'Tears everywhere as British icon Murray departs'
Andy Murray was understandably emotional as his illustrious career came to a close at the Paris 2024 Olympics – but he wasn’t the only one.
Andy Murray was understandably emotional as his illustrious career came to a close at the Paris 2024 Olympics – but he wasn’t the only one.
Ben Shelton held his nerve in two tight tie-breaks Thursday to seal his place in the Mubadala Citi DC Open quarter-finals. The second-seeded American ousted countryman Brandon Nakashima 7-6(5), 7-6(4).
The 21-year-old hugged the baseline and produced heavy-hitting, first-strike tennis in humid conditions. Despite letting slip three set points on serve at 5-4 in the first set, Shelton, who on Wednesday won a late night three-setter against Radu Albot, quickly rebounded to win the opener in a tie-break. The lefty won 81 per cent of his first-serve points and hammered 14 aces, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“I served amazing today, that was one of the keys for me,” said Shelton, who struck a pair of aces from 5/4 in the second-set tie-break to seal victory. “If you don’t have 100 per cent in the tank, it’s really hard to break serve against a guy like him so I knew that I was going to have to hold serve.
“I did a great job holding serve, got broke once. But my best tennis came out in the tie-break. I thought it was just a clutch performance. I managed my energy well and I’m happy to be through. A really tough opponent.”
[ATP APP]Shelton will next face wild card Denis Shapovalov in a rematch of last month’s Wimbledon third round five-setter, which the American won. The Canadian on Thursday rallied past Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Shelton’s countrymen Sebastian Korda and Alex Michelsen also advanced. The fourth seed Korda reached the last eight after Thanasi Kokkinakis retired with the American leading 6-7(1), 7-5, 3-2. Kokkinakis had two match points on serve at 5-4 in the second set. #NextGenATP Michelsen downed South Korean Seongchan Hong 6-3, 6-3.
Michelsen next meets Italian Flavio Cobolli, who earned a memorable win, saving five match points to defeat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 1-6, 7-6(0), 7-6(7) in a three-hour, 14-minute marathon. Cobolli, 22, trailed 2/6 in the tie-break and again fought off a match point at 6/7. The 10th seed is No. 47 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, one spot ahead of his career-high.
Atlanta finalist and seventh seed Jordan Thompson defeated Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-5, 6-4.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Watch highlights as Andy Murray’s illustrious career comes to an end with a straight-set defeat alongside Dan Evans to American third seeds Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul in the Olympic men’s doubles quarter-finals.
British tennis icon Andy Murray’s illustrious career ends with a straight-set defeat in the Olympic men’s doubles quarter-finals.
Watch as Great Britain’s Andy Murray and Dan Evans react to the end of Murray’s career and their defeat in the men’s doubles on day six of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Watch the moment Andy Murray’s tennis career ends as he and Dan Evans are beaten by USA’s Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz in the men’s doubles on day six of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Andy Murray has retired from professional tennis following his appearance in the Paris Olympic Games, where he partnered Daniel Evans to the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles event.
The 37-year-old will be remembered for a career full of historic achievements, which he accomplished against some of the best players in the history of tennis.
“I’m happy about it [ending his career at the Olympics]. Look, a few months ago I didn’t know, I wasn’t happy about potentially stopping, I was quite unsure about it,” Murray said on the eve of the Olympics. “But now that the time is here, now I’ve made that decision definitively, I feel good about it.”
In November 2016 Murray became the first British player to reach World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings aged 29, making him the second-oldest player to debut at No. 1 behind only John Newcombe, who was 30 when he accomplished the feat in 1974.
Murray finished the year on a 24-match winning streak, a stretch during which he won five consecutive titles, including two ATP Masters 1000 trophies and victory at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, where he defeated No. 2 Novak Djokovic in the title match to clinch ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. The Scot held top spot for a total of 41 weeks in his career, placing him 14th among the 29 players who have reached World No. 1.
ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “Andy has been an inspiring and important force in our sport for so many years. He has embodied the values of hard work, sportsmanship, and never giving up – with his unwavering love for the game endearing him to millions of fans. His remarkable achievements on the court over the past two decades speak for themselves. Equally, it’s his contributions off the court, building up the next generation of athletes and championing important causes, that will define his legacy. Congratulations to Andy on an extraordinary career. Our sport has been incredibly fortunate to watch you play, and we look forward with great excitement for what’s next in your story.”
Murray became the first British Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at the 2012 US Open, where he battled past Djokovic in a thrilling five-set final. The following year, he became the first British male Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936, ending the nation’s 77-year wait for a home winner at the grass-court major.
The Scot became the first player to win two Olympic singles gold medals (2012 and 2016), defeating Roger Federer in the London final and Juan Martin del Potro in the Rio de Janeiro championship match. He also partnered Laura Robson to win the mixed doubles silver medal in 2012.
Murray shone at ATP Masters 1000 events, capturing 14 titles at the elite level, fifth most in the history of the series (since 1990) behind only Djokovic (40), Rafael Nadal (36), Federer (28) and Andre Agassi (17). He triumphed at seven of the nine Masters 1000s events.
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The father of four was also a rival to Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. Murray tallied 29 Lexus ATP Head2Head victories against the trio, with 11 against both Djokovic and Federer, and seven against Nadal.
Murray earned 739 tour-level wins overall, the most victories among British men and the 14th-most wins on record according to Infosys ATP Stats. Of those triumphs, 105 came against Top 10 opponents. The Scot earned 46 tour-level titles, including three major crowns (2012 US Open, 2013 Wimbledon, 2016 Wimbledon), and led Great Britain to Davis Cup glory in 2015.
The 71-time tour-level finalist qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals nine times (2008-16) and emerged victorious in his final appearance in 2016. That year he went a perfect 5-0, defeating Marin Cilic, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka to win his group, Milos Raonic in the semi-finals and Djokovic for the title.
Murray served the sport as a member of the ATP Player Advisory Council from 2016-18 and 2020-22. He has also consistently supported a variety of causes, serving as a global ambassador for organisations including UNICEF, United for Wildlife, Malaria No More and the World Wildlife Fund. Murray is one of just four players to receive the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award twice, alongside Andre Agassi, Federer and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi.
The winner of four ATP Awards (ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF (2016), Comeback Player of the Year (2019) and the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award (2014 and 2022), Murray was also a vocal advocate for women, especially the players of the Hologic WTA Tour. He hired former WTA No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo as his coach.
On 16 May 2019, then-Prince Charles knighted Murray at Buckingham Palace. On 17 October 2013, Prince William awarded Murray with the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) medal.
Murray played his final singles match at the cinch Championships, held in June at The Queen’s Club, London. There, the Scot also played his 1,000th tour-level singles match.
After the tournament, he underwent minor back surgery with the hopes of making a farewell singles appearance at Wimbledon, but settled for a memorable Centre Court goodbye in men’s doubles alongside brother Jamie Murray in front of an adoring British crowd. He then played his final tournament in men’s doubles at the Olympics with Daniel Evans.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Andy Murray’s illustrious career came to a close on Thursday following his loss alongside Daniel Evans in the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics.
The former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has thrilled fans around the world for two decades. How well do you know his accomplishments?
Take ATPTour.com’s Andy Murray quiz below to find out, share it with your friends and click here to read more of our content celebrating the Scot’s career.
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It’s time to say goodbye to a champion of great intelligence and integrity. A player who persevered, to make steady progress to the very top, and who used his global standing to empower and pursue good causes, notably gender equality and women’s sport.
The truth is that Andy Murray has been forced to retire. His mind is as sharp as ever, but the body is broken. His love of the sport; of competing, is perennial. Yet today, in Paris, one of Great Britain’s greatest sportsmen closed the curtains on a historic career.
View our ‘Celebrating Andy’ series
The record books indicate that the Scot captured three Grand Slam titles: 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon, and the 2012 US Open; two Olympic singles gold medals; the 2015 Davis Cup; 46 tour-level trophies overall; spent 41 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and recorded 29 victories against the Big Three. Murray was knighted, too, in 2019, becoming only the second tennis player after Sir Norman Brookes to receive the honour.
Yet the joy of following Murray, watching his performances, was so much more. Here was a very human champion, who, across three resilient chapters, squared off against Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, during a golden 20-year era for professional tennis.
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The pathway to greatness is individual. Living only 300 metres from a tennis club, the sport became an escape for the Murrays and a sibling rivalry was born as mother, Judy, began to develop what would become a nationally recognised programme.
Jamie moved to Cambridge, 370 miles south of Dunblane, to develop his own game, but returned after eight months. Andy continued to hone his skills as a counterpuncher and, under the guidance of Leon Smith from the age of 11, learnt how to deal with anxiety and breathing problems when competing.
By 2003, just two years before Murray turned pro, Judy, a former Scottish champion, took out a £30,000 bank loan to send her 15-year-old son to Barcelona. It was a period of huge financial stress. The goal was to rank in the Top 100, and Murray decided that only a double-digit ranking would quantify as a success.
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Murray won the 2004 US Open boys’ singles title. Photo: Getty Images.
Softly spoken, almost shy and reticent initially, Murray’s easy-going demeanour off the court was always at odds with his on-court persona in high-stakes matches. When he needed to balance a tension and his own desire for victory, his dedication was never in question. The family certainly took British Tennis with them right from the very start, following Andy’s 2004 junior success at the US Open (d. Stakhovsky to win the boys’ singles title), learning lessons every step of the way.
Murray initially ruffled feathers. He challenged the British tennis establishment. He wore his heart on his sleeve; he shouted (to his team or berating his own performance) and fist pumped a lot. He was tenacious as well as courageous. He competed for everything. He didn’t like to lose.
Bobby Wilson, Mike Sangster, Mark Cox, Roger Taylor, Jeremy Bates, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski had all tried to follow in the footsteps of Fred Perry, the benchmark. But Murray was different. There was great coordination, courtcraft and tactical nous, but he showcased a resilience that no coach could teach. A sprinkle of magic dust.
Murray’s mentality surfaced in playing sport with his brother, Jamie, and a group of enthusiastic children, on rainy days in Dunblane; travelling for hours on end into England to compete at tennis tournaments. With his older brother, who has clinched seven major doubles titles and would rise to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings in 2016, they rocked the status quo, educating British tennis fans and carrying the traditionalists into the 21st century.
The emotional struggle was always close to the surface. As Murray established himself, the relentless pursuit of improvement was continual; always asking questions of himself and others; and, with every practice session or match, he was proving to be a fast learner.
He was the youngest Briton to represent Great Britain in Davis Cup in 2004; two years later, Murray recorded his first Top 10 win and lifted his first ATP Tour title at San Jose (d. Hewitt), and in 2007, he took Nadal to five sets in the Australian Open fourth round. Murray broke into the Top 10 for the first time that season on 16 April.
Murray never pandered to his critics, who wanted him to play more aggressively. He became tactically stronger, realising that he could slice up his rivals in so many different ways. In 2008, he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Cincinnati and reached his first major final at the 2008 US Open (l. to Federer).
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Yet a Grand Slam trophy remained elusive. Who can forget when Murray admitted, “I can cry like Roger, it’s just a shame I can’t play like him,” after the 2010 Australian Open final? Or the watershed moment for the wider British public, when Murray broke down after the 2012 Wimbledon final, exclaiming, “I’m going to try this. And it isn’t going to be easy…”
By then Ivan Lendl was in his corner. Murray had never been fearful of switching coaches — from Pato Alvarez, Mark Petchey, Brad Gilbert, Miles Maclagan and Alex Corretja — in his quest for perfection. But with Lendl, secured with the help of Darren Cahill, the Scot found someone who understood him, someone who had lost his first four Grand Slam finals; a person he could speak honestly with and alter how he approached big matches.
Murray’s openness and his on-court emotional fragility let the British public, and fans globally, into what it meant. Now they understood about the intensity, hard graft and mindset that was needed when a mortal consistently challenged all-time greats.
In a 28-day period, Murray’s career transformed. From the tears of Wimbledon on the journey home, following the loss to Federer, to the golden glory of the London 2012 Olympics, staged again at the All England Club, where he beat the same player. Two months later, in the US Open final, he left the Arthur Ashe Stadium prior to the start of the fifth set to talk to himself in front of a mirror. Murray returned to beat Djokovic.
From that moment on, the ghost of Perry, who had captured his eighth and final major trophy at the 1936 US Championships, began to disappear. On Sunday, 7 July 2013, the childhood goal of millions was fulfilled when Murray lifted the golden trophy at The Championships, Wimbledon. Once again, emulating Perry 77 years on.
At every stage of his career, Murray remained in control. The hiring of former WTA No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo raised eyebrows in some quarters, but for Murray it was the logical progression at a time when he championed boosting prize money for all, and countless gifts of kindness went unreported. On court, he began to edge closer to World No. 1.
Murray’s dedication was ultimately rewarded in 2016. At the peak of his powers, with Jamie Delgado and Lendl back courtside, Murray overturned a huge deficit in mid-May to Djokovic in the PIF ATP Rankings by winning 59 of his next 63 matches, including a second Wimbledon title (d. Raonic) and another Olympic gold medal (d. del Potro) in Rio de Janeiro. In a winner-takes-all final battle in London, for not only the Nitto ATP Finals crown but also ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, Murray seized his chance in front of his wife, Kim, close-knit family and a home crowd.
It was to be Murray’s final hurrah as a truly elite performer. We didn’t know then, but sadly he had experienced hip pain for a number of years, most publicly in the 2017 Wimbledon quarter-finals towards the end of his 41-week stint at World No. 1. Twelve months on from undergoing his first right-hip surgery on 8 January 2018, 45 seconds of silence during an Australian Open press conference conveyed what he could not initially say — that “20 months” of right-hip pain with no end in sight, had left him with a decision to make.
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As Murray watched on sheepishly at a big screen tribute in Melbourne, scene of five runner-up finishes, the sporting world eulogised, thinking the end was in sight. But they forgot one important factor: Murray’s resilience. Tell Murray he can’t do something, and he’ll find a way to achieve the goal.
Murray underwent a second right-hip surgery on 28 January 2019 and managed to return to the sport, just as every tennis fan had hoped. The intensity was the same, but the training regimen different: more physio and strengthening, less court time.
The Scot incredibly captured his 46th tour-level singles title in October 2019 at the European Open in Antwerp (d. Wawrinka); recorded his first Top 10 victory in three years (d. No. 7 Zverev) at the Cincinnati Open in August 2020 and notched his 700th tour-level win (d. Taro Daniel) at the BNP Paribas Open in March 2022. Murray the superhero returned to the Top 40 in the PIF ATP Rankings in October last year. But his on-court appearances were fleeting, and it became trickier to recover from additional ankle, wrist and back setbacks. There was nothing left to prove.
From the leg cramps, which he experienced memorably against Thomas Johansson in June 2005, at The Queen’s Club, through the 46 tour-level triumphs and knighthood, to the fading light on Centre Court a few weeks ago, where there were tears aplenty during an on-court presentation at Wimbledon, Murray left no stone unturned to be ready. He wrung out every drop as a model professional and role model, whose passion, dedication and inner drive enabled him to fulfil his — and helped those who watched him — dream.
Perhaps it’s fitting that Murray says goodbye today within a team environment, not as predicated at The Championships, Wimbledon, scene of his great triumphs. For Murray achieved something even his greatest rivals, nor anyone in the sport’s history has achieved: two Olympic singles gold medals. For an era of British tennis has ended, but Murray’s game and integrity will linger in the public mind for decades to come.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Watch the best shots from Carlos Alcaraz’s “fantastic” win over USA’s Tommy Paul to reach the semi-finals of the men’s tennis and compete for a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.