“I want to play forever, I love the sport, but I can’t, it’s too tough,” said Andy Murray during his final Wimbledon this month after seven years trying to overcome a hip problem which struck while he was on top of the world rankings.
He did everything well. That’s the thing. When he looks back at it (his career) he’ll say: ‘I played pretty damned good’ Rod Laver
But now Murray has officially confirmed he would retire following the upcoming Olympics when posting on X on Tuesday (23rd July): “Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament. Competing for Team GB has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!”
This writer is sitting at his laptop pondering the appropriate words to reflect the announcement. How much personal experience without being too self-indulgent? How much reportage without overkill?
I perused search engines, watched BBC i-player and fingered through publications like ‘Murray: Magnificent, Momentous And Memorable Achievements’ put out by Tennis Threads and authored by this scribe.
Remembered how I’d stood front row and centre of the Wimbledon’s Centre Court press box as Murray raced towards it roaring after defeating Novak Djokovic in the 2013 final. And how the BBC TV’s Sue Barker underlined the significance to those present and viewers, telling us: “We’ve waited 77 years for this. The men’s singles champion at Wimbledon – ANDY MURRAY.”
Sue Barker talks with Andy Murray during his farewell presentation on Centre Court
(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
How privileged I felt not only to savour one of the great sporting moments of my lifetime, but to get to interview him with a select bunch of British journalists and write about the whole thing. You could say that as a professional I was just doing my job, but I’m not made of stone.
I was not alone. Former British No.1 Tim Henman said: “It was an incredible moment. Not only for Andy Murray but an iconic moment for British sport.”
Of course, there was no resting on laurels for Murray as he cemented his place at the top end of the game in an era reckoned to be the greatest of all time with Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal to contend with. The triple Slam champion was even able, in many eyes, to rival the trio and extend the Big Three to Four.
There were 12 months, celebrated in Murray: Magnificent, Momentous and Memorable Achievements, in which the copper-bottomed sporting legend underlined how deserving he was of such a description. When, from November 2015 to 2016, he helped Britain lift the Davis Cup, won Wimbledon and the Olympics a second time and made it to world No.1.
It all helped earn him the love and respect of his nation with Barker saying: “He’s the most successful, the most popular British sportsmen there has ever been.”
And it seems the world had similar views.
Many notables queued up to pay tribute on the BBC.
Henman said: “It’s been one of the great generations of the sport with Federer, Djokovic and Nadal and he lost his first four Grand Slam finals. He’s had that resilience, that hunger and drive to keep knocking on the door with the belief that it will finally open.”
Roger Federer, the eight-time Wimbledon champion
(Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)
Federer, a 20-time major champion, said: “I have such high admiration for Andy Murray after all he’s gone through. He has had a massive hip issue. What he’s doing is inspirational. He’s done Scotland proud. He’s done Britain proud.”
Djokovic, winner of a record 24 Grand Slams, said: “He’s a fighter, a competitor. Got a winning mindset.”
Nadal, who has triumphed in 22 Slams, said: “I just want to say thanks for all the things you have given our sport.”
Seven-time Wimbledon winner Pete Sampras said: “He’s handled it (the circumstances) and figured it out. What an athlete.”
Legend Rod Laver, who dominated as the sport when it went professional in the 1960s, summed it up. The Australian said: “He did everything well. That’s the thing. When he looks back at it (his career) he’ll say: ‘I played pretty damned good’.”
Murray has been more than rated one of the Greatest Of All Time as a player. He has been hailed as an ambassador for women as well as the men’s sport.
Legend Serena Williams said of the ace once coached by former world No.1 and Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo: “It’s so important to have people like Andy believing in us and speaking up for us in women’s sport and for women.”
Murray will be remembered, as I wrote after his last Wimbledon this month, “for the tears he spilled after losing the 2012 final to Roger Federer. For the Centre Court victory over the Swiss in the London Games final a few weeks later. For, especially, becoming the first home player to claim the men’s championship in 77 years the following summer.
“Perhaps he will return to the lawns of the All England Club in the invitation doubles events, maybe alongside either Jamie or even long-time pal and former player Ross Hutchins. Perhaps he will take charge of British tennis. Perhaps he’ll just devote himself to his family after years of their selfless support. In the meantime, Wimbledon and all of tennis and sport in general are in his debt. Thank you, Andy.”
Andy Murray training at Roland-Garros Stadium ahead of the Olympics.
(Photo by Edgar Su – Pool/Getty Images)
* *Author/award-winning journalist Mike Donovan has written on tennis for more than 30 years, working for national newspapers and the official Wimbledon website as well as Tennis Threads with whom he authored that soft-backed publication on Andy Murray. He has also written a series of authorised Tottenham Hotspur-related books and has an updated version of Spurs Greatest Games coming out on Pitch this year. He is also working on a book based on his personal experiences called Fever Paunch: 60 years Attempting To Play Football
