1Getting Emotional
Scott Barbour//Getty Images Murray has been praised time again for contributing to important discussions around masculinity and mental health.
After crying on Centre Court when he lost the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer in 2012, Murray said people began to see him in a different light.
"People didn't laugh or think less of me, it was the opposite," he wrote in a 2016 Huff Post blog. "It felt like they respected me more. They respected me for letting off the pressure cooker of emotion and for letting the mask slip."
2Laughing At Himself
A gaffe like the above could have led some people to hide and undergo a social media blackout. But when a commemorative plate he was presented with in China slipped out of his fingers and smashed everywhere, Andy courageously shared the awkward footage on Instagram so we could all have a laugh.
3(Again)
When Murray first arrived on the scene, it's fair to say his mainstream popularity wasn't at the level it is now (maybe the Grand Slam wins have had something to do with it?) Either way, he's always had the ability to laugh at himself, mock his lack of celebrity appeal and take any, mostly unwarranted, criticism all in his stride.
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4Nailing Instagram
Despite appearing to struggle with the celebrity side of his fame, one thing Murray has successfully conquered is social media. Whether that be showing the realities of fatherhood, admitting he watches Love Island or sharing the style and grooming faux pas of his past, he uses Instagram to have a laugh, leaving inspirational quotes and PR-friendly captions at the door.
5By Being the Most High Profile Male Tennis Player To Speak Out In Favour Of Gender Equality
Mark Sagliocco//Getty Images In a sport that is routinely dodged with accusations of sexism, Murray has always made his position clear: The need for true gender equality in tennis.
Rather than empty words or statements, the 31-year-old has shown his dedication to the cause through multiple actions. Whether that be correcting journalists who leave women's achievements at the side when interviewing him, writing columns talking about the misogyny his former coach faced and identifying as a feminist or calling for more equal standing on court he's not afraid to speak his mind.
In 2017, Serena Williams said there shouldn't be a "female athlete who isn't totally supportive of Andy Murray" and praised him for speaking up for women's rights.
6Being Unintentionally Funny
Though his one-liners to reporters and Instagram game may earn him some laughs here and there, so to do his natural, unplanned reactions. Like when Michael McIntyre barged into his hotel room in the middle of the night to awake him to play a quiz game for Sport Relief 2018.
Enjoy him trying to guess Tim Henman from touch and smell alone while in a mid-sleep haze.
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7Not Forgetting His Roots
Mark Runnacles//Getty Images Olivia Blair is Talent Editor at Hearst UK, working predominantly across Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Timothée Chalamet and Cynthia Erivo over the years.
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