One Last Hurrah for Murray
After almost 20 years in the professional circuit and a remarkable career with three Grand Slam titles and two Gold medals, Andy Murray announced he would retire from tennis once his participation at Wimbledon and the Summer Olympics were over. While Paris 2024 kicks off later this month, his last Grand Slam appearance came to an abrupt and anti-climactic end due to Emma Raducanu, his doubles partner, having to withdraw some hours before their first game, citing a stiffness in her right wrist.
While he is considered Great Britain’s most successful tennis player in the Open era, he’s also been a great ally for women in sports, speaking up and not being afraid to call out blatant sexist remarks to anyone who makes them. His retirement marks a bittersweet moment and a significant loss for everyone who enjoys the sport and has seen him achieve tremendous success on and off the courts. Although he was forced to skip his last official tournament appearance, his farewell shouldn’t happen without revisiting some of his best personal and professional moments.
Match at First Sight
In 2005, the tennis player crossed paths with Kim Sears at the onset of his professional journey. Kim is the daughter of Nigel Sears, a retired tennis coach who facilitated their introduction at the US Open. Murray recalls that his first encounter with Kim wasn't ideal, as he felt so nervous that he vomited twice during the first match she watched him play. Surprisingly, this mishap didn't deter their connection; they have been together ever since. After a decade of being a couple, they tied the knot in 2015 and are now parents to four children. He attributes much of his success to the unwavering support Kim has provided him throughout his career.
“She has been brilliant like that, allowed me to pursue my career and been unbelievably supportive of me doing that, so I’ve been very lucky.”
Gender Challenger
Throughout his career, he has strongly advocated gender equality in tennis. His first coach was his mother, and he has always believed that both girls and boys should have equal opportunities in sports. In a groundbreaking move, he hired Amélie Mauresmo as his coach in 2014, becoming the first male player at his level to work with a female coach. Despite facing criticism, he stood by his decision, emphasizing that expertise in tennis should not be defined by gender but by skill. Under Mauresmo's guidance, he achieved remarkable success, reaching the finals of the Australian Open in 2015 and 2016, winning the Madrid Masters in 2015, and securing the world No. 2 ranking.
In several instances, Andy Murray has demonstrated his willingness to correct reporters when they make inaccurate statements during interviews. For example, during the Rio 2016 Olympics, a reporter praised him as the sole individual to have claimed two Olympic gold medals, but Murray promptly corrected the reporter by highlighting that Venus and Serena Williams had each won 4 gold medals. Similarly, in 2017, when Sam Querrey advanced to the Wimbledon finals over Murray, a reporter stated that Querrey was the first American to reach the finals since 2009. Murray cleverly added "male" to the statement, emphasizing that Venus and Serena had previously achieved the same feat. Serena Williams acknowledged Murray's integrity by posting a heartfelt video praising him for his outstanding career, expressing mutual support, and reminiscing about their memorable experience playing mixed doubles together at Wimbledon 2019.
Comeback King
Throughout his career, he has displayed extraordinary resilience and an unwavering determination to succeed. One of his most memorable moments came in 2012 when, just four weeks after a heartbreaking loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final, he faced Federer again in the London 2012 men's singles final. In a remarkable display of skill and tenacity, Murray clinched the victory in the third set with a decisive ace, earning himself a well-deserved gold medal.
Then, in 2015, he achieved a remarkable feat by defeating the formidable Rafael Nadal in the Madrid Masters final, securing his first clay masters title. This victory held special significance as Murray had previously considered clay to be a particularly challenging surface. Notably, this win also solidified his position as one of only three players to have emerged victorious against Nadal in a final on this surface.
“It’s one of the toughest things in tennis to try to beat Rafa on clay. It’s extremely tough and this is the reason why we play tennis – for these matches.”
Although he is stepping down now, he had previously suggested retiring in January 2019 due to a hip injury. Before the Australian Open, he informed reporters that he was likely to retire after Wimbledon that summer due to the persistent pain he had endured for the past 20 months. However, he underwent hip resurfacing surgery that month. By June, he was back on the court, playing doubles with Feliciano López at the Queen’s Club championships and winning the title, proving once again he is unstoppable.
His contributions as an athlete, a gender equality advocate, and a philanthropist through his foundation, Andy’s Aces, earned him the honor of being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017. Undoubtedly, the last 19 years have been filled with great successes and inevitable losses, but always accompanied by an extraordinary sense of resilience and the constant reminder that there’s still a long way to go in achieving gender equality in sports. Still, the results are achievable as long as allies dare to stand up for what is right. Sir Andy Murray may still have one last tournament, but his spot as one of the greatest in history is already set.