Andy Murray gets engaged to girlfriend of nine years Kim Sears

• The Wimbledon champion's representatives have confirmed engagement
• Miss Sears has been in a relationship with Murray for more than nine years 
• Proposal puts an end to years of speculation about the couple's future

By SAM WEBB FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 18:44, 26 November 2014 | UPDATED: 22:59, 26 November 2014

Tennis star Andy Murray has proposed to Kim Sears, his partner of more than nine years.

The Wimbledon champion's representatives have confirmed the engagement, but have not released details or where the proposal took place. 

Sussex-born Miss Sears, who has an English Literature degree, has been in a relationship with Murray after the pair met at the U.S. Open in 2005. Her father is player-turned-coach Nigel Sears.

The 27-year-old has admitted he couldn't have come back to win Wimbledon in 2013 following his 2012 defeat if it hadn't been for her unwavering support.

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Engaged at last: Tennis star Andy Murray has proposed to Kim Sears, his partner of more than nine years

Look of love: Left, a candid moment between the pair, and right, after winning Olympic gold in 2012

Unlike many football WAGS, Miss Sears, 26, shys away from the spotlight as she focuses on her career as an artist and looks after the couple's beloved dogs Maggie May and Rusty at their home in Surrey. 

She was once described by future mother-in-law Judy Murray as 'the best thing to happen to Andy'.

Mrs Murray has kept mum so far - but she cheekily re-tweeted this message from her 'patron penguin' at St Andrews Aquarium in Fife: 'There was me thinking if it all fell through with @MontyThePenguin then the was still @andy-murray to waddle down the aisle with me....'

The Mirror reports the tennis player had been planning the ring for some time.

A source is said to have told the newspaper: 'Andy spent ages thinking about the ring, he chose the design himself and picked it up last week. He then proposed on Wednesday.

'Kim said 'yes' immediately. They are completely besotted with each other and have been there for each other through thick and thin.'

Murray was on his way to the Philippines on Wednesday to play in the International Premier Tennis League.

But he gave no indication of his big news, instead tweeting: 'Off to the Philippines for the first time today, should be a fun trip... Anyone got some suggestions for first time tourists in Manila?' 

In June it was reported that bookies believed the Scot had asked Sears to marry him - after a flurry of betting on him popping the question at Wimbledon.

Tennis fans bet heavily on the champion to both retain his 2013 title and get engaged at 8/1 with bookmaker William Hill, which eventually stopped taking bets on it.

A spokesman said: 'That price was backed heavily. It indicates to us that he got engaged. Maybe someone saw him buying a ring?' 

Andy Murray and Kim Sears play beach tennis (archive)

British tennis player Andy Murray poses with the 2013 Wimbledon trophy along with his fiancee Kim Sears during the Wimbledon Champions Dinner in July 2013, a day after he won the men's singles final match

Victor: Andy Murray of Great Britain climbs into his player's box to celebrate with friends, family and members of his coaching team following his victory in 2013

Kiss for a champion: Kim Sears reacts at the men's final at Wimbledon in July 2013

In the past Murray has been notoriously reluctant to answer questions about his relationship with Sears but earlier this year he was forced to deny that he planned to marry her after joking about his love life on Twitter.

Asked when he plans to marry Miss Sears during a Twitter Q&A with fans in January, Murray responded: 'We're getting married just after Wimbledon, should be a great day.'

But just hours later, Murray was forced to issue another tweet explaining that his words were said with his tongue firmly in cheek after the original message went viral. 

Domesticity: The pair pop out to do some shopping in 2010

The tennis star's mother Judy and Sears celebrate his Wimbledon win over Stanislas Wawrinka in June 2009

Murray holds the British flag aloft following his 2012 Olympic triumph over Roger Federer

He tweeted: '3 things.. I don't smoke grass, I'm not getting married(yet) and I don't want to kill rafael Nadal.. [sic]'

At the time a spokesman for the star confirmed that 'Andy Murray is not getting married this summer.'

In a previous interview with the Scottish Daily Mail he spoke about his relationship with Miss Sears and confessed that he would like children with her in future.

He said: 'I can see myself having a family one day. It is something that I'm starting to think about because Kim and I have been together for eight years.' 

Andy Murray: This year has been an interesting challenge

Family: Andy Murray and Kim Sears at the wedding of his brother Jamie Murray to Alejandra Gutierrez

It emerged today that Murray has dispensed with the services of his longstanding assistant coach Dani Vallverdu and respected physical trainer Jez Green.

The two have been working with him for five and seven years respectively, and were key members of his team when Ivan Lendl became head coach and Murray enjoyed success including a U.S. Open title, Olympic gold medal and his historic Wimbledon triumph.

In releasing a statement this afternoon, he reaffirmed his commitment to working with Amelie Mauresmo next year, with whom he teamed up at the start of this summer's grass court season. 

One love: The story of Kim and Andy

Murray has been living with Kim in Surrey since 2010 but she is forced to spend a lot of time apart from him while he travels the world competing in tournaments.

He once said: 'She has been with me since the second time I played Wimbledon, just after the first summer I played.

'It has been good because her dad is a tennis coach and he still travels on the tour. She understands the sport well and is used to being away from her dad from a young age. She understands that sort of distant relationship, and yes it works well.'

It is said the couple do not live a champagne lifestyle - preferring to play Scrabble and backgammon at home in Oxshott.

Early days: Andy Murray with girlfiend Kim Sears celebrates his win over Lleyton Hewitt in 2006

Sears grew up in the village of Barcombe in West Sussex. Her father is Nigel Sears, the head coach of women's tennis in the UK, and the sport dominated her family life.

Even before she became Murray's girlfriend, she had travelled the world to attend Grand Slam events.

Murray reportedly wooed her with phone calls and flowers. Even then, she was not distracted by the romance, passing all her A-levels with straight As.

She then joined Team Murray and became her boyfriend's chauffeur. He bought her a £40,000 Mercedes to thank her for patiently ferrying him around.

He added: 'I'm lucky. I know Kim isn't with me because I'm in the spotlight. When we met I was playing qualifiers.'

The couple split in November 2009 after four years together but, after seven months apart, got back together. 

In an interview in 2009 he added that he felt he was naturally a one-woman man. 'It isn't that I have anything against people who want to go drinking and find as many girls as they can.

'I don't disagree with it, but it doesn't interest me that much. I don't know whether that's because I've got an older head on my shoulders or because I'm lucky to have Kim.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2850759/Andy-Murray-gets-engaged-girlfriend-nine-years-Kim-Sears.html#ixzz3KDqiEKzq
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Murray avenges for Wimbledon final as British star claims another gold for Team GB after dominant win over Federer

28 days later! Murray avenges for Wimbledon final as British star claims another gold for Team GB after dominant win over Federer

By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 16:14, 5 August 2012 | UPDATED: 17:04, 5 August 2012

Andy Murray followed one of the greatest days in British Olympic history with one of the best performances British tennis has ever seen as he crushed Roger Federer to win London 2012 gold.

Murray exacted the sweetest revenge possible for his tear-jerking Wimbledon final loss by inflicting Federer's heaviest ever defeat at the All England Club and winning his country's first men's singles title since 1908.

Flying the flag: The British No 1 parades his gold medal to the delight of the home support

Net gains: Murray looks to he heavens after beating Federer 6-2, 61, 6-4 on Sunday afternoon

The 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory margin was scarcely believable against the man who stopped him becoming the country's first men's Wimbledon singles champion for 76 years just 28 days ago, who was desperate to enhance his claim to be the greatest player of all time by clinching a career golden slam.

Murray had little time to celebrate the win as he prepared to go for another gold in the mixed doubles.

What a difference 28 days makes: Murray stormed to victory at Wimbledon after turning in a fine display

Murray was in uncharted territory in a five-set contest against Federer. He had lost every one of their grand slam matches, despite their overall 8-8 head-to-head record.

The Swiss had also won more than once from two sets down at Wimbledon but, after two comfortable holds at the start of the third, he was pummelled into submission again by Murray's crosscourt backhand.

You can't hurry a Murray (or so they say): The British No 1 put Federer to the sword on Centre Court with a dominant display

Everything Murray touched was turning to gold, while Federer's game continued to disintegrate in a manner never before seen on Centre Court.

Murray had come out firing four weeks ago, breaking Federer in the first game, but today it was the Scot who found himself under pressure as he gave away two break points.

Contrasting fortunes: Murray was on another level compared to Federer as the British ace turned in one of the best displays of his career

He saved them both, though, and that was to prove vital as he went on to win the first set.

Federer was making a lot of unforced errors while Murray gradually raised his level and, after missing a chance to break in the fourth game, moved ahead in the sixth when the world No 1 could not handle a fizzing backhand.

Centre Court was rocking, and the noise level increased again when Murray broke to take the set, nailing a backhand pass just inside the line.

Home support: The Wimbledon crowd roared Murray on to glory as they helped create a Davis Cup atmosphere on Centre Court

Murray had talked in the build-up about the rarity of Federer treading new ground and how that levelled the playing field, and he was certainly not showing the same form he did at Wimbledon.

There was a lot on the line for the Swiss player, who is unlikely to have another chance to win a singles gold medal, the only major honour missing from his trophy cabinet.

Tension had crackled around Centre Court in the Wimbledon final but today it seemed to have homed in on Federer's racquet. Even the net was on Murray's side as two bits of luck helped him break for the third time in a row to lead 2-0 in the second set. 

In the stands: Andy Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears assumes her position on Centre Court to cheer on her partner

The key game of the match followed as Federer threw everything at Murray in an effort to get back on terms, forcing six break points, but every time he was repelled.

The crowd sensed it was vital he held on, and remarkably he won an eighth straight game when Federer double-faulted, and then a ninth before the Wimbledon champion finally stopped the rot.

There was an air of disbelief on Centre Court, could this really be happening? Federer had a chance to pull one break back but again Murray held firm to move into a two-set lead.

Team Murray: Andy made his way into the stands to celebrate his straight-sets victory over Federer

BRONZE MEDAL MATCH

Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro won the bronze medal in the men's singles after upsetting second seed Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-4 on Wimbledon's Court One. 

Del Potro lost a marathon semi-final encounter to Roger Federer on Friday and left the court in tears, but he roused himself physically and mentally to earn his place on the podium. 

Djokovic, beaten by Andy Murray in the last four, was the bronze medallist in Beijing four years ago but he ceded first blood when his serve was broken in the 11th game.

He had two chances to break back and force a tie-break but Del Potro held on, and the Argentinian broke again to lead 2-1 in the second set. 

Djokovic tried to respond but there was no way back and for the Serb there was only the agony of finishing fourth.

Federer had played for almost four and a half hours on Friday in beating Juan Martin Del Potro in a titanic semi-final and his movement was certainly not up to his usual standard.

But that was to take nothing away from Murray, who was pinning the great man back with the ferocity of his groundstrokes, particularly his cross-court backhand.

A two-set lead was still far from victory of course, with Federer having come back from two sets to love down to win on many occasions, including against Julien Benneteau at Wimbledon.

Often Murray has a dip at such moments but not today, he simply maintained the same excellent level and broke again with another superb backhand. Federer prevented the Scot moving 5-2 ahead and then forced him to serve it out.

The nerves must have been coursing through Murray's body but he did not show it, two big serves bringing up match point before the final coup de grace.

The world No 4 celebrated the finest win of his life by climbing up to the players' box to celebrate with friends and family, and it could yet be double gold with the mixed doubles final still to come.

Murray hailed the biggest win of his career. 'It's No 1 for me,' he told BBC1. 'The biggest win of my life. This week's been incredible so far.

'I've had a lot of fun, the support's been amazing. One more match to go, but it's been unbelievable.'

Murray said he was inspired both by the performances of his Great Britain team-mates and the crowd, who were unusually boisterous for SW19.

'They're unbelievable,' he said. 'It's not just here but all of the events I've watched. I watched the athletics last night it was amazing.

'The way Mo Farah won... I do 400m repetitions in my training and when I'm completely fresh I can run it in 57 seconds and his last lap after 9,600m was 53 seconds. It's just unbelievable fitness.

Centre of attention: Murray provided the Wimbledon crowd with some exhibition celebrating

'It gave me a boost coming into today. The momentum the team's had the last couple of days has been so good.'

Murray admitted the achievement had surprised even him. 'I didn't expect that at the start of the week,' he said.

'I had a chance of going deep into the tournament [but] I was a little bit tired after Wimbledon, and playing the mixed as well.

'But I felt so fresh. On the court today I didn't really feel nervous at all apart from at the beginning of the match.'

Murray felt his victory was the perfect way to recover from his Wimbledon disappointment. 'It's worth it,' he said. 'I've had a lot of tough losses in my career. This is the best way to come back. I'll never forget it.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2183996/Andy-Murray-beats-Roger-Federer-win-gold--London-2012-Olympics.html#ixzz22gzMiN7s

Andy Murray to play in TWO Olympic finals on Sunday after win with Robson

Murray to play in TWO Olympic finals on Sunday after win with Robson

By NICK HARRIS

PUBLISHED: 14:07, 4 August 2012 | UPDATED: 20:45, 4 August 2012

Andy Murray is relishing what could be the greatest day of his sporting life, when he will play for gold in two Olympic tennis finals at Wimbledon. 

First he will resume his rivalry with Roger Federer, with a prize at stake that neither has won before, an Olympic gold medal. 

Then Murray and Laura Robson will contest the mixed doubles final, having won two matches yesterday - their quarter-final and semi-final - to earn a shot at Games glory. 

It was exactly four weeks ago that the 25-year-old Murray lost the Wimbledon men's singles final to Federer on Centre Court.

All smiles: Andy Murray and Laura Robson salute the partisan Centre Court crowd

It was the third time Federer had beaten Murray in a Grand Slam final. 

That, however, is an irrelevance today, according to Murray, who says that when they walk into tennis's most famous arena with gold up for grabs, both of them will be entering new territory. 

'He's not played for the gold medal in singles before,' said Murray, who has won eight of their 16 meetings in all competitions. 'Most times when I've played him, he's experienced the situations we've been in many more times than me.

'He'd played seven Wimbledon finals before this year's final. For me, it was my first one.

'It's so rare for him to be in a position where he's trying to do something new because he's achieved so much in tennis.

'I hope that will even things out a little bit. Obviously, I'll need to play great tennis to win. I think the tournament deserves a great final. I hope we can provide that.' 

Murray and Robson beat Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur in three sets, including a 10-8 champions tiebreak as the third set, before moving past Germany's Christopher Kas and Sabine Lisicki in the semi-finals 6-1, 6-7, 10-7. 

'It's been different to what I normally do, but I've enjoyed the whole event and Sunday is pretty much the perfect end to the tournament for me and I'll try to win both,' Murray said.

In tandem: Murray puts away a volley at the net as Robson patrols the baseline

Robson said: 'I'm super excited for tomorrow and I'm sure we're going to do well.' 

Federer's Grand Slam record puts him head and shoulders above any other man to play the game. 

His win at Wimbledon this year was his 17th Slam singles title and his seventh at the All England Club. He also has an Olympics doubles gold medal from Beijing. 

The world No 1 has always wanted to add an Olympic singles medals to his career haul of honours, however. But so does Murray, who is re-assessing the Games' importance to him after a uniquely enjoyable week of his career. 

'If you asked me before the tournament, I would have said within tennis, a Wimbledon title, a Slam title, is the most important thing to do in your career. But within sport, a gold medal is, for sure, the pinnacle. Everyone understands what a gold medal is.

'After what I've experienced it would be right up there with anything else that I could achieve in tennis.' 

Great Britain has not won any Olympic tennis medal since Tim Henman and Neil Broad took the silver in the doubles in 1996 in Atlanta.

On a roll: Laura Robson and Andy Murray saw off the challenge of Sam Stosur and Lleyton Hewitt

The wait for a British man to win the Olympics singles title is even longer than the wait since the last winner of Wimbledon.

You have to go back to Josiah Ritchie in 1908 to find a British man on top of the podium. 

To reach the final, Murray beat his old friend and rival Novak Djokovic in straight sets on Friday in front of a packed Centre Court crowd who cheered him to the rafters. 

'It was one of the biggest matches of my career, one of the biggest wins of my career,' said the Scot. 'It was emotional, I was so happy to win. You don't see me smiling that much normally.

'Even afterwards, all the volunteers and staff were just so happy. All the people that came to watch and who hung around outside, it's so different to what we normally experience in tennis.' 

Down and out: Lleyton Hewit and Sam Stosur react after defeat

Murray insisted that he would not be too exhausted to give his best shot, saying: 'I'm going to be sore at the end of the week, but with an Olympic gold medal at stake, it's worth it.'

Murray is already guaranteed at least silver even if he comes up short, not that his attitude or standard of play this week suggests he is doing anything but going for broke.

'To get through and guarantee yourself a medal is great,' he says. 'That's what I wanted to try to achieve before the tournament started. 

'But, yeah, now I'm in the final and have a chance to win a gold medal. I'll not have that chance for another four years, so I'll give it everything I can to try and do that.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2183586/London-2012-Olympics-Andy-Murray-Laura-Robson-reach-final.html#ixzz22cRCp8HG