Andy Murray’s Wimbledon career over as Emma Raducanu pulls out of mixed doubles

LONDON - Andy Murray’s Wimbledon career ended on a low note on July 6 when mixed doubles partner Emma Raducanu pulled out of the event to focus on her singles title campaign.

Murray was due to have a final swansong at the All England Club with fellow Briton Raducanu after losing in the men’s doubles with his brother Jamie earlier this week.

Murray, a two-time Wimbledon champion, and Raducanu, who won the US Open in 2021, were scheduled to play Zhang Shuai and Marcelo Arevalo in the fourth match on Court One on July 6.

But Raducanu, 21, withdrew several hours before the match in a bid to ensure she did not aggravate a wrist problem.

“Unfortunately, I woke up with some stiffness in my right wrist this morning, so therefore I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tonight,” she said, in a statement.

“I’m disappointed as I was really looking forward to playing with Andy but got to take care.”

After beating ninth seed Maria Sakkari on July 5, Raducanu is due to play New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun in the Wimbledon fourth round on July 7.

She is aiming to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time since her remarkable run at the US Open three years ago.

After having a metal hip inserted in 2019, suffering ankle damage this year and undergoing surgery to remove a cyst from his spine which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon, Murray has been on a farewell tour of the grass-court Grand Slam this week.

Former world number one Murray and brother Jamie were defeated 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 by Rinky Hijikata and John Peers of Australia in the first round of men’s doubles. AFP