Andy Murray is expected to retire this year (Image: Getty)
Andy Murray is expected to retire this year
Andy Murray will reach the milestone of his 1,000th ATP match on Tuesday while admitting he still does not know how many more he will play.
The Scot takes on Aussie Alexei Popyrin in the first round of the Cinch Championships at Queen’s Club – the west London venue where he won his first Tour-level match as a teenager back in 2005.
But Murray, now 37, has yet to confirm where and when he will play his last.
In February, the former world No.1 announced he will “likely” not keep playing “past this summer” with Wimbledon and the Olympics the favourite locations for his final farewell.
But before the first match of his probable last British grasscourt season, Murray is still not ready to commit to a definite date.
“A lot of it is based on results and physically how I am feeling as well,” he said.
The All England Club said last week that they had plans to honour the double Wimbledon champion at The Championships – if he confirms he will retire. In 2019, the Australian Open played a video montage of tributes to Murray after his first round loss and he is still playing with a metal hip and other nagging injuries.
Rafa Nadal is in a similar quandary. The 14-time French Open champion did not want to be honoured at Roland Garros last month and this weekend hinted he wants to keep going.
Murray gave an insight into his inner turmoil as he enters – maybe – the last few weeks of his career. And how the triple Grand Slam champion doesn’t want it to end.
“In lots of careers, retirement is something that you celebrate,” he told the BBC. “People really look forward to it. That is not something that I feel – I still love playing tennis. But ultimately, if physically you are not able to play the level that you want to or your results are not as you wish, those things factor into the decision. See a little bit how the next few weeks go and see what happens.”
Murray has slipped down to world No.129 after winning only five matches in 11 events in an injury-hit season. But after changing racquets before the French Open, his work ethic remains the same. He was out on Court 7 at Queen’s Club for two hours with his team yesterday and hit for an hour with Carlos Alcaraz.
He will also play doubles here with Dan Evans before teaming up with his brother Jamie – who is tournament director here – at Wimbledon.
“I would always be up for playing doubles with my brother,” Andy Murray said. “But tennis, for me now, it is not easy. Physically it is challenging. My concern is that if I had an extremely long singles match, then physically I am not able to perform well in the doubles. Obviously I don’t want to let my brother down as well. But it is also an opportunity. We have never played together at Wimbledon before. And yes, it felt like the right thing to do.”
Murray cast doubt on even playing the Olympics after he was confirmed in Team GB on Sunday if he is not able to play in the doubles. Getting beaten in the first round of the singles by an some random claycourt specialist does not feel like the right way to go.
But the Scot has ruled out retiring at the US Open – the scene of his first Major victory in 2012 – or the Davis Cup. “If I were to finish my career, I would rather finish at Wimbledon or at the Olympic games, to be me would be more fitting,” he said.
