Andy Murray has made the tough decision to withdraw from the singles competition at Wimbledon this year. However, he has confirmed that he will still be participating in the tournament, but only in the doubles event alongside his brother, Jamie.
Following a recent surgery to remove a cyst from his spine, Murray, who is 37 years old, feels that he has not fully recovered to compete in the singles category. He has expressed his intention to retire after the upcoming Paris Olympics, making this his final appearance at Wimbledon.
Belgium’s David Goffin will replace Murray in the singles draw, as Murray was scheduled to play against Tomas Machac of Czechia in the first round on Centre Court.
“Unfortunately, despite working incredibly hard on his recovery since his operation just over a week ago, Andy has taken the very difficult decision not to play the singles this year,” Murray’s team said in a statement. “As you can imagine, he is extremely disappointed but has confirmed that he will be playing in the doubles with Jamie and looks forward to competing at Wimbledon for the last time.”
Andy Murray, a decorated player with two Wimbledon titles and a U.S. Open championship, discovered the cyst after the French Open this year. The cyst had been causing coordination issues and pain in his back and right leg. After withdrawing from the Queen’s Club tournament in London, he underwent surgery to remove the cyst.
In an emotional statement, Murray expressed his desire for a poignant farewell at Wimbledon, hoping to play one last time on Centre Court and experience the electrifying atmosphere that the venue offers.
“I’m hoping for, when it comes to the end, maybe a bit of closure. I just want the opportunity to play one more time out there, hopefully on Centre Court, and … feel that buzz,” Murray said. “Last year, I wasn’t planning on it being my last year on the tour. I wanted to come back and play again. Whereas this year, I have no plans to do that. It’s coming to the end of my career.”
Despite his Wimbledon setback, Murray is still aiming to compete in both singles and doubles at the upcoming Olympics. A multiple gold medalist, Murray will closely monitor his health post-Wimbledon as he prepares for his final farewell at the Paris Olympics.
“I can’t say for sure that if I wasn’t able to play at Wimbledon, and I didn’t recover in time to play at the Olympics that I wouldn’t consider trying to play another tournament somewhere,” Murray said. “But if I’m able to play at Wimbledon and if I’m able to play at the Olympics, that’s most likely going to be it, yeah.”
On the other hand, Jamie Murray, Andy’s brother and a successful doubles player in his own right, will be partnering with him at Wimbledon this year. Together, they aim to make their mark in the doubles event and create lasting memories on the court.