Murray relishing 'exciting' 2016

Andy Murray is looking forward to an “exciting” 2016 after being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a second time.

The Scot was a clear winner after he led Great Britain to their first Davis Cup team tennis triumph for 79 years.

Next year Murray, 28, is set to become a father for the first time, will attempt to defend his Olympic title and seek a third Grand Slam triumph.

“The scheduling will be difficult next year but it’s exciting,” he said.

Murray became only the fourth person to win the BBC award twice – following boxer Henry Cooper and F1 drivers Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill – after first winning in 2013.

He finished a clear first in the public vote, with rugby league veteran Kevin Sinfield second and heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill narrowly beating boxer Tyson Fury to third place.

A weekend in Worthing?

Murray said he had never been to Worthing, the Sussex town which featured in his self-deprecating acceptance speech.

“A friend sent me a message the other day with an article saying, ‘Andy Murray is duller than a weekend in Worthing’, which I thought was a bit harsh – on Worthing,” he said after collecting the trophy.

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Can father-to-be Murray stay at the top?

Murray has just returned from a training camp in Dubai and will seek a first Australian Open title in Melbourne in January, while his wife Kim is expecting their first child.

“That becomes my number one priority. In February, me and my wife’s lives will change forever, and I’m sure that will be in a positive way,” he said.

“A lot of the players are able to mix and balance the two in a positive way.

“Novak Djokovic is a father and just had his best year ever – his baby was born this year – and Roger Federer has four children and is still travelling at 34 years old, so you can do it.

“There’s no reason for it to have a negative effect on my tennis. I’m really looking forward to it.

“As you get older, it’s important to have distractions. I do put a lot of time and effort into tennis and spend a lot of time away from my family, which is something I miss.”

‘Zero complaints’ over support

A second win provided further evidence that the popularity of Murray, who won the US Open and Olympic gold in 2012 before triumphing at Wimbledon a year later, has increased significantly in recent years.

“The last five or six years, through all of my Wimbledon runs, obviously the Olympics was unbelievable, every time I’ve played Davis Cup home matches, the support has been great,” he said.

“I’ve had absolutely zero complaints at all. Tonight I guess proved that.

“You can never please everybody but I have tried my whole career to be myself as much as I could.

“I love competing for my country and my results when I’m playing for my country are much better than when I’m playing on my own. I do genuinely love it.”

Fury fourth after furore

The build-up to the show was dominated by media coverage of controversial comments on homosexuality and women by world heavyweight champion Fury.

At the ceremony, the Manchester fighter said: “If I’ve said anything in the past that’s hurt anybody, I apologise.”

Murray, a big boxing fan, said he had stayed up to watch Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko in November the night before he sealed GB’s Davis Cup triumph over Belgium in Ghent.

“I guess it’s up to the public to decide. Not everyone has to agree with what he says but that’s freedom of speech and people have the right to disagree'” said Murray.

“His achievement, winning against Klitschko… nearly everyone said was almost impossible. He proved everyone wrong.”

Bailey Matthews – the eight-year-old star

A vibrant sell-out crowd of 7,500 watched the show, which was held in Northern Ireland for the first time, at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

Presenter Gary Lineker cut his hand on the trophy early on, gymnast Max Whitlock performed a routine on the top of a piano and One Direction star Niall Horan was among the celebrities who presented a trophy.

But for many the star of the show was eight-year-old Bailey Matthews, who was presented with the Helen Rollason Award for courage in the face of adversity.

A video of Matthews, who has cerebral palsy, completing his first triathlon unaided after abandoning his walking aid to cross the finishing line has been viewed on Facebook more than 27 million times.

Given a standing ovation in the arena, he prompted more applause when interviewed on BBC Radio 5 live.

When presenter John Inverdale said to him: “Look at that trophy, that’s yours, how amazing is that?” He replied: “I don’t think the people listening will be able to see it.”

Asked if he had any ambitions and what he would like to be in the future, Matthews said: “Me.”

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