Judy Murray

[maybenow]

why does she get so much abuse? is it beause women aren't supposed to be all competitive? or is it because mothers aren't?

i don't know why it annoys so many people that she wears her emotions on her face during Andy Murray's games... but i'm sure they wouldn't judge her the same way if she were a man and father....

[Pagwatch]

It irritates the crap out of me. Someone on another thread was calling her 'hatchet faced' or some such.
She should be at home making cookies or fretting about whether her outfit looks nice on tv....

[ShatnersBassoon]

She seems so joyless. I think people struggle to understand how someone can watch their child do something incredible while maintaining an image of professional interest only. Most parents would be grinning like loons.

I don't think it's anything to do with her being a woman.

[maybenow]

maybe she should be washing his kit or making his dinner (and doing the dishes) like those bloody Olympics Proctor and Gamble ads

[MrsCampbellBlack]

It annoys me the vitriol she attracts too.

Behind any great sportsman are normally incredibly dedicated parents.

[MrsHelsBels74]

I didn't like Tim Henman's dad either so it has nothing to do with her being a woman. I think it is partly because i have never heard her talk about Jamie, it all seems to be focused on Andy & I don't think that's right.

[ShatnersBassoon]

I've never heard anybody say anything about her needing to improve her housekeeping

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I think lots of top sportspeople's parents look pretty tense when watching them to be honest.

[Pagwatch]

But she is just focussed. I don't see the Williams sisters dads grinning away when they play and I don't read criticism of him for that.
It is tense as crap watching a loved one perform and when you have coached them too it must be agonising.

I think the 'hatchet faced' stuff does link into the fact that few groups are held in quite such contempt as middle aged women.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Absolutely Pagwatch.

Talking of middleaged women I need to ask you a question about peri-menopausal stuff - will pm you.

[Pagwatch]

Ok

[maybenow]

ShatnersBassoon - there have been a spate of ads in the run up to the olympics glorifying 'mums' for contributing to the success of their athlete offpring by washing their kit and cooking their meals. The media and society seem to be happy with this role.
The media and society are a lot less comfortable with Judy's style of support for her son.

[rosy71]

I've never heard any vitriol directed towards her but then I've never seen or heard of her before today anyway! She looked to me very similar in expression etc to Tim Henman's father. Perhaps it's just the way parents watch?

[meditrina]

There are enough examples of extreme behaviour by tennis parents that I think showing one behaving pretty normally is a good thing. (I'm thinking of eg Dokic's father, or the case in France which led to a manslaughter charge).

It's not that different from the sort of coverage which surrounded the Williams' father. And of course there has also been plenty of coverage of her role in development of the GB womens' game.

[runnindownadream]

I'm not sure why Judy gets so much criticism tbh. I wonder how my face would look if it was my ds out there playing - eyes clenched shut followed by peering through fingers and then jumping up and down - probably not a pleasant sight!

[SingingSands]

I hate those bloody P&G adverts. I'm sure Judy Murray has done all of that and more, of COURSE you'd look tense watching your son in the Wimbledon Gentleman's Final!

[CelstialNavigation]

I think she's extremely tense when he plays and feels for him. As I expect I would in her shoes. I would guess that she is asked many more questions about Andy than about Jamie.

P&G truly have some bad ideas for advertising. And that ad has been on so bloody often already that I am thankful BBC at least won't have ad breaks during the Olympics.

[MrsHelsBels74]

If P&G are proud sponsors of mums, where's my money!

[lunamoon]

I felt sorry for her when he lost and she was crying.
As regards advertising:
Why don't they show pictures of mums stood freezing to death outside supporting their children at sporting events, then coming home and having to scrub their clothes.

[TheMightyMojoceratops]

I found this Guardian article interesting. Most of it is very supportive of her, in her new role as "Fed Cup captain (the women's equivalent of the Davis Cup)". But then this bit:

"As Andy wrestled with his public image, she did little to soften the hard edges. There were stories of her honing the co-ordination of her children from the cradle. She would toss ropes on the floor and make Andy and Jamie jump across the gap, as if it were a shark-infested sea."

Erm, isn't that just playing with them?

[SingingSands]

Lunamoon if there was a "like" button for your post, I would press it!

[Eve]

I have friends who know her... She's just very dedicated and very focused, coaches some up and moment kids in Sotland as well.


My son show jumps & I barely breathe when watching him do his 3 min round, 3-4 hours of tennis would be agony.

[GeekCool]

My DH and I had this conversation. He firmly believed she wouldn't get this if she was male.
I think it's partly because SHE moved out of the family home when they were kids. She didn't run off, she lived seperately and the boys lived with their dad.

But obviously, that makes her an awful mum & an attroticious woman...

[blackcurrants]

Living overseas, (and not caring about Tennis) I've missed most of this. But I remember Mrs Underwood (when her boys Rory and Tony were on the England Rugby Team) being universally beloved as she stood watching them for hours.

Perhaps because she used to join in mexican waves or whatnot. But that's rugby, as a supporter you do different things than you do when you watch Tennis. When you watch tennis, specially if you're a keen fan, you sit there, looking intent. Don't you? What on earth is she supposed to do, grin inanely for hours?

Pfft. Bloody meeja.