Sir Andy Murray has opened up about his brief 2008 split from wife Kim Sears, revealing he bought a Ferrari during their separation but was stopped by police on his first drive due to insurance issues.
The two-time Wimbledon champion made the surprising admission during his recent UK speaking tour, sharing intimate details about a difficult period in his relationship with Kim.
“I bought a Ferrari,” he recalls. “I called it Barry the Ferrari.”
The tennis legend, who married Kim in 2015 after first meeting at the 2005 US Open, briefly separated from her in 2008 before rekindling their romance.
“I thought it was cool, but it didn’t last very long.”
Murray’s first experience with the luxury vehicle proved embarrassing when law enforcement intervened immediately.
The first day I took it out to drive, it got pulled over by the police because the insurance hadn’t cleared.
The former world No. 1 quickly realized the supercar didn’t suit his personality.
“I got rid of it over a couple of months, because it wasn’t really me.”
When they briefly split up in 2008, he was so shaken by the experience that he lapsed into wildly uncharacteristic behaviour.
Murray shared the anecdote during his Centre Stage tour at the New Wimbledon Theatre, where he discussed his career and personal life with broadcaster Andrew Cotter.
The couple, who share four children – Sophia, Edie, Teddy, and Lola – have maintained one of tennis’s strongest relationships.
Murray also revealed his wife’s colorful language when describing recent parenting challenges.
During one of his shows, he messaged Kim during the interval to check on their four-year-old daughter Lola.
“She replied, ‘It has been a f—— shambles. Lola’s being a t–t. Hope the show’s going better than this.”
Kim embraced her reputation at the 2015 Australian Open when she was spotted swearing at Tomas Berdych.
She later wore a jumper reading “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” to Murray’s next match.
Kim, he explains, had been minding the couple’s four-year-old daughter, Lola.
The artist didn’t shy away from her candid nature during the tour, commenting on Murray’s post-retirement activities.
She does not exactly demur, at one point saying of Andy’s new-found addiction to the fairways: “He’s playing so much f—— golf.
Murray and Sears first met at a party during the 2005 US Open when they were teenagers.
They began dating in 2006 and went public when Murray kissed her after winning his first ATP title.
The couple briefly split in 2008 before reuniting and eventually marrying at Dunblane Cathedral on April 11, 2015.
Murray wore a traditional kilt for the ceremony while Kim donned a Jenny Packham gown.
Their wedding reception was held at Cromlix House, which Murray had purchased and converted into a luxury hotel.
The venue held special significance as Murray’s grandparents had celebrated their silver wedding anniversary there in 1982.
Murray has previously praised Kim’s understanding of tennis life, noting her father Nigel Sears was a professional tennis coach.
She was used to being away from her dad a lot, and then also used to being around tennis as well,” Murray told The New York Times in 2015.
The couple welcomed their first daughter Sophia in 2016, followed by Edie in 2017, son Teddy in 2019, and youngest daughter Lola in 2021.
Murray retired from professional tennis after the Paris Olympics in August 2024, ending a career that included three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals.
His Centre Stage tour marked his transition from athlete to storyteller, visiting Glasgow, Edinburgh, and two London venues in June 2025.
The intimate shows featured Murray discussing his career highlights and personal moments with BBC sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter.
Murray admitted feeling nervous about the new venture, telling GQ he was interested in trying things that “make me feel a bit uncomfortable.”
“My biggest fear is agreeing to do something like this and then no one wants to come along and watch it,” he said.
The tours were designed as “phoneless experiences” with audiences required to leave their mobile devices at the door.
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