Andy Murray has joked he “never even liked tennis anyway” after his professional career ended with defeat in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s doubles.
The prime minister has been leading the tributes to the British tennis great who announced prior to this summer’s Games that it would be his last tournament.
Twenty-one years after his first professional match and 19 since he announced his talent to the world at Wimbledon as a wild-haired teenager, Murray’s hopes of a medal-winning swansong evaporated in a 6-2 6-4 loss to American third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.
Murray retires after winning three Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic Gold medals and one Davis cup during arguably the most competitive era in men’s tennis.
He also achieved a world number one ranking.
He has appeared at the Olympics weeks after having back surgery due to an injury he suffered at Queen’s.
Murray said after retiring on Thursday evening: “A few months ago I wasn’t looking forward to it. Generally when you retire it’s a celebration but I love playing tennis so I wasn’t looking forward to that moment.
“But then I had the surgery at Queens and at that point I was struggling to walk, it really was an emergency surgery.
“So I’ve been looking forward to the end since then because physically it’s been tough because I’m not able to move around the court and do what I want to do physically and therefore can’t compete at the level that I want to.
“The last year or 18 months I was worried about what I would do after but now I’m just looking forward to the end.”
Murray kisses the Wimbledon trophy after winning the tournament for the first time in 2013. Pic: AP
Reflecting on his achievements, he said: “I’m proud of my career. I worked really really hard to achieve the results I did at a really difficult time to win the major titles. I’m proud. I gave it a good go. How my body has finished up shows I’ve put it through a lot. So I’m looking forward to a rest now.”
He also posted on X: “Never even liked tennis anyway.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer listed some of Murray’s career achievements this evening before adding: “But more than that, thanks @andy_murray for two decades of phenomenal entertainment and sportsmanship. A true British great.”
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said: “Sir Andy Murray is Scotland’s greatest ever sportsman, and his achievements during one of the toughest eras in tennis history will mark him down as a true sporting legend.”
Murray at this year’s Wimbledon. Pic: AP
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has also paid tribute to Murray’s “incredible career” following his retirement, while the Queen’s Club in London has announced centre court will be renamed in his honour from next year.
LTA chief executive Scott Lloyd said: “Andy is the greatest tennis player ever to come from this country and a giant of British sport. His contribution to the game is immense and has bought us all so many moments of pride.”
2024 Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz wrote on X: “It was a privilege to share the court with you, Andy! Congratulations on a legendary career and for being an example to all. You will always have a fan here!”
Andy Murray poses with his gold and silver medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pic: AP
Just a few weeks before the Olympics, Murray’s Wimbledon career came to an end after he was first knocked out of the men’s doubles with brother Jamie, and then his mixed partner Emma Raducanu pulled out after suffering a stiff wrist.
In an emotional farewell, Murray said goodbye to Wimbledon on a packed Centre Court with his brother by his side and his family and friends in the stands.
That would have been a fitting way to end his career but Murray, who has always relished team competitions, wanted a final tilt at the Olympics, the stage where he has managed to upstage his big rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic by winning back-to-back singles golds.
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Murray has been battling his body since the hip problems that nearly ended his career five-and-a-half years ago first incapacitated him in 2017.
There have been high points since, with an emotional final tour-level title in Antwerp in 2019, success at a lower level on the British grass last summer in front of his family, and a few memorable grand slam wins.
But the return to the real top of the game that he craved never arrived and Murray’s frustration with his own limitations and the forcing hand of time reached breaking point.
Few people doubt that the 37-year-old will find a role back in tennis, with Davis Cup captain an obvious move at some point, while he spoke earlier this week of wanting to be involved at the next Olympics in Los Angeles.
And the manner of his two victories in the Paris Olympics have given him a memorable farewell, even if it was not the fairy-tale ending he had hoped for.
Andy Murray after winning the US Open in 2012. Pic: AP
Tennis icon’s illustrious career
Murray, who was born in Glasgow and grew up in Dunblane, Stirling, won gold at the London Olympics in 2012, before winning his first of three grand slams at the US Open the following month.
He became the first British Wimbledon men’s singles champion in 77 years when he won at the All England Club in 2013, before going on to win the tournament a second time in 2016.
Murray then became the only man to win two Olympic gold medals in the singles when he topped the podium in Rio in 2016.
At the start of 2024 he indicated that he planned to finish at some point over the summer but had been vague as to the exact date until he made his announcement last week ahead of the Olympics.