British tennis star Andy Murray has announced he will retire after the Paris Olympics ends in August.
“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics. Competing for GB have been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get it one final time!” he wrote.
Mr. Murray is scheduled to compete in the men’s singles and the men’s doubles alongside Dan Evans at the Olympics, which will take place on the clay courts of Roland Garros stadium.
This will be the Scot’s fifth Olympic games, the first being Beijing in 2008.
Mr. Murray went on to win consecutive men’s singles Olympic gold medals in London 2012 and Rio 2016, also taking away a silver medal in mixed doubles in 2012 alongside Laura Robson. He is the only men’s player to have ever won two singles gold medals.
The former world number one instead played doubles with his brother Jamie at the All-England Lawn Tennis Club, but the duo was defeated in the first round.
After Mr. Murray’s final Wimbledon match, several current and former players joined him on court, including both the men’s and women’s world number ones Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, as well as Martina Navratilova, Tim Henman, and John McEnroe as the All-England Club bid farewell to the most successful British tennis player of the open era.
After viewing a video montage narrated by Mr. Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Venus Williams, Mr. Murray was interviewed in front of his home crowd by Sue Barker. The two-time Wimbledon champion told the audience, “I want to play for ever.”
“I love the sport,” he said. “It’s given me so, so much. It taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop, so it is hard.”
Mr. Murray was programmed to play mixed doubles at Wimbledon with fellow Brit and grand slam champion Emma Raducanu, however Ms. Raducanu withdrew late from the card to protect her singles run in the tournament after experiencing “stiffness” in her right wrist.
Currently ranked 121 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Mr. Murray has had an up and down battle with injury. There were fears he would retire in 2019 after he underwent major hip surgery. Miraculously, and with a metal hip, Mr. Murray fought back to reach number 36 in the world rankings in 2023.
Since turning pro in 2005, Mr. Murray has won a total of 46 ATP titles, including three Grand Slams and two summer Olympic gold medals. He is Britain’s greatest tennis player in the open era and the fourth all-time career earner in tennis, hauling in a cash pot of about £51 million.
The Paris Olympic tennis competition will commence on July 27. Mr. Murray will discover his opponent on Thursday.
