Andy Murray continues to search for consecutive victories as he was handily defeated by Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Murray achieved his most impressive victory in several months in the opening round when he defeated Denis Shapovalov, but later suffered a 6-2, 6-4 defeat against the 18th-ranked Humbert.
In the first set, Murray lost two serve games in a row and was unable to challenge Humbert’s strong serves. He only won seven return points throughout the match. The second set was slightly tighter, but Murray appeared visibly frustrated as he tried to compete with the precise shots of Humbert. Unfortunately, Humbert emerged as the victor after just ninety minutes.
Since August, Murray has only won one match at each tournament and there is ongoing speculation about when he will retire from tennis. Following his victory over Shapovalov, the Scottish player discussed doing his best in the remaining months. However, he has recently suggested that he hopes to continue playing until the upcoming Olympic Games in the summer.
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Previously, Murray has mentioned that he has a timeframe in mind for when he will retire. He stated on Radio 4’s Today programme that he will likely share this information publicly at a later date. “When the timing feels appropriate, I will most likely make an announcement before my final match and tournament,” he explained. “As for whether I will disclose this information months in advance, I am not sure.”
Although Wimbledon seems like the obvious choice for Murray to retire from his successful tennis career, he is also considering participating in the upcoming Olympics in Paris. Murray holds the unique distinction of being the only player to have won back-to-back singles gold medals in the previous two Olympics in London and Rio. He expressed his desire to compete in another Olympics, saying, “I hope I get the opportunity to do so.”
If the 36-year-old does not qualify based on their ranking – currently 67th – they may try to earn a place in the competition as a former winner.
Source: theguardian.com
