From Tennis Courts to Ski Slopes
Andy Murray, the 37-year-old Scottish tennis legend, has been exploring new hobbies after retiring from professional play last summer at the Olympics in Paris. The transition from a world-renowned athlete to a more relaxed lifestyle has seen him take up activities like golf and skiing. While golf has been a relatively smoother transition, his foray into skiing has been marked by a series of mishaps and hilarious moments. Just before heading to Melbourne to coach Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, Murray shared his skiing experiences on the "Sporting Misadventures" podcast with Sir Chris Hoy, revealing a particularly embarrassing incident on the slopes.
A Beginner on the Slopes
Murray’s initial attempts at skiing were, in his own words, "shocking." He struggled with basic skills like getting off the ski lift and regaining balance. The low ski lifts posed a particular challenge, and his wife, Kim, refused to join him on the lifts due to his repeated failures, which were quite embarrassing. Instead, Murray found himself relying on kind strangers and his brother-in-law for assistance. Despite these difficulties, he remained determined to learn, even if the learning curve was steeper than he anticipated.
Stuck on the Mountain
During a family ski trip, Murray and his brother-in-law found themselves in a precarious situation towards the end of the day. They were on a beginner slope, and the ski lift that would take them back up to the top was closing. In a misguided attempt to avoid missing the last lift, they decided to ski a bit further down the hill to catch the next one. However, this decision backfired when they discovered that the next lift had already shut down. Murray, a complete novice, realized he had no idea how to stop or control his descent down the mountain.
A Desperate Descent
As the slope narrowed and the temperature dropped, Murray’s panic grew. He had skied about 500 meters and was now faced with a daunting 3km run to the bottom. With no control over his skis, Murray threw himself to the ground and started sliding down the mountain on his backside. He shouted to his brother-in-law, who was ahead of him, for help but was essentially on his own. The situation became even more challenging as the late afternoon made the slope icy and harder to navigate. Murray eventually reached a restaurant at a flatter part of the mountain, where he picked up his skis and started walking.
Rescue on the Skidoos
Murray’s misadventure culminated in a rescue by the mountain’s ski patrol. The rescue team, typically tasked with aiding injured skiers, was not amused by having to save a pair of beginners who had strayed off the marked routes. They were irked by the fact that they often had to deal with drunk British tourists at the end of the day, and Murray’s situation was no different. Despite his embarrassment, Murray managed to laugh about it, acknowledging that his first skiing experience was more of a comedy of errors than an athletic triumph.
Embracing New Passions
Despite the initial setbacks, Murray is undeterred and plans to return to the slopes in April. He has also set his sights on becoming a scratch golfer, a goal that keeps him motivated in his downtime. In addition to his new hobbies, Murray is deeply involved in his hotel business, which provides him with a different kind of challenge and satisfaction. He emphasizes that he doesn’t miss the intensity and travel demands of professional tennis, saying he has only played a few times since his retirement. Murray’s current tennis skills, he admits, leave much to be desired, but he still enjoys the occasional hit with friends. Overall, his post-retirement life is filled with a mix of new adventures, family time, and business pursuits, demonstrating that even after a storied career, the drive to learn and grow remains strong.
