SAD NEWS: Andy Murray opens up on family tragedy – our house just felt different after we were left dealing with personal tragedy after moving in
Tennis star Andy Murray has opened up on the emotional impact of his dogs’ deaths. Maggie May died in 2022 and border terrier Rusty passed away two years later. Murray, wife Kim and their children welcomed a new pet in 2025, announcing the adoption of another dog, a retriever called Bonnie. However, the 38-year-old has opened up on the loss of their other four-legged friends.
Andy and Kim, who have been married since 2015, have four children together – daughters Sophia, Edie and Lola and son Teddy. They moved to their current property in Surrey in 2022, building a dream home after bringing in a reported £5million when they sold the mansion they bought in 2009. Their house in Leatherhead has a swimming pool, a massage room, changing facilities, and a sauna, but Murray admits it felt emptier after dogs Maggie and Rusty died.
When our dogs died last year our house just felt different,” Murray told The Times. “They weren’t super-noisy dogs, but when they were no longer here it just felt so quiet, and we became aware of the things we hadn’t always noticed.
“When we sat down on the sofa the dogs would always hop up and lie down next to us, or the first thing we’d always do in the morning was feed and take the dog for a walk. They become a huge part of your routine. They’re always present. They’re always part of the family and the kids always loved them.
He admitted it was tough for the family to come to terms with the two deaths, adding: “It was really brutal. We found it extremely hard. I wasn’t there when Maggie passed away but I was when Rusty died, and I found it incredibly difficult and we all decided that we wanted to give a bit of time before we got another dog. We didn’t want to rush it.
“It was hard for the children too and it was interesting to see how they reacted to it as it’s the first time they’ve really experienced grief — but we all stuck together, supported each other and talked about all the things we all loved about Rusty. They handled it in a really touching way, which showed how much the dogs mean to them too. You don’t always realise how deep that love is.
Murray made an estimated £50m in prize money during his tennis career, bringing in millions more through endorsement deals and outside investments. He retired from the sport in 2024, though, and this has allowed him to spend more time with his family and with new dog Bonnie.
“I think it helped that I was ready to retire, physically I couldn’t really play to the level I wanted to anymore, my body was kind of telling me that it was time,” the Scot said after announcing his retirement. “I didn’t feel like I still had much more to give but within like 10 days, two weeks of finishing, I looked back and was like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I managed to do these things and achieve these things’.”
