Andy Murray’s long farewell begins in tears after fitting Wimbledon ceremony

The result quickly faded from memory, as a standing ovation for the losing team signalled the start of a long farewell. At Wimbledon, Andy Murray stood once again with Sue Barker on Centre Court as the tributes began. There were only a couple of tears this time, 12 years on from that defeat to Roger Federer, 11 years since that historic victory over Novak Djokovic. A defeat alongside brother Jamie in the doubles was followed by a celebration of a career and the cold, crushing realisation that the end is here, the final Wimbledon for a man who for the past 20 years had filled this place with so much heart.

Federer, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, his fiercest rivals, were there for the final moments, taking part in a video message that paid tribute to the competitor and their admiration for the fighter within. Venus Williams highlighted Murray’s support and advocacy of women’s tennis, in praise of his character. When it came to his time to speak, Murray’s voice cracked as he thanked the close team of physios and fitness trainers who were with him every step of his post-surgery career.

“The injuries have been tough, quite significant injuries and we’ve worked extremely hard just to be on the court competing,” he told Barker on court. “Probably not at the level any of us wanted, but we tried. It was obviously really special [to play with Jamie]. Physically it wasn’t easy but I am glad we did it. It is hard because I would love to keep playing but I can’t. Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant.

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“I want to play forever, I love the sport and it’s given me so much. It’s taught me loads of lessons over the years I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop so it is hard.”

But the ceremony was perfect in touch and tone, a special night on Centre Court bringing moments of Murray’s dry humour alongside the emotional finality of the farewell. There was Murray revealing how he vomited in a taxi after his second Wimbledon title in 2016; a lovely tribute to his wife Kim and the story of him asking for her email when they started dating as 18-year-olds. At the end, a long embrace with brother Jamie, with whom he had been beaten in the doubles, a match that was long forgotten. In front of parents Judy and Willie and two of his children in the players’ box, eight-year-old Sophia and six-year-old Edie, it was still a precious memory for the family to keep.

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Teaming up at Wimbledon in the men’s doubles for the first time, the 37-year-old Andy and 38-year-old Jamie were beaten in straight sets by the Australian pair Rinky Hijikata and John Peers. The two-time singles champion wanted to feel the buzz of Centre Court one last time and sought closure ahead of the retirement. Deep down, this is not the farewell he would have chosen, but deep down, Murray would not be leaving at all. Injury had forced his hand and a final match at Wimbledon will now be played alongside Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles on Saturday – and defeat there would be it.

The first men’s doubles match to be played on Centre Court in the opening round since 1995 was staged with the ceremony of a Wimbledon final, Murray’s walk from the locker rooms followed by the cameras.

He had defied expectations to even be on Centre Court, undergoing an operation to remove a spinal cyst just 10 days ago. He ruled that singles would not be possible and that was a sensible decision, given there were worrying signs from as early on as the third game of the match. When serving, Murray hobbled away from a ball picked up down low to his right and grimaced on the walk back to his chair, clutching at the left side of his back. A game later came an awkward fall to his left on the return.

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But while Murray struggled physically, he moved well enough during points and the competitive spirit remained, pumping his fist at a forehand winner whipped up the line. Murray’s touch was there with his lob, the feeling of dropping a high ball just inside the baseline, and his serve, too, firing well as the opening set remained on serve until the tiebreak. Murray routinely turned to his players’ box, shaking his racket, with some new additions in there for the start of his Wimbledon farewell as well.

It was the first time he had been watched at Wimbledon by his kids and that, after all, was one of the motivations for continuing after hip surgery in 2019.

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Jamie would have expected to be the more dominant player within rallies and was lively throughout, springing onto overheads and leaping into volleys at the net, without the same physical restraints his younger brother faced. But the younger Murray produced moments, managing to race to his right and meet a forehand on the run that Peers could not return. The break they pushed for would not come but behind excellent serving from both Jamie and Andy, the brothers made it through to the tiebreak that was taken by the Australians when  Hijikata split the Murrays with a forehand winner.

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Peers and Hijikata claimed the opening break in the second set in a game that included the point of the match, won by the Australian pair, that saw a flurry of volleys and sharp reflexes from Hijikata to once again split the brothers. It marked an increase of intensity from the first set and the break came straight back, bringing a roar from Murray as he found an excellent return into the feet of Peers. Hijikata’s fine backhand winner opened up the break, handed away with a double fault from Jamie. A Peers forehand that crashed into Murray’s chin was a further blow, as the match was wrapped up, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

“Today was all about Andy and the great champion he is,” Hijikata said on court, as attention quickly turned away from the winning pair. Then it was Murray’s moment: there will be one more but this, for a start of the end, felt perfectly done.