Andy Murray said that he has ended his career as a happy man because he retired from professional tennis on his own terms at the Paris Olympics on Thursday night.
After a dramatic week in Paris, Murray and Dan Evans were defeated 6-2, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles competition by the third seeds, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz of the United States. It will be the final match of Murray’s career.
“It felt good,” Murray said. “I knew that moment was coming for the last few months. If it didn’t happen today, that was going to be in a couple of days’ time and I was ready for it. Obviously I was emotional because it’s the last time I will play a competitive match. But I am genuinely happy just now. I’m happy with how it’s finished.
“I’m glad that I got to go out here at the Olympics and finish on my terms, because at times in the last few years, that wasn’t a certainty. And even a few months ago, I was told when I first went to have my scan of my back and the issue that I had with it, I was told that I wouldn’t be playing at the Olympics and I wouldn’t be playing at Wimbledon.
“So I feel also lucky that I got that opportunity to play here and have some great matches, create amazing memories and, yeah, I feel good.”
Murray and Evans had enjoyed a dramatic week in Paris as they miraculously saved five consecutive match points after trailing 4-9 in the final-set match tie-break in the opening round against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel and then they saved two more match points in their second round match against Joran Vliegen and Sander Gillé. Despite the British pair saving another match point against Fritz and Paul before retrieving one of the two breaks in the second set, the third seeds held on to reach the semi-finals.
The final months of Murray’s career have been hampered by significant injuries after he tore ankle ligaments in March and then underwent back surgery shortly before Wimbledon in June. Murray said that the back surgery, and the damage that prolonging his career might do to his body, had played a big role in him coming to accept his retirement.
“It’s been really hard,” said Murray. “Physically, pain wise, I feel bad. Physically, I can obviously can go on the court and perform at a level that’s competitive. We’re close to getting in the medal rounds here, that’s okay. But the pain and discomfort in my body is not good.
“That’s also why I’m happy to be finishing. Because if I kept going and kept trying, eventually you end up having an injury potentially ending your career. So, I know that now is the right time.”
After spending much of this year dreading retirement, Murray also noted that the back surgery in June is why he has been able to come to see his retirement in a positive light.
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“When I wasn’t able to walk properly and my leg wasn’t functioning properly, I was told if this continues to grow and puts more pressure on the nerves, it turns into like an emergency situation where you can’t control your bladder and you’ll lose control of the other leg. That’s kind of when I knew it was time.
“Thankfully the surgeon did a brilliant job and obviously the rehab process got fast-tracked to try and play at Wimbledon and here but when that happened, I was like ‘whoa’. I was just looking forward to the end after that.”
Immediately after the match finished, the LTA announced that as part of its tributes to Murray’s career, Centre Court at the Queen’s Club will be renamed Andy Murray Arena during the ATP and WTA tournaments there from next year. “We are proud to name the arena at our tournament at the Queen’s Club after him,” said Scott Lloyd, the chief executive of the LTA.
Late on Thursday night, Murray changed his bio on X from “I play tennis” to “I played tennis”. Shortly afterwards, he posted on his account: “Never even liked tennis anyway.”
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic will seek a further medical assessment of his knee after requiring on-court treatment in his victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in the singles quarter-finals.
In the women’s singles, Iga Swiatek was beaten by China’s Zheng Qinwen.
Source: theguardian.com
