Andy Murray’s long farewell to tennis begins with emotional doubles defeat

LONDON – It may not be the end yet for Britain’s Andy Murray at Wimbledon but it certainly felt like it, as the 37-year-old received an emotional farewell after he and brother Jamie were beaten in the first round of the men’s doubles on July 4.

Murray said he wished he could “play forever” but his battle-scarred body, including a hip that required career-saving surgery in 2019, would no longer allow it.

He said: “I would love to keep playing but I can’t. Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant.

“I want to play forever. I love the sport and it’s given me so much... I don’t want to stop so it is hard.”

Murray, regarded as one of his country’s all-time great sportsmen, returned to the scene of his two Wimbledon titles barely two weeks after surgery to remove a spinal cyst.

That injury, one of the many that have plagued the Scot in the latter years of his career, ruled Murray out of making one last singles appearance before he retires.

But wild horses would not keep him off the Wimbledon turf and it felt fitting that the brothers from Scotland partnered on the hallowed lawns for the first time in a Grand Slam.

Australian duo Rinky Hijikata and John Peers provided the opposition although, for once, the result felt secondary, even if Murray’s ferocious competitive spirit still burned brightly as the light faded on Centre Court.

The crowd, which included his parents William and Judy, wife Kim and eldest daughters Sophia and Edie, feared an abrupt end to the match when he pulled up clutching his back after a couple of games.

He soldiered on though and produced some flashes of the brilliance that saw him become the first British man for 77 years to win Wimbledon in 2013, having won the US Open and Olympics the year before, and Wimbledon and Olympic gold again in 2016.

Hijikata and Peers won 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 and although Murray is scheduled to play mixed doubles with compatriot and fellow Grand Slam winner Emma Raducanu on July 6, it proved an opportune moment to celebrate the career of the former world No. 1 at his last Wimbledon, 19 years after his first.

On came Sue Barker, the doyen of BBC sport presenters, while former champions Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova, Conchita Martinez and John McEnroe joined a throng of British players on court.

A montage of Murray’s career highlights was played on a video screen with tributes from Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – the three greats Murray went toe-to-toe with so many times throughout his career.

“You were never alone,” said eight-time Wimbledon champion and 20-time Slam champion Federer, the defeated man on Centre Court when Murray claimed Olympic gold in 2012.

“While you carried your own dreams, you also carried theirs.”

Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion at the All England Club and the holder of 22 Majors, said: “We were proud to play against you.”

Seven-time Wimbledon champion and the winner of 23 women’s Grand Slams, Serena Williams, told Murray: “Your golden days belonged to everybody.”

Career-long rival Djokovic, the holder of 24 Slams and seven Wimbledon titles, said in admiration of a man born a week before him in 1987: “Sometimes it looked like you against the world.”

After wiping away a few tears, Murray was asked by Barker about some of his favourite moments. He picked his 2012 Olympic final win over Federer and his second Wimbledon title in 2016 as the ones he enjoyed the most.

Although he said he had not enjoyed his spine-tingling victory over Djokovic on Centre Court in 2013 enough – saying it had been a stressful experience.

There were even some comic revelations from the self-deprecating Scot who took a few years to earn his nation’s affection but was eventually taken to their hearts.

“I felt way less pressure and I enjoyed it more and that was the favourite of my Slams,” Murray said of his 2016 Wimbledon final triumph over Canadian Milos Raonic, which was followed months later by his rise to world No. 1.

“I don’t remember much of that night. I had a few drinks and I did unfortunately vomit in the cab on the way home.” REUTERS, AFP