Tennis: Moved to tears – Murray says goodbye to Wimbledon

In the most emotional moment of this Wimbledon edition so far, Andy Murray was moved to tears. And amazed. One of the most influential players in recent tennis history stood on what is probably the most important stage in his sport to say goodbye to Wimbledon. And told anecdotes that might make you uncomfortable.

2016 was the most special of his three Grand Slam titles, said Murray. He really enjoyed his second triumph at Wimbledon. But: “I don’t remember much about that night,” he joked. “I had a few drinks and unfortunately threw up in the taxi on the way home.”

Murray talks about his first meeting with his wife

Murray may be known on the most important tennis venues for his dogged nature, for the fact that he fights and that you can never write him off. This is how he always managed to come back after all his injuries. But the 37-year-old Scot, who grew up in Dunblane and is a father of four, also has other sides.

The taxi scene was not the only story he told on Thursday evening. In a moving ceremony, a film with highs and lows of his career and dedications from Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal was shown on the video screen.

Current and former tennis greats such as Djokovic, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe came onto the court after Murray lost the doubles match with brother Jamie Murray.

Murray also remembered how he met his wife when he was 18. They went out to dinner in New York, he took her to her hotel and then asked for her email address. He said mischievously that he didn’t think his behavior was normal.

In the first match she watched at the US Open, he vomited twice. Once in front of where she was sitting. Once on his opponent’s bag: “She obviously still liked me.”

Celebrated like a current Wimbledon champion

The 37-year-old, whose wife, two of his four children and his mother, who taught him tennis, were in the stands, will probably remember the ceremony forever as a special chapter in his career. Like a tournament winner, the former world number one later appeared on the balcony and was celebrated by the fans.

Murray had actually wanted to say goodbye with one last singles appearance at Wimbledon. But his body wasn’t ready for that. A procedure on his back, during which a cyst had to be removed, slowed him down shortly before Wimbledon.

“I want to play forever. I love this sport. It has given me so much. It has taught me so many lessons over the years that I can use for the rest of my life. I don’t want to stop,” said Murray, who has been playing with a metal hip joint for years after surgery.

But he is also leaving the sport in peace: “I am ready to stop because I can no longer play at the level I want.”

He turned the Big Three into the Big Four

Wimbledon is the site of his greatest triumphs. It was here in 2013 that he ended the British people’s wait for a home winner after 77 years and won the hearts of the British. The best British tennis player of the post-war era will now leave as one of the few who was able to steal titles from the outstanding trio of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in the golden era.

“The three of them were OK,” said Murray with his dry humor about Federer, Djokovic and Nadal. “It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to get past them.”

With his game focused primarily on defense and counterattacks with a lot of running, Murray won Wimbledon twice (2013 and 2016), two Olympic gold medals (2012 and 2016) and a title at the US Open (2012).

“Such an inspiration and role model for everyone! What a career and what a legacy,” wrote Carlos Alcaraz (21) on X. World number one Iga Swiatek said: “We couldn’t have imagined better support for women’s tennis. Thank you for everything, it was a privilege to be on Centre Court with you tonight.”

A farewell this time for ever?

It’s not quite over yet. Murray wants to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris at the end of July before he ends his career. At Wimbledon he will compete in the mixed doubles alongside Emma Raducanu.

This farewell story also includes the fact that it had already looked like his career was over. At the end of January 2019, at the Australian Open in Melbourne, the Scotsman sobbed and talked about having to retire soon because of his physical ailments.

This is also why Alexander Zverev speculated before the doubles and the ceremony that they would be sitting here again next year and talking about Murray’s impending retirement. But this time it will probably be a farewell for good.