Wimbledon salutes major champion Murray after two defeats

Andy Murray’s Thursday night may have involved two defeats on Center Court at Wimbledon, but that didn’t stop the grass court official from paying a fitting tribute to the two-time singles champion and home favorite in London.

Rinky Hijikata and John Peers produced a clinical performance to defeat Murray and his brother Jamie Murray 7-6(6), 6-4 in the first round match. As Andy made what he said would be his final appearance on the grass court, the home crowd gave the two-time Wimbledon champion and former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings overall.

It wasn’t enough to carry him and his brother to victory, but the cheers for Murray didn’t stop when Hijikata and Peers sealed their 88th-minute win. Former WTA star and British broadcaster Sue Barker took to Center Court to pay her respects to Murray, the 46-time world number one, before a tribute video was played featuring his biggest rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, too. as Serena Williams.

Andy, the memories, the matches, the magic – thank you for everything ♥️" |" pic.twitter.com/Kn04fVgi1w

– ATP Tour (@atptour) July 4, 2024

Despite Thursday’s defeat, former PIF ATP Rankings No. 1 Murray is still scheduled for at least one match at SW19. She will team up with British title winner Emma Raducanu, but said she may retire later this summer. He was named in Great Britain’s squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics in late July.

“It’s hard, because I’d like to continue playing, but I can’t,” Murray said in an interview with Barker where he reflected on some of the important things in his life and paid tribute to his family. “The body is very difficult now. All the damage has been combined and it has not been in vain.

“I want to play forever. I love the game. It has given me so much, taught me so many lessons over the years that I can use throughout my life. But I don’t want to give up, so it’s hard.”

In a press conference after leaving Center Court, Murray said, “When the video was playing, my head was spinning a lot. I know I’m going to have to speak. It’s hard at those times because there’s a lot of people you’re dealing with.” I want to thank you and talk, but it’s not easy and, again, watching the video was fun, but it was also difficult, even for me because you know it will come to the end of what you have thought. I like to do it for so long.

Murray revealed that he had no idea his two daughters would be there. “While we were waiting in the locker room at the front, I saw on one of the TVs they were sitting next to my wife. It was fun,” said Murray. “They went to another game I played and stayed in the stands last year in Nottingham last year. “

At the end of the interview, Murray was congratulated by a list of past Wimbledon champions including Djokovic, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Lleyton Hewitt and Conchita Martinez. He was also welcomed by the current WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and British stars Tim Henman, Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Daniel Evans, and Holger Rune.

In the minds of most of the British public, Murray is the man who has taken over the long-standing task of the host country waiting for a Wimbledon men’s singles champion from Henman. Four-time semi-finalist Henman was the last person to congratulate Murray, who finally ended the nation’s 77-year wait in 2013, before he embraced his brother Jamie and walked off the court to sing.

Jamie said: “I think it was a pleasure for me to be there and play with him. Obviously it was amazing to know what kind of background the game is. But yeah, it was nice to be able to do that. I think the club did a nice kind of tribute at the end and it was nice that a lot of the players stuck with that, and it was nice to see some the boys on the field with Andy.

Concluding the brothers’ press conference, Andy said: “They did a really good job tonight. I’m glad it’s done now. Obviously. [I will] try and enjoy mixed doubles in a few days. It should be fun. Then a family vacation is planned after this, then the Olympics, that’s it. “

In Thursday’s other doubles action, third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury made a confident start on the grass at the All England Club with a 7-5, 6-4 victory against Willem Blumberg and Casper Ruud. The fourth Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic also advanced after defeating N.Sriram Balaji and Luke Johnson 6-4, 7-5.

^{Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images}

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