Andy Murray calls out pushy parents and reveals tennis mum asked him if her son, 6, should see a sports psychologist over 'mental' problem

Published: 11:41 EDT, 28 September 2026 | Updated: 12:00 EDT, 28 September 2026 Sir Andy Murray has questioned pushy tennis parents after recently being asked by a mum whether her six-year-old son should see a sports psychologist.The three-time major winner was asked on Andy Roddick's Served podcast about whether he was a 'good sports dad'.Murray, a father of four, declared that he is a 'good sports dad' and is 'definitely not' a parent who shouts while watching his children play.The two-time Wimbledon champion, who retired in 2024, however revealed he has come across some 'interesting parenting' when watching.Murray cited the example of a tennis mum, who believed her six-year-old son had a 'mental' problem that had prevented him from winning matches. 'I have seen some interesting parenting at some of the sports,' Murray said. Sir Andy Murray has questioned pushy tennis parents after recently being asked by a mum whether her six-year-old son should see a sports psychologist Murray revealed to Andy Roddick that he had seen 'interesting parenting' while watching his own children play sport'My son went to his first tennis competition a few weeks ago. He has been playing for like three months. 'I had one of the parents come to me and they were like, "What do you think is wrong with my son? He keeps losing matches, he gets to match point and he just can't get over the line". 'The kid is six.'These matches are first to 10 points so they are done in about three or four minutes. The kids have no idea what's going on. 'I was like, "I don't know, I have never seen your child hit a ball", and she was like, "I think it's definitely mental". 'She said, "Did you ever use a sports psychologist?" And I went, "I did, but not when I was six".' Murray's comments reflect similar concerns raised by his own mum Judy earlier this year.Judy, who pushed back at her own portrayal as a pushy parent during Andy and Jamie Murray's careers, revealed she had learned not to put pressure on her sons after seeing how scared their peers were about disappointing their parents. Judy Murray said earlier this year that she learned not to put pressure on her sons after seeing how scared their peers were about disappointing their parentsShe described how youngsters playing alongside her sons would often approach her after games to discuss their trepidation after losses.Murray said the children would be upset, knowing their parents would be ‘angry’ at them or distant if they didn’t win.‘I learned a lot about how not to parent by observing many parents in junior tennis, how they behaved with their kids,' she said on the Tennis Insider Club podcast.‘The kids would come to me and they're upset and they've lost, and they don't want to get in the car with their father on the way home because [they say] “He's going to be really angry with me. He is not going to talk to me all the way home”.‘You learn this from the kids.'They're telling you and it's making them anxious and then you realise why they play with fear and caution and they don't want to risk anything because they're scared to lose because of the way that the parents behave.’