'I don't plan to go to Wimbledon. I don't watch tennis as a fan'

Andy Murray reveals to the Guardian that he is unlikely to visit SW19 this year but will still be backing British players

- Sean Ingle

Andy Murray has always had a way of creating alchemy on a tennis court. But, even in retirement, he is discovering new tricks. For more than an hour he has little kids from West Byfleet junior school transfixed as he coaches them through the joys of mini-tennis. There are swings and wild misses, gentle advice and high fives. In fact Murray is so locked in, he even makes his familiar power-exhale noise while he gently lifts the ball over a tiny net.

In short, he is a natural - even if he doesn't quite see it that way himself. "I think they were just buzzing to get a few hours out of the classroom to be honest," he says, typically self-effacing, as he chats to the Guardian during a quick break. "But it's great. I love seeing kids on a tennis court having fun."

That includes his four children. Although he indicates that none of them have the desire or talent to be the next Andy Murray.

"They're not good tennis players," he says, smiling. "But my eldest daughter had her first school match yesterday. I hit a couple of balls with her in the morning. She was saying to me, 'oh, I'm terrible' and she was laughing about it. But she actually went undefeated. She and her partner won their matches. We were a bit surprised at her level being that high. So they all hit a little bit, but not a whole lot."

Murray is in West Byfleet to promote an LTA and government initiative that has led to more than 3,000 dilapidated park tennis courts being brought back to life in three years. It is something that clearly matters deeply to him.