Judy Murray has “blamed” retiring Rafael Nadal for son Andy’s eagerness to make it as a professional tennis player.
The Spaniard this week announced that he is to retire from the game.
The 38-year-old secured a whopping 22 Grand Slam titles throughout his glittering career – including dominating at the French Open, where he won an incredible 14 times.
Nadal finally called time on his career after Spain’s defeat to the Netherlands in the quarter final of the Davis Cup.
Reflecting on Nadal and Sir Andy’s fledgling careers more than 20 years ago, Judy joked that Nadal was to “blame” for motivating Sir Andy’s career.
In a video posted by the Lawn Tennis Association, Judy, mum to Dunblane aces Andy and Jamie, reflected on a time when Sir Andy travelled to Andorra to play for Great Britain in the European Team Championships under 16.
It was whilst playing for Great Britain there that he first came across Nadal. Judy told how after contesting the final, Murray and Nadal headed off for a game of racquetball.
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That sparked a phone call back home for a rant to mum.
The call immediately left Judy fearing that young Andy was in need to help. However, instead she was met with a rant down the phone that sparked the Dunblane icon to two Wimbledon titles, two Olympic gold medals and a US Open crown.
On receiving the call, Judy said: “I’m thinking he’s lost his passport, or he’s lost his wallet. Like most boys, he didn’t really phone home very often.”
It was at that stage, a teenage Murray informed his mum about the racquetball session with Nadal.
Judy continued: “He said about playing with Rafa and ‘Yeah, he doesn’t go to school. He trains at the American Tennis Academy. He trains in the sunshine, and what have I got? You and my brother at the [Stirling] university!’.
“He’s ranting down the phone and he said ‘I want to go to Spain! I’m never going to be a top player if I don’t go to Spain. So I blame Rafa for all of this!”
Sir Andy had previously congratulated Nadal on his retirement, in which he hilariously recounted how Nadal would throw temper tantrums during football games on the Playstation.
Murray said: “You are probably the only tennis player ever to have never thrown a racket in anger, which is incredible. However, this wasn’t the case when you would lose at PlayStation.
“I’ve seen Rafa throwing PlayStation controllers around hotel rooms all over the world when he and his close friend Juan Monaco would lose a late goal to me with his beloved Real Madrid at Pro Evolution Soccer.
“Anyway, I’m sure your body is looking forward to a well earned rest. Enjoy retirement, mate.”