Jamie Murray would go on to reach No. 1 in doubles in April of 2016, and has won two doubles and four mixed doubles Grand Slams. Andy Murray hit No. 1 a few months after his older brother, in November 2016. He has won three Grand Slam crowns, and two Olympic gold medals.
It’s not uncommon to see sibling success in tennis. The Bryans are the greatest doubles team of all time. The Williamses elevated the women’s game to new heights. Andy Roddick’s brothers John and Lawrence were both promising tennis players. James Blake’s brother Thomas was a professional player. Jack Sock’s older brother Eric was a Division 1 college player at Nebraska. Ryan Harrison and his brother Christian were both top-ranked juniors. The Pliskova twins are crushing it on the WTA tour. The list goes on and on.
You can only develop so many skills hitting against a wall, and having a sibling to train and compete against every day is invaluable. The Murrays set up a miniature tennis court in their house, and called the game “touche” or “touch” tennis. The only rule was you can’t hit the ball hard. It's possible Jamie began honing his amazing reflexes in the household game.
When their intense brotherly competition reached a boiling point, the Murray brothers would separate and play with their grandparents. The brothers remember their childhood fondly and credit their support system for a great deal of their success. Now at 33 and 34 years old, the Murrays still have a lot to accomplish.
Andy Murray is in Zhuhai, where he won the first singles match of his comeback over Tennys Sandgren, while Jamie Murray is still fresh from his mixed doubles triumph at the US Open.
