AUSTRALIAN OPEN2019 Andy’s exit has
ROGER FEDERER admits news of Andy Murray’s retirement from tennis “hit us top guys hard”.
Murray’s tearful confession that he could not carry on brought home the reality that the era of the big four of the Scot, Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was coming to an end.
They have ruled men’s tennis for a decade and Djokovic said the news hurt.
“It hits us top guys hard because we know Andy very well,” said Federer. “We like him. He’s a good guy, Hall of Famer, legend.
“He won everything he wanted to win. Anybody would substitute their career with his.
“It’s a tough one, but one that down the road he will look back on and be incredibly proud of everything he has achieved.
“I was disappointed and sad – a little bit shocked – to know now that we’re going to lose him at some point.
“But we’re going to lose everybody at some point. It’s just now that it’s definite.”
Federer admitted: “I think his body took the decision. It must have been a very long couple of years for him.
“I remember I played with him in Glasgow and I know how not well he was. I couldn’t believe he actually played. But it was for a good cause.” Federer, seeking his third straight Australian Open and 100th ATP Tour crown here, won his first Grand Slam in 2003 at Wimbledon. He is 38 in August and is also thinking about his own departure.
“I have a lot of places that are special to me, thankfully, I’ve been very fortunate,” he added.
“But for sure, Wimbledon stands out as maybe a place but there are many others. I have been thinking about it, like where is that place? I don’t have the fairy-tale ending in my head.”
Djokovic could see Murray was near the end when they played a practice match in Melbourne last Thursday.
The 31-year-olds have long been rivals and have played against each other in four finals at the Australian Open.
But the Scot admitted he felt “helpless” against the world No1 last week. The Serb said: “You didn’t need to be on court to notice he’s struggling, that he’s not moving as well.
“We’ve seen so many years of Andy Murray being one of the fittest guys on the tour, running around the court, getting an extra ball back. I think to that extent we are kind of similar.
“To see him struggle so much and go through so much pain, it’s very sad and it hurts me as his long-time friend, colleague, rival. He’s a great champion. He’s a legend of this sport. He touched us all. I wish him a painless future in whatever shape or form that is, on or off the court.”
Djokovic recalled: “Our trajectory to the professional tennis world was pretty much similar. His birthday is one week before mine. We’ve grown together playing junior events. We played lots of epic matches.”
Djokovic posted a tribute to a man he has known since they first faced each other as 13-year-olds in 2001.
It finished: “Whatever happens, I will always cherish our amazing matches over the years and be grateful for those experiences.”
Nadal, whose career has been blighted by injury but who always seems to bounce back, said: “It’s bad news. “But when somebody like him – he achieved almost everything in his career – is suffering like he’s doing for such a long time already and you feel that you are not competitive for the thing that really makes you wake up every morning to go on court with the passion to practice, to improve and with a goal, then it’s so difficult.” Murray’s hip problem first flared up at the French Open in 2017, with the Scot going under the knife the following January. Doctor John O’Donnell, who performed clean-up surgery on the Scot in Melbourne last January, said:
“He enjoys the Australian Open and has been very keen to play, but Wimbledon is the high point for him.
“Ideally he would want to play there, but I imagine once you make the decision that you are going to stop it must get very difficult to keep going with the rehab, neverending exercising and putting up with the pain.
“Once you see the end in sight I guess it would be much harder to stay motivated.”
Murray said last week he was considering another operation to get his hip re-surfaced.
But speaking as a guest on BBC Radio
5 Live, Dr O’Donnell said:
“Andy has tried really hard and explored every option that has any real possibility of being helpful so that he can continue.
“Realistically I don’t think there is anywhere else to go to preserve his right hip and get it better so he can still play.
“That just won’t now.” happen