Make a deliberate decision when selecting your perspective on Andy Murray, but also prioritize choosing a career and living your life.

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In a park in Edinburgh, Sick Boy talks to Renton before shooting a dog with an air rifle. He shares his belief that people can have success, but then lose it forever. He gives examples such as George Best, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Charlie Nicholas, David Niven, Malcolm McLaren, and Elvis Presley.

“Is your theory that as we age, we become unable to cope and that’s the end of it?”

“Yeah.”

Can you believe Andy Murray’s injuries have had such a severe impact on his body? While the Sick Boy analysis may be too simplistic, the general idea is not completely unfounded. Just make sure not to compare it to Trainspotting when talking about Murray.

These are tough times for one of Britain’s most accomplished athletes. Murray himself admits that he is going through a difficult period after losing in the first round to Benoît Paire, ranked 112th in the world, at the Open Sud de France. This defeat comes after a similar early exit in the Australian Open, and Murray has only made it past the first round in one of his past seven tournaments. The 36-year-old has not advanced past the third round of a major since 2017, indicating that his illustrious career may be coming to an end. It would be strange if people were not questioning the longevity of Murray’s career at this point.

Murray does not seem inclined to agree with this evaluation. A column published by Kheredine Idessane, the tennis correspondent for BBC Scotland, sparked anger on social media from the three-time grand slam champion. Idessane praised Murray’s remarkable journey and expressed gratitude for being able to witness it. However, one statement in the otherwise harmless piece struck a nerve with Murray: “When does persisting through injury begin to harm his reputation?”

The wording may have been awkward, but the idea of an athlete staying in their position for a prolonged period of time, to the detriment of their own health and the audience’s discomfort, is not a new concept. Examples include Ian Rush staying with Wrexham or Billy Casper’s 106 shots in the 2005 Masters. Knowing when to retire is crucial in today’s society where people have short attention spans.

“Are you trying to damage my reputation?” Murray wrote. “Please do me a favor. Many individuals would give up and quit in my current situation. However, I am not like most people and my thought process is different. I refuse to quit. I will continue to fight and strive to achieve the performances that I am capable of.”

“He stated that he is not like the majority of people. He is a tennis player, a remarkable one at that. He has motivated countless individuals, who may not understand the nuances of the game, to pay attention to it for a brief period each year. However, at the end of the day, he is still just a tennis player. Reflecting on one’s personal ‘legacy’ can be a treacherous path.”

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In 2019, Murray officially announced that he was retiring. His struggles, both physically and mentally, were documented in the highly acclaimed film Resurfacing, which made his comeback seem unlikely. However, retirement was not a foreign idea to him, as he had previously acknowledged in December by stating, “It could be the last year, yes.” Therefore, his recent outburst on Tuesday seems perplexing unless the underlying message is that only Murray himself has the right to speak about his future.

There are multiple aspects to this situation. It would be beneficial for Murray to use his social media platform to express genuine opinions. His mockery of Nigel Farage and critical remarks about Brexit were widely applauded. He also has the right to object to the specific column in question, as he is the subject of it. Murray’s competitive nature is still evident. A certain level of sensitivity is acceptable, perhaps even a Scottish characteristic. It is admirable that Murray wants to continue playing in a physically demanding sport where most players are younger and in better shape. In comparison, Tiger Woods only had to face the hills of Augusta National during his comeback in 2019. Murray, on the other hand, has opponents serving at speeds of 120mph towards him.

Murray needs to keep in mind that he has been highly praised by a majority of the British media since gaining recognition. Even when he displays frustration and anger during Wimbledon matches, the BBC tends to overlook it. His recent behavior shows that he is not accustomed to receiving even mild criticism. By mentioning Murray in his article, Idessane was aware that he would likely respond. Whether it was wise for a popular athlete with 3.5 million followers on X to allow the wave of negative comments that ensued is open to discussion.

The desire of well-known individuals to bask in Murray’s post was concerning. They felt the need to worship Saint Andy. “Don’t listen to the haters!” was the message, which was sickening. Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting, defended his fellow Scot. Sharron Davies did the same. Martina Navratilova also chimed in. Andy Roddick seemed confused by it all. The former US Open champion wrote, “Imagine telling a successful, iconic adult what they should do for work and when they should do it.” He deemed the article dumb and attention-seeking, stating that an athlete’s legacy cannot be taken away and their accomplishments will always be remembered. Roddick must live in a sheltered world where criticism of athletes is not allowed. It can be assumed that he had read the offending 696 words, which actually praised Murray’s achievements.

Next year’s Wimbledon will be the 20th anniversary of Murray’s first appearance in the championships. This seems like a natural time to end his impressive streak. However, reaching that point appears to be a difficult task at the moment. It is important to acknowledge this obvious truth without causing any offense. Murray’s supporters are not helping him by ignoring this reality.

Source: theguardian.com