Jul 28, 2024; Paris, France; Andy Murray (GBR) competes towards Daniel Taro (Japan) and Kei Nishikori within the first spherical of the boys’s tennis doubles on the 2024 Paris Summer season Olympics at Roland Garros (Japan). Necessary Credit score: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports activities PARIS — Andy Murray and doubles companion Daniel Evans misplaced 6-2, 6-4 to American pair Tyler Evans within the Olympic quarterfinals at Roland Garros on Thursday. Freeze and Tommy Paul, his illustrious profession was lastly over.
The 37-year-old Scot, thought-about considered one of Britain’s best athletes after successful Wimbledon twice and reaching world primary, introduced earlier than the Olympics that he would retire as soon as the competitors is over.
After retiring from singles whereas recovering from spinal cyst surgical procedure, he and Evans received two rounds of doubles, saving a number of match factors in every spherical, elevating hopes for a golden closing chapter of his profession.
They saved one other match level towards the USA at Stade Suzanne Lenglen on Thursday, however the story ended with Evans’ long-range strike previous Fritz and Paul, ending with Murray ending fourth hopes of an Olympic medal.
He received singles titles in 2012 and 2016 and a combined doubles silver medal in 2012.
Murray’s closing salute to the viewers obtained a standing ovation, with Fritz and Paul additionally becoming a member of within the ovation. Evans was visibly emotional and Murray had tears in his eyes as he waved to the gang one final time and walked away.
“It was a improbable closing,” Murray instructed a crowd of media because the skies opened at Roland Garros. “Clearly, this isn’t an ideal ending.
“It could be nice to win a medal. However I really feel good. I am proud of the tip end result. I am completely satisfied to have the ability to go to the Olympics and end the best way I did as a result of typically up to now few years it has been unsure.
Murray, who performed towards Serbian Novak Djokovic 36 occasions throughout his profession, led the tributes.
“I’ve nothing however reward for him, he is an unimaginable competitor and one of many best fighters this sport has ever seen,” Djokovic instructed reporters after reaching the singles semifinals. “His combating spirit will encourage generations to come back.”
Over the previous twenty years, Murray has been a number one determine in British tennis and has been tied with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic for a number of consecutive years as one of many prime 4 tennis gamers.
His first breakthrough got here when he beat Federer to win the Olympic title in 2012, weeks after dropping to the Swiss within the Wimbledon closing. Later that 12 months, he received the U.S. Open.
In 2013, he ended Britain’s 77-year anticipate a Wimbledon males’s singles title by defeating Djokovic – a match watched by 17.3 million British tv viewers.
Three years later, he received his second Wimbledon title and ended the 12 months ranked No. 1 on the earth. He additionally led Group GB to the Davis Cup title in 2015 and is the one participant (male or feminine) to win consecutive Olympic singles titles.
“Andy was the best tennis participant this nation has ever produced and an enormous in British sport,” LTA chief government Scott Lloyd stated in an announcement. “His contribution to the game was immense and has been of nice worth to all of us. It introduced a variety of proud moments.”
Because the damage started to take its toll, Murray wanted career-saving hip alternative surgical procedure in 2019.
Murray’s resilience has shone by means of as he struggles to achieve his earlier heights, although he has solely added one to the 45 ATP titles he had received earlier than hip surgical procedure.
——Reuters, particularly for dwell media
