On Wednesday, 28 February 2024 former world number one Andy Murray revealed that he is “likely not going to play competitive tennis past this summer.” The British three-time Grand Slam champion, aged 36, has struggled this season, winning only two out of eight matches. It seems he is prepared to bring an end to his illustrious career.
Murray, who suffered a defeat to French fifth seed Ugo Humbert with a score of 6-2, 6-4 in the Dubai second round, has been unable to secure consecutive victories since September. Persistent inquiries regarding his future have surrounded him amid these challenges.
How old is Andy Murray?
Andy Murray is 36 Years old.
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Andy Murray Contemplates Retirement Amidst Return to French Open and Olympic Ambitions
“I’m likely not going to play past this summer, I get asked about it after every single match that I play, every single tournament that I play. I’m bored of the question, to be honest,” Murray stated.
“I’m not going to talk more about that between now and whenever the time comes for me to stop. But yeah, I don’t plan on playing much past this summer.”
Murray, who has been competing with a metal hip following his resurfacing surgery in 2019, aims to participate in the French Open in May. This would mark his return to Roland Garros for the first time since 2020.
The Scottish player, who reached the final in Paris once in 2016, has only played 11 matches on clay in his last two seasons and completely avoided the surface in 2021.
“In the last few years, I’ve tried to provide myself with better preparation for the grass season, but that doesn’t necessarily ensure that you’ll perform exceptionally well on grass,” Murray remarked.
“I’ve had experiences throughout my career where I skipped the French Open in 2013 and went on to win Wimbledon. Conversely, I participated in the French Open and had a strong showing in 2016.”
“I don’t believe that getting an additional week’s practice on grass makes a significant difference. So yes, I would like to compete at Roland Garros one more time.”
As a two-time Olympic champion in 2012 and 2016, Murray also expressed his interest in the Paris Games. The Olympics, scheduled to take place on clay at Roland Garros after Wimbledon, will run from July 27 to August 4.
“I like the tournament. I enjoy playing at Roland Garros,” Murray remarked.
“Obviously, if you want to perform well at the Olympics, you’ll likely need to participate in some tournaments and gain match practice on clay.”
“Yeah, even if the Olympics weren’t scheduled after Wimbledon, I would still want to compete in it.”
Murray’s achievements include winning the US Open in 2012 and Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, as well as reaching the final of the Australian Open five times.
Medvedev Hails Murray as an Inspiration, Reflects on Impact and Retirement Speculation
Daniil Medvedev, World number 4 has showered praise on three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, labeling him as an inspiration.
Responding to Murray’s comments about retirement plans, Medvedev referred to him as an inspiration and remarked that he’s a fun person to be around. Despite Murray’s limited success in 2024, his impact on the sport remains significant.
“First of all, he’s a fun guy, a great guy to be around. That’s always a great quality in life. For sure he’s an inspiration of mine because I remember when I was just going up the rankings, that’s the moment when he was winning Slams, playing finals against Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic]. So the Big Four,” said Medvedev.
The Russian tennis star continued to express his sentiments, stating that he would feel melancholic to witness Murray’s retirement, while also extending his best wishes for Murray’s life beyond tennis. Murray, currently ranked 67th in the ATP rankings for men’s singles, has left an indelible mark on the sport.
“It’s going to be sad when he retires. Even I’m not entirely certain if he’ll retire this year. Wimbledon is a significant tournament, so maybe he’ll compete in Wimbledon and then consider stopping. But as long as he’s competing, it’s going to be enjoyable. And when he eventually steps away from the game, I’m confident he’ll find fulfillment in his life after tennis,” Medvedev added.
