Andy Murray confirms he will retire after Paris Olympics

After months of speculation about when and where he might retire, Andy Murray has confirmed that the Paris 2024 Olympics will be the final tournament of his career.

The announcement came in a typically low-key, almost off-the-cuff social media post, rather than from a packed press conference room or via a lengthy video message.

“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament,” Murray wrote on X.

“Competing for Team GB has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!”

This method of delivery is, in itself, indicative of Murray’s humble character and continues what has been a season-long reluctance to give much notice of his plans to step away from the sport he loves.

Since announcing that he was not planning “to play much past this summer” back in February, the three-time Grand Slam champion has been deliberately coy on the exact timing of his retirement, declining the option of a fanfare farewell at his beloved Queen’s club last month, before being given a fitting goodbye at Wimbledon just a couple of weeks later.

While Murray was unable to recover from a back injury in time to play in the singles at SW19 for one last time, he did manage to compete in the doubles alongside his brother, Jamie, as the pair bowed out in the first round to trigger a rousing farewell on Centre Court involving an emotional video montage and a speech from Murray himself.

Wimbledon may be the Briton’s spiritual tennis home, but he has always said that the Olympic Games have given him some of the best memories of his storied career.

Despite a first-round exit in Beijing 2008, Murray completed one of his greatest achievements by winning gold at London 2012, reversing his agonising defeat in the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer from a month prior, before becoming the only man in tennis history to win two Olympic singles gold medals when he successfully defended his title four years later in Rio de Janeiro.

It therefore feels appropriate that one of Great Britain’s greatest ever athletes should exit the stage while representing his country for one final time at the Games.

A third medal in Paris in just under two weeks’ time would be the icing on the cake for Murray, but given his recent struggles with form and fitness – as well as the fact that clay is his least favoured surface – he would be an unlikely winner.

If there is one thing we can learn from Murray’s wonderful career, however, it is never to write off the double Wimbledon champion.

In an unprecedented era where the three greatest men’s players of all time appeared in the same generation, Murray has consistently beaten the considerable odds stacked against him – winning 46 ATP titles (including three Grand Slams and an ATP Finals trophy), reaching a total of 11 major finals, becoming world No 1 and clinching the Davis Cup for Great Britain.

After hip surgery all but ended his career in 2019, Murray was able to do the impossible by returning to professional tennis, playing on for another five years when all medical precedent showed it shouldn’t be possible. Not only that, but he managed to navigate his way back to No 36 in the world.

Those of us watching this man for the last 19 years will know that no achievement is out of his grasp.

But regardless of whether Murray is able to complete one last miracle, his appearance in Paris 2024 will be a beautiful celebration nonetheless.

It will offer the sporting world one final opportunity to bid farewell to one of the true greats of his field, before he embarks on his next chapter – life after tennis.

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