Andy Murray’s potential retirement from tennis is set to be a quiet affair, with his Olympics campaign likely marking the end of his career without much fanfare. This subdued exit is highlighted by the recent departure of Angelique Kerber from professional tennis.
Kerber bowed out after a nail-biting 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(6) loss to Qinwen Zheng in the women’s singles quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics, confirming her retirement following the Games.
The German ace, a former world No. 1 and champion at Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the US Open, chose to represent her country one last time before hanging up her racket.
Typically, tennis players are given the opportunity to bid an emotional farewell to fans on court, with some tournaments even showcasing tribute videos or messages. However, the Olympics does not traditionally hold such ceremonies for retiring athletes, regardless of their stature in the sport, leaving stars like Murray and Kerber without a formal send-off.
Despite speculation that Olympic protocol might be relaxed for Murray, Kerber did not receive such treatment. After her final match, she could only wave to the crowd as she exited the court, reports the Express.
Reflecting on her career’s conclusion, Kerber commended the “great crowd” and shared that their support was the reason she wanted her swansong to be at the Olympics, despite the lack of an official farewell ceremony.
The athlete expressed: “You know, it was a great crowd,” and continued, “And I just enjoyed it. So I think this is why you come back to having these emotions. And I’m really happy that I had the feeling today.”
Yet, if Kerber’s departure is a forecast, Olympic officials have foreshadowed that Murray may not get a similar reception for his final match at Wimbledon earlier this month.
After teaming up with his brother Jamie, BBC legend Sue Barker replayed a video message and wrote her own tribute to an emotional Murray, who could not hold back tears as Centre Court waved goodbye to British tennis nobility.
Those present at the Olympics, however, will not have the same opportunity for the 37-year-old, who will compete in doubles alongside Dan Evans.
Ahead of the Olympics, ITF CEO Kelly Fairweather alluded that International Olympic Committee (IOC) heads were unlikely to grant permission for a dedication to Murray. She clarified: “If you’re asking about Paris, we obviously fall under the direction of the IOC, and generally the IOC don’t do that for any athlete across the Games. So as Dave says, we’ll be looking to do that at one of our events.”
There still exists a possibility that Murray could garner another send-off at November’s Davis Cup in Manchester, though he won’t play, and it remains uncertain whether Murray would want to seize that chance.
