Judy Murray has dedicated her adult life to tennis, but at 65, the mother of sporting legends Jamie and Andy Murray is finally making time for herself.
"It's partly down to having kids, but also the nature of the tennis circuit, I've never had time for myself," she tells HELLO!. "I missed out on the weddings of friends, birthdays and special occasions because I was always away from home, helping give my sons the best chance I could. I never regretted that, but now I'm older I've realised there's a whole world out there away from tennis – and I can't wait to explore it."
Of the plight of working parents everywhere, Judy adds: "When your kids are growing up, especially if you're working, you're juggling so many things and time for you is the first thing you forget about – now I am trying to find that balance."
© Photo: Getty ImagesJudy credits her 2014 stint on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing with opening her eyes to self-care, explaining: "When I did Strictly, I realised it was the first thing I had done for myself in years. It made me want to try more new things.
"As we grow older, we need to keep challenging ourselves, and we must always have things to look forward to," Judy enthuses. "We should never be afraid to step out of our comfort zone and try something different or go into somebody else's world."
Judy has certainly been trying new things, throwing herself into novel writing and pickleball, but it's golf that has set her life alight.
"I'm addicted to it, it is so incredibly relaxing," Judy says of her newfound hobby. "It gets me out in the fresh air and away from my phone and because it's not as physically demanding as running around a tennis court, it suits me now that my arms aren't as strong as they once were.
"As we get older it's so important to keep trying to find things that stimulate you, make you think and keep you socially connected – and golf ticks all of those boxes."
While Judy says she is "hugely competitive," she has a far more modest goal in mind when it comes to a round of golf. "My aim is to be good enough to play with Jamie and Andy without being laughed off the course," she jokes. "I actually doubt that will ever happen, but I'm going to try!"
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As well as golf, Judy's grandchildren keep her busy in her post-tennis world. "Spending time with my grandchildren is gloriously exhausting," Judy says of the five little ones in her life. Andy shares Sophia, eight, Edie, six, Teddie, four, and Lola, three, with his wife, Kim Sears, while Jamie and his wife Alejandra welcomed baby Ava in 2022.
"Having more time for my grandchildren is 100% my biggest joy," Judy says, adding that the five youngsters are her motivation for staying well in her sixties.
"I want to run around after them, climb trees with them and, more importantly, get down from trees!" she jokes. "I need to be able to get up and down off the floor, and I've noticed as I've got older I've lost a lot of strength in my arms and legs and I've had to work harder to regain that."
In her quest to stay well "into my 70s and 80s, if I'm lucky enough to live that long," Judy quips, she swims regularly and has a dedicated stretching routine. "I just turned 65, but since I turned 60 I've realised how important it is to stretch to stay mobile and flexible if I want to stay active with my grandchildren."
© Craig & Eva SandersJudy credits a lifetime spent coaching youngsters for keeping her youthful, sharing: "Being around young people on a daily basis keeps you young at heart and in mind. It's not so much about how old you are, it's more about how you feel."
The 65-year-old certainly looks fresh, crediting her vibrant visage to Gelida's Sculptura Cryotherapy facial, a cold therapy treatment that tightens and refreshes the complexion, firming tired skin and minimising any sagging.
© Craig & Eva Sanders"I always feel a million dollars after I have the treatment," Judy says. "I know it's done me the world of good because it's amazingly relaxing."
© Craig & Eva SandersJudy books in for the treatment at Ayrshire hotel Trump Turnberry, where she's also able to indulge in a round of golf too, refreshing both mind and body and keeping her feeling her best into her sixties and beyond.
