MURRAY: I’LL LIKELY RETIRE THIS SUMMER
ANDY MURRAY has confirmed he is planning to retire “this summer” – but still wants to play in the Olympics after Wimbledon.
The Scot, who turns 37 in May, admitted earlier this week he was in the “last few months” of his career.
And, after his secondround defeat in Dubai yesterday, he said he will be bringing an end to a glittering career, without giving the exact date.
“I’m likely not going to play past this summer,” Murray (below) said. “I get asked about it after every single match I play, every single tournament that I play. I’m bored of the question, to be honest.
“Yeah, I’m not going to talk more about that between now and whenever the time comes for me to stop.
“When the time is right, I will probably say something before I play my last match and my last tournament.
“Whether I say anything months ahead of time, I don’t know. But, yeah, I don’t plan on playing much past this summer.”
Wimbledon would be an obvious farewell – after winning two titles at the All England Club – but he told the BBC he will “hopefully” get to play another Olympics.
The tennis at the
Games in Paris starts on July 27 – less than two weeks after the Wimbledon final – though he would likely need a wildcard for the singles or the doubles. The former world No.1 skipped the French Open last year to play two grass court Challenger events in England to get ready for Wimbledon.
But, with the Olympic tennis staged at Roland Garros, he said he will “probably” play the clay court Grand Slam “one more time”.
Murray, who has a metal hip, said: “The last few years I’ve tried to give myself maybe better preparation for the grass season, but that also doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to play really well on the grass.
“I’ve had experiences through my career where I didn’t play the French Open – in 2013 – and I won Wimbledon.
“I also played the French Open and did really well in 2016.
“I don’t think it makes a huge difference if you get an extra week’s practice or so on the grass. So, yeah, I would like to play one more time.”
Murray lost to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik in Qatar last week and yesterday showed his frustration while losing 6-2 6-4 to world No.18
Ugo Humbert.
The Frenchman, 25, lost only one point on his serve – and won the first 15 – in the one-sided first set.
And, during the second set, courtside microphones picked up Murray saying: “Dear me, it’s bad. Dear me. Don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Oh God.
“Awful feelings. Awful feelings on a tennis court. Horrific.”