Battle of the Brits: Scotland v England is bringing world class tennis as a live event to the north-east for the first time.
The two day pre-Christmas spectacle features Sir Andy Murray, his brother Jamie and Cameron Norrie against a team of top players from south of the border, including Dan Evans and Jack Draper, the British no.7.
It is the brainchild of Jamie who launched the first of the series under lockdown in order to give GB’s top tennis players an opportunity to compete at a time when everything else was shut down.
The fourth in the series taking place in December is supported by law firm Brodies, which thought it was an extraordinary opportunity to celebrate their tenth anniversary in the the Granite city.
Alongside the event is a series of community, club and school tennis events aiming to galvanise the tennis community and make the sport available for all.
This is being led by Judy Murray, mum of Sir Andy and Jamie, who is passionate about the sport’s grassroots.
She has been travelling regularly to the north east in recent weeks to work with schools such as Mile End Primary and Aberdeen Grammar as well as community organisations and charities including the Denis Law Trust which supports Streetsport, which delivers free weekly sports and creative activity sessions for young people across Aberdeen.
Her aim is to ensure these organisation can knit together the patchwork of tennis training in the region to create a tennis renaissance.
“It is a collaboration with the local community which is really really important because otherwise you come up, do something and leave and it doesn’t get repeated,” said Ms Murray.
“I have seen that so much over the years – ‘one-off hits’ I call them.
“You may have a short term hit and sound bites for the media but unless you invest in people it doesn’t have long term consequences.
“We are competing with so many other sports and leisure activities we have to make our sport as fun and engaging and accessible and affordable as we can.
“But if you can work with teachers or charitable organisation like Streetsport they will take it into communities if you spend time empowering them to deliver it.”
She added: “I call it ‘tennisifying’ the teachers.”
Having raised two world-class tennis players, she knows a little about what makes aspiring sporting heroes tick – even for those who might not have access to tennis courts.
“That is a huge thing for me that many more children get to try tennis,” she said.
The programme she leads breaks down the skills required to play – but don’t need to be taught using expansive courts or nets, which are increasingly rare.
“The key to transitioning it to actual tennis is to ensure there is a link to a local park or sports centre or club where they can play to take it further,” she said.
“Depending on where you live that can still be a challenge.
“There are many many areas in Scotland that don’t have any courts at all.
“If you want to try a sport for the first time you aren’t immediately going to join a club.”
How business and sports align
She has worked closely with Brodies on a number of projects both personal and professional.
“They always get behind a community programme,” she said.
She sees sport and business as being closely aligned – particularly the skills it can instill in the workforce of tomorrow.
“Nothing comes close to sport for experiencing and developing life skills,” she said.
“I am absolutely convinced all the sport I did at school and in the wider community and at national level as a junior helped me to cope with working life.
“It develops not just physical skills but so many personality characteristics, from leadership, to communication, teamwork, resilience, goal setting, determination and commitment.
“There are just so many things, it teaches you – the highs and lows, accepting victory and defeat.
“There’s just so many things you can get from being a part of sport you can’t get in other walks of life.”
Nick Scott, Brodies’ managing partner, was raised in Inverurie and is delighted to be supporting the Battle Of The Brits: Scotland v England alongside the education programme spearheaded by Ms Murray.
“It is great for us as because it is about brand values,” he said.
“One of our values is care – so it is about investing in the communities in which you are in and it gives a chance for our colleagues to support that.”
He said the firm launched its Aberdeen office ten years ago with one person working from home and now employs 100 people in the Granite city.
Ten years and counting
He said: “We have been trying all calendar year to think about whether it was sensible to organise a physical event.
“The Aberdeen business community likes getting together.
“The city is big enough to have lots of opportunities but small enough that lots of people know each other and like interacting with each other.”
The firm has enjoyed a close working relationship with Ms Murray and her family over a number of years.
He added; “It is great to partner with her for Battle of the Brits.
“Our support there is principally to help with the community engagement aspect.”
But Mr Scott will also be avidly watching the competition at the P&J Live.
“It will be a real opportunity for the north east community to see Andy Murray play in person as well as the other top UK players on the tour – it’s a real treat,” he said.
“It is not common for this to be here.
“It is quite a statement for Aberdeen and the P&J Arena and the north and north east to bring them here.
“It is a real event for the city and a nice way to end the calendar year where we have all had challenges to face. ”
The Battle Of The Brits: Scotland v England is the fourth event in the series and will showcase both Murray brothers while giving Scottish tennis fans the chance to see them play on home turf.
It will encompass six matches (four singles and two doubles) to be played over an intense 48-hour period at the P&J Live.