Andy Murray sheds tears in emotional Wimbledon farewell that began with doubles defeat

CNN
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It was an emotional night for the three-time Grand Slam champion. British Andy Murray On Thursday, the 37-year-old was Wimbledon The farewell began with a defeat in doubles.

Murray intends to retire from the sport this season, playing for the last time at Wimbledon, the venue for some of his most memorable achievements in his career.

After losing in the doubles to his brother Jamie on Thursday, Murray was in tears after a short ceremony on Centre Court, where a montage of his career was shown on large screens.

“It’s tough because I would love to keep playing, but I can’t. Physically, it’s very tough right now,” Murray He said In his court interview, after watching the video.

“I want to keep playing football forever, I love this sport. It has taught me a lot over the years, and I have learned a lot of lessons that I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop, so it’s hard.”

Grand Slam champions Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe were among the famous faces in attendance at the short ceremony, joining thousands of fans in giving Murray a standing ovation.

Murray’s family, including his two young daughters, also watched the match from the stands.

“My mom and dad were such a great support when we were young in letting us pursue our dreams. […] “Thank you, Mom and Dad,” Murray said with tears in his eyes before speaking about his wife, Kim.

“She has been an amazing support to me and my whole family, she is the best mother. Unfortunately, in a few months, she will have to see me every day. […] “I’m looking forward to the rest of our lives.”

Murray is likely to return to Centre Court on Saturday after signing to play mixed doubles with fellow Briton Emma Raducanu.

Over the years, Wimbledon fans have fallen in love with Murray.

He first competed in the tournament in 2005 as a teenager and eventually developed into one of the best players in the world, in an era when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic were so dominant.

Murray reached his first Wimbledon final in 2012, where he lost to Federer – a defeat that left the British star in tears and somewhat changed the public’s perception of him.

A month later, Murray returned to the same court to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The win marked the start of a successful year for Murray as he won the US Open – his first Grand Slam title.

He then returned to Wimbledon in 2013 where he ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles title – an incredible moment now etched in the country’s history.

In 2016, Murray won his second Wimbledon title, a win he says was his favourite.

But injuries have played a big role in recent seasons, with Murray struggling to be competitive.

He had hoped to compete in the singles at Wimbledon, his final tournament of the year, but has been unable to recover from back surgery he underwent last month.

He instead opted to play doubles – a shorter format – with his brother Jamie, but the pair lost in straight sets – 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 – to John Peers and Rinki Hijikata on Thursday.