became Andy's first tennis coach. Andy's brother, Jamie, also plays professional tennis, on the doubles circuit, and their maternal grandfather was a professional soccer player.

Andy Murray endured a childhood of hurt and trauma. His parents divorced when he was young, and as a youngster he witnessed a school shooting that killed 18 people, including the shooter who turned the gun on himself. Nevertheless, Murray was able to focus on tennis, which helped keep his mind off the chaos surrounding him However, the experiences with trauma and hurt taught him the power of concentration, which is so necessary for a tennis pro.

In addition, Andy Murray overcame a birth defect that continues to plague him, and, at times, threatens his career. He was born with a bipartite patella, which is a condition where his kneecap is two separate bones. They did not fuse together when he was a child, and, unfortunately, doctors did not discover the defect until he was 16 years old.

In order for doctors to treat the defect, Murray quit playing tennis for six months. Nevertheless, even after the treatments, he continues to endure pain when he plays. Sometimes, he needs to withdraw from a tournament because of the pain. Nevertheless, he continues to strive to continue his dream of playing professional tennis.

Tennis Debut

Murray began playing tennis when he was five years old. His brother, Jamie, who is a year older, was his competition, and his mother his coach. Between competition and coach, Murray was practically born with a tennis racket in his hand. However, he lost every match he played with Jamie, until he defeated him in the finals of an under-12 tournament. Although his losing streak was long, and Jamie still reminds him of it, Murray credits it with teaching him perseverance, which is another ingredient in the make-up of a professional tennis player.

After Murray turned 12, he won his division at the Orange Bowl Tournament for junior players. Murray believes the steady diet of losing to Jamie also honed his competitive edge, and made him eager to learn. At age 15, he gave up what was left of his childhood, and moved to Spain to play tennis. There, he enrolled in a tennis school, for a year of intensive training.

When Murray turned 16, in 2003, he felt it was time to make his move. He joined the Challenger and Futures circuit, which is the lowest level of competition run by the Association of Tennis Professionals. However, by playing on that circuit, it made it possible for him to attain a world ranking. Then, too, in 2003, he won the Glasgow Futures tournament, which was his first title in the senior ranks.

The year 2004, was a big year for Murray. Not only did he win the junior US Open, but he became the BBC Young Sports Personality of the year. He began the 2005 season with a world ranking of 407, which he earned on the Challengers and Futures circuit. That year, also, he became the youngest Briton ever to play in the Davis Cup. Murray then turned professional.

Professional Tennis

On the court, Murray is an accomplished defensive counter-puncher. As a defensive counter-puncher, Murray's strategy is to return every ball hit to him until his opponent becomes frustrated, and hits an unforced error. It is a strategy that necessitates endurance, determination, and the ability to chase down, and return, every ball hit to him. There is nothing fancy, or flamboyant, about a defensive counter-puncher. Murray simply intends to outlast his opponent.

The defensive counter-puncher style of playing tennis is best played on softer clay court surfaces, because of the grind the style demands. However, because of Murray's innate tennis ability, many of his professional victories have been on hard courts.

Nevertheless, it seems an unusual strategy for someone with a defective knee, because of the grind of continually chasing down balls. That may be why, during breaks in some matches, Murray can be seen rubbing his knee. Yet, he continues to play; a silent testimony of his love for the game of tennis.

Career Statistics

Andy Murray's career statistics, in tournament finals, is proof of his mastery of the game of tennis.

A final testimony to his accomplished career is his earnings. Murray's career earnings total over $13 million.

Personal Tidbit

When Murray was a child, his tennis idol, Andre Agassi, ignored his request for an autograph. Murray never forgot the incident, or the disappointment he felt. Thus, when he turned professional, he promised he would always show appreciation to his fans by never refusing to sign an autograph. Greatness, combined with humility, are both part of the Andy Murray story.