Andy Murray launches ‘77’ management company

WIMBLEDON champion Andy Murray has surrounded himself with familiar faces and taken inspiration from his greatest moment in sport in unveiling his new management company.

Andy Murray lost his US Open quarter final match against Stanislas Wawrinka earlier this week. Picture: Getty

Murray and his manager of the past five years, Simon Fuller, have teamed up to launch 77, the London-based company that will look after the Scot and his brother, doubles specialist Jamie.

The name 77 has been chosen to mark the 77-year wait for a British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon that Murray ended when he beat Novak Djokovic in this year’s final, and also because that match took place on 7 July – 7/7.

Since teaming up with Fuller at the former Spice Girls manager’s XIX Entertainment business, Murray has gone from being a fine grand slam prospect to a winner of the US Open, Wimbledon and Olympic gold.

Fuller will be a business partner of Murray at the new enterprise, becoming chairman, with Murray’s long-time PR and media man Matt Gentry named as managing director.

Mahesh Bhupathi, the Indian doubles player who has forged a separate career in tennis business, will continue to work with Murray to develop new business and sales.

Various other longstanding business relationships remain in place, with Murray saying: “The new company will allow me more freedom and the chance to become more involved in my business affairs.

“I’ve got a great team of people around me who I trust, both on and off the court, which in turn allows me to completely focus on my tennis. I look forward to working with the team on the next stage of my career.

“The choice of name, 77, is symbolic and means a lot to me – the wait for a Wimbledon men’s singles champion and the final being played on the seventh of July.”

Murray, meanwhile, yesterday joined world No  1 Novak Djokovic and newly crowned US Open champion Rafa Nadal as definite qualifiers for the ATP World Tour finals. Despite falling at the quarter-final stage in his defence of the US Open last week, Murray is third in the Race to London and guaranteed a spot at the season-ending tournament.

“It will be great to compete in London again for the first time since winning Wimbledon,” said world No 3 Murray.