He wears his heart on his sleeve and brought fans to tears when he gave a touching speech upon retiring.
Now Sir Andy Murray has shared his emotions again after losing his dog.
In a touching post he paid tribute to his ‘loyal’ and ‘protective’ border terrier dog, Rusty.
He shared the sad news by writing: ‘You were the most loyal and protective companion our family could have wished for.
‘You were so patient and gentle with the kids and we all learned so much from you. The house feels empty without you in it… Love you ruzz rest easy poppet.’
The sad news of Rusty, named after Australian tennis star Lleyton ‘Rusty’ Hewitt, comes just two years after Sir Andy lost Maggie May, another border terrier who died in 2022.
One fan took to Instagram to write: ‘Aw so sorry. The ultimate price of a dog’s love is such a hard one & such a hard one to see your kids experience too. Be kind to yourself, it takes time. Hugs to you all.’
Another said: ‘So sorry. It’s a grief like no other.’
A third added: ‘I’m so sorry to hear about your lovely dog. Pets are family members, and leave a BIG hole, once gone.’
Sir Andy, pictured here with wife Kim, posted an emotional tribute to the family’s lost pet
In his touching message, Sir Andy said it was time for Rusty to ‘rest easy’
The news comes after it was announced Novak Djokovic will team up with former rival Andy Murray for this year’s Australian Open
Speaking a year before the death of his dog Maggie May, Murray had previously explained how much dogs meant to him.
He told PetsPyjamas that his dogs help him to ‘switch off’ and that they ‘would win an award for loyalty’, too.
Murray announced in 2016 that Maggie May would publish a book on ‘how to look after your human’, leaving regular social media followers amused – though the real brains behind it was of course his wife Kim.
The sad news of Rusty’s passing also comes after Murray announced this week he would coach his former rival Novak Djokovic for next year’s Australian Open.
The role, which will involve the pair working closely together, will be Murray’s first coaching job since entering retirement. Djokovic, 37, said: ‘I thought our story may be over. It turns out, it has one final chapter.
‘It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner.’
Fans of Murray took to social media to offer their thoughts in on the pairing.
One person went so far as to say: ‘This is legitimately insane. I feel like I’m living in an alternate reality rn.’
Another said, dubious of Murray’s losing record against Djokovic: ‘Hmmm I seriously wonder what more Andy can bring to Novak’s table at this point, aside from companionship.’
