Kim Murray is often seen courtside, cheering on her three-time Grand Slam-winning husband Andy Murray each time Wimbledon rolls around. And next month will be particularly poignant as it will be ten years since the tennis star first raised the Wimbledon trophy above his head.
"I think a couple of my sponsors have plans to mark the anniversary, but I won't be doing anything personally," Andy exclusively told HELLO!. "I'm just glad to still be playing there ten years on."
Last week, Andy was again triumphant with a victory at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy, where he was supported by his loved ones. "It's great he is still so focussed," his wife Kim revealed. "He goes out there wanting to win every single match and we are very proud of him."
Despite being plagued by injuries in recent years and experiencing some lows alongside his historic highs at SW19, Andy is feeling hopeful this summer. "I'm pleased with how things went at Surbiton last week," he told us. "I felt like I was playing well and I'm feeling good moving on the grass.
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"I'm going to be playing at Nottingham next, before Queens and then Wimbledon, and then after that I plan to head out to the States to play there in the run-up to the US Open."
© Alun CallenderAway from tennis and being on the school run, the couple are holding court at Cromlix, their beautiful countryside hotel in Dunblane.
The 15-room establishment, purchased ten years ago, holds a special place in the Murray household as it was the venue for their wedding reception in 2015 while Andy's brother, Jamie, also held his nuptials in the on-site chapel five years prior.
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Now eight years on from their big day and four children later, spending time there has "been really special". Kim explained: "The children love going up there and being in Scotland. Their favourite thing is going to see the chickens at the hotel, and having afternoon tea - the chef always spoils them when they visit."
The couple first crossed paths in 2005 when they were introduced by Kim's father, and they have been together ever since. Both Kim, 35, and Andy, 36, are now doting parents to four children; Sophia, seven, Edie, five, Teddy, three, and two-year-old Lola.
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Now with the running of the hotel, Kim has ruled out having any more children. "The whole hotel needed an update, I'd finished having babies, and I was ready for a new project," she added.
But the project requires a lot of time spent in Scotland - which must be a challenge with the demands of a busy family household in Surrey to manage too. "It has been quite a juggle this year I must say," she admitted.
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"I'm lucky to have support at home with looking after the children - my mum has been great. And then I try to do as many calls and meetings as I can when they are at school. Somehow we've been able to manage okay and because the children are excited about going up there, I think they've understood why I've been so busy."
The couple's desire to take on Cromlix wasn't just down to their personal history with the property, it was also an attempt to give something back. "When it came up for sale, Andy wanted to be able to keep it open as a thriving business for the local community and so we took over in 2013," she said. "For ten years we had a management company running it for us, and when the contract with them was up for renewal it just felt like it was the right time to self-manage it instead."
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She continued: "Andy obviously doesn't get to go back to Scotland nearly as much as he would like, so it's great for him to have a base up there. "Judy and the rest of the family visit the hotel regularly. And I'm up there all the time now with all the changes going on. I'm really pleased to have put my own stamp on it - it now feels even more special to me as I'm so much more connected to it.
Despite splitting her time between their home in Surrey and Scotland, Kim is finding spending more and more time at the hotel. "I'm really pleased to have put my own stamp on it - it now feels even more special to me as I'm so much more connected to it," she shared.
Kim, who studied English literature at Sussex University, made sure they put their personal touches to Cromlix for that "home away from home" feel. "I wanted it to be something I felt really proud of so I worked really closely with Suzanne Garuda, the interior designer, to choose wallpapers, fabrics and furnishings that I loved too," she said.
"I wanted to bring some of the beautiful Scottish countryside into the hotel so we've renamed all the bedrooms after flowers, and there are lots of floral touches throughout - I love gardening and being outdoors, so I wanted the new design to reflect that.
"We've tried to inject a bit of fun into the hotel refurb as well – it's supposed to be a relaxed home away from home, rather than a formal country house, so we've put some crazy artwork on the walls and mixed bold paint colours with vibrant wallpapers to give it some colour and life."
She added: "Andy's granny's shortbread is in every room when guests arrive, so that's nice. And Andy was quite insistent on us buying the best mattresses we could – it's a real bugbear of his from travelling all around the world."
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Speaking about their favourite rooms, Kim divulged: "I have been staying more or less weekly for the past six months. My favourite bedroom is probably Tulip. It still feels very stately with a four-poster bed and its grand scale, but it's much more dramatic and warm now.
"It has such beautiful fabrics in there, I just love it. I also love the bathroom in Allium – it's got this amazing floral wallpaper, wood panelling and a roll-top bath overlooking the grounds. I could spend hours in there.
"Andy's favourite room is definitely the billiards room - it has a full-sized billiards table and a pick ‘n’ mix sweet selection - it’s a really fun place to hang out with friends in the evening."
And while the couple have a busy time ahead with Grand Slams and school holidays around the corner, they're not short of inspiration for future adventures. It might be a juggle, but it's one that Kim relishes, as her plans for the future show.
The pair intend to embark on some exciting building work around the hotel’s incredible loch next year - with plans for a selection of self-contained eco-cabins for guests to rent, and truly be at one with nature.
"They are a mix of one, two and three-bedroom, self-contained units and will be a fantastic way for people to immerse themselves in the Scottish countryside, whilst having access to all of the hotel's luxury amenities," Kim explained. And that’s not all. "We will also be building a new restaurant at some point too, to accommodate the demand,” she added. “We had 144 people in on Saturday to dine so at some point we'll need a bigger dining space!"
To find out more about Cromlix, visit cromlix.com
