DUNBLANE, Scotland (AP) — His victory speech at Wimbledon was easy compared to this.

Andy Murray broke into tears yesterday as he accepted a civic honour in his Scottish hometown of Dunblane.

Murray, who was granted “the freedom of Stirling” from the local council, stopped to compose himself and wipe his eyes several times during the ceremony at Dunblane High School.

“I think everyone knows I’m extremely proud of where I come from,” he said, his voice cracking. “Moving away was one of the sacrifices I had to make for my job and every time I come back it’s quite emotional.”

Murray’s parents, grandparents and girlfriend Kim Sears were among those in attendance.

“I apologise for this behaviour,” he said after again being overcome with emotion.

Murray also received an honorary degree from the University of Stirling, whose courts he practised on as a youngster.

“Tennis players don’t really come from Scotland, so it’s a strange story, but shows that anything can happen if you believe and you dream and work hard, then you can achieve whatever you want to,” he said.

Dunblane, a cathedral town, was the site of a mass shooting in 1996. Murray was eight when a gunman opened fire at his elementary school, killing 16 children and a teacher. He didn’t witness the actual carnage, but hid under a desk in the headmaster’s study.

Murray, gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2012 US Open champion, became the first British man since 1936 to win Wimbledon last year when he beat Novak Djokovic in the final.