Andy Murray declared himself “genuinely happy” to be bowing out of tennis on his own terms, only months after being told he would not make it as far as Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics.
Murray’s final tournament as a professional came to an end in the French capital on Thursday night as he and partner Dan Evans were beaten in straight sets by American pair Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s doubles.
The 37-year-old left Roland-Garros’s Court Suzanne-Lenglen in tears and to a standing ovation as the curtain came down on a career that included three Grand Slam titles, as well as singles gold at both the London and Rio Games.
“I knew that moment was coming for the last few months,” Murray said. “If it didn’t happen today that was going to be in a couple of days time and I was ready for it.
“Obviously, it was emotional because it’s the last time I will play a competitive match but I am genuinely, I am happy just now. I’m happy with how it finished.
“I’m glad 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 certainly.”
Murray underwent back surgery on a spinal cyst at the end of June, having initially been told he would not recover in time to play either at Wimbledon or in France, but an accelerated period of rehabilitation saw him fit enough to play doubles at both events.
He was, however, forced to pull out of the singles at both tournaments and says his latest comeback from injury convinced him that the time is right to walk away from the game.
"I was told that if the cyst continues to grow and puts more pressure on the nerves, it turns into an emergency situation where you can't control your bladder and you'll lose control of the other leg,” he explained. “That's kind of when I knew it was time.
“It's been really hard. Physically, pain-wise, I feel bad. 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 and physically, it's been really hard.”
Murray plans to take time away from the game before deciding on his next career move, but immediately ruled out moving into the commentary box.
“I really didn’t enjoy it the couple of times I did it so I don’t see myself doing that,” he said. "I’ll be away from the sport, certainly for the next few months, maybe longer. I’ll be at home and assess what my options are, see what I fancy doing.
An emotional farewell from Andy Murray 🥹
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 1, 2024
Thank you, Andy ❤
#Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/MO01RB7iyh
“If that’s nothing and it’s just being at home and being with my family, being a dad, that’s also something I really look forward to. That’s what I want to do immediately. I’m sure after a few months there’ll be some options and I’ll think of a few things I might like to do."
Meanwhile, long-time rival Novak Djokovic led the tributes, having just come off Philippe-Chatrier after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas to reach the semi-finals of the singles draw.
“He’s been an incredible competitor out on the court one of the greatest warriors tennis has seen,” the Serbian said. “His fighting spirit is something that will inspire many generations to come.
"The longest rivalry I have is with him because we played for the first time when we were 11 years old in France. We shared many good and tough moments on the court and off over the years.
“There’s only a week between us in age so we go back a long time and hopefully we’ll be able to connect off the court as well, with families once it all settles.”
