"Our kids are at an age now where they realize I'm gone" - Andy Murray shares heartbreak over demanding tennis schedule

Andy Murray wants to find the right balance in his schedule as he seeks to prioritize his family amid the demands of the tennis tour. Murray has four kids with his wife of seven years, Kim Sears.

While the three-time Grand Slam champion is set to compete in Basel, where he is seeking his first title of the year, he will miss equally important milestones at home – the birthdays of two of his children.

"My second oldest daughter and my son both have birthdays during this week, and it's something I don't want to miss because I want to be there for them as much as possible. It's very hard for me. In the summer, for example, I was in the USA for five weeks. That's too long for me," said Andy Murray, according to Watson News.

The Brit said his kids, whose ages range from one to six years old, already understand his absence, and it breaks his heart to leave them as he fulfills his tennis duties.

"Our kids are at an age now where they realize I'm gone. I feel bad when I'm gone for a long time. It breaks my heart," he said.

Murray added that he is already working on his schedule for next season with his family as his top priority.

"On the other hand, it's my job. My wife, family and I have been talking about how I want to play next year, because I don't want that to happen again. It's difficult to balance that. I will do things that are not the best for tennis, but my first priority will also be family," he stated.

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Andy Murray faces Roman Safiullin in Swiss Indoors Basel first round

Andy Murray in action against Sebastian Korda at the Gijon Open.

Andy Murray will begin his quest for a first title this season in Basel, where he will take on Roman Safiullin in the opening round of the Swiss Indoors Basel. The 49th-ranked Murray tackles the 25-year-old Safiullin in their first career meeting.

The Brit reached the quarterfinals in his most recent tournament in Gijon, where he bowed to Sebastian Korda. He came close to lifting two trophies this season, reaching the finals in Sydney and Stuttgart but fell at the final hurdle to Aslan Karatsev and Matteo Berrettini, respectively.

No. 93 Safiullin, meanwhile, reached the semifinals in Tel Aviv but lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic last month.

Heading the pack in Basel are World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and third-ranked Casper Ruud as the top two seeds. Recently crowned winners Felix Auger-Aliassime (Antwerp) and Lorenzo Musetti (Naples) are the third and fourth seeds, respectively. Other seeded players include Tel Aviv finalist Marin Cilic, Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut, and World No. 23 Alex de Minaur.