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29 March 2024

Andy Murray gets engaged to girlfriend of nine years Kim Sears

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and Kim Sears have been together for the past nine years. (Agencies)

Published
By Staff/AFP

Andy Murray announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Kim Sears on Wednesday while also dispensing with two members of his backroom staff in Dani Vallverdu and Jez Green.

After winning Wimbledon last summer, there was really only one 'will he/won't he' question Andy Murray had left to answer.

The tennis star finally became engaged to his girlfriend – nine years after they first met.

He proposed to Kim Sears, 26, last week with a diamond ring he chose himself and she immediately said 'yes'.

Andy Murray poses with his girlfriend Kim Sears. (GETTY)

Miss Sears was just 17 and still studying her A-Levels when she met the up-and-coming tennis player at the US Open in 2005.

Murray wooed her with phone calls and flowers.

But she did not allow their burgeoning romance to affect her schoolwork, and she achieved straight As in her exams.

The couple managed to keep their relationship quiet – until Murray won his first tournament in California in 2006 and ran through the crowd to give his girlfriend a kiss.

(GETTY)

The 26-year-old Sears has become a familiar, and much photographed, figure in her own right while watching Murray courtside at events all around the world.

She too grew up in a tennis-loving home with father Nigel Sears formerly the LTA's head of women's tennis.

Kim Sears was once described by Judy Murray as "the best thing to happen to Andy".

But he reportedly upset her when in January this year he sent a 'joke' message to a fan saying: "We are getting married just after Wimbledon, should be a great day," only to have to issue a retraction in a follow-up tweet.

As Murray set to get hitched his as coaches get ditched.

The 2013 Wimbledon champion, who was originally coached by his mother, Judy, has retained Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo as his head coach, while Dani Vallverdu and Jez Green have been asked to leave.

Two of the men who have played such a big part in Murray's professional life will no longer be involved after he parted company with friend and hitting partner Vallverdu and fitness coach Green.

Murray's management company, who also announced his engagement, said the coaching split was "mutual", with the 27-year-old Scot adding: "We sat down at the end of the season and decided that a change would be best for all of us.

"My off-season training and Australian Open preparations have already begun and I am very excited for the new year.

"I thank Jez and Dani for all their hard work over the years and wish them the best for the future."

Murray and Vallverdu met at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Spain as promising young players more than a decade ago, with the Venezuelan becoming a key member of the British player's entourage.

Both Green and Vallverdu were said to be unhappy when Murray decided to appoint Mauresmo as his main coach in succession to Ivan Lendl in June, although the issue was reported to be a lack of consultation rather than consternation at their boss's decision, unusual for a top male player, to have a woman as his head coach.

Murray has made significant changes to his coaching staff throughout his career, splitting with Brad Gilbert at the age of 20 despite Britain's governing Lawn Tennis Association paying the American a hefty fee primarily just to coach him.

His decision to hire a former champion in Lendl in 2012 sparked similar moves from Roger Federer, who brought Stefan Edberg into his camp, and Novak Djokovic, who recruited Boris Becker to his team.

But with Lendl seemingly reluctant to spend as much time on the road as Murray wanted, their partnership came to an end when the Scot was struggling for form following back surgery.

The end of that partnership in March came from Lendl and was a painful blow for Murray at a time when he was still trying to recover form, fitness and confidence following back surgery.

Murray, the 2012 US Open and London Olympic Games champion, flew to Manila on Wednesday to play in the inaugural International Premier Tennis League and will travel to Miami next week.

He is due to begin his 2015 season with an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi on January 1.