LONDON: Briton Andy Murray, the first male tennis player to claim two Olympic singles gold medals, said on Tuesday that he will play the final event of his glittering career at the Paris Games before heading into retirement.

Murray, widely regarded as one of Britain’s all-time great sportsmen, won gold in London 2012 beating Roger Federer in the final and successfully defended his title in Rio four years later defeating Juan Martin del Potro.

The 37-year-old, who in 2013 ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon and won the trophy again in 2016, had previously said that he was unlikely to continue his career beyond this year.

“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament @Olympics,” Murray said on social media, alongside a picture of himself on the Rio podium. “Competing for Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time.”

Murray, who was knighted in 2017 for his services to tennis and charity, was hailed by International Tennis Federation chief Dave Haggerty for his contributions.

“Sir Andy has lived and breathed the values of tennis throughout his long career, championing equality and helping to send the message that our sport is for everyone,” Haggerty said.

“We will of course remember his two Olympic golds; his Grand Slam wins and his never-say-die attitude on the court. We will also remember his Davis Cup victory with Great Britain in 2015, helping his team to the title for the first time since 1936.

“While this wonderful chapter of his career is now drawing to a close, we know that Sir Andy’s love of tennis will see him continue to be involved in helping to grow and develop our sport globally.”

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney hailed Murray as “our greatest-ever sportsman”.

“Heartfelt thanks to @andy_murray for an outstanding and inspiring career which has made a profound impact on so many,” he posted on X.

The injury-plagued Murray received a star-studded, emotional farewell earlier this month at Wimbledon, the venue where he won two of his three major titles, following a first-round doubles defeat partnering his brother Jamie.

The Scot, who had surgery on June 22 to remove a spinal cyst which was compressing his nerves and made him lose control and power in his right leg, decided he was not fit enough for the demands of singles competition at the All England Club.

Murray’s hopes of a final hurrah partnering fellow former US Open champion Emma Raducanu in mixed doubles at Wimbledon were dashed when she withdrew due to a wrist issue.

The tennis competition at the Olympics begins on July 27 and Murray, who made his Olympic debut in Beijing 2008, will play in both singles and doubles alongside Dan Evans in his fifth and final Games.

Murray also has a mixed doubles silver from the London Games, where he partnered Laura Robson.

The former world number one resurrected his career after having hip-resurfacing surgery in 2019 but has struggled to make the latter stages of leading tournaments since and endured an ankle injury earlier this season in Miami.

The British star’s success came in an era dominated by Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

The so-called ‘Big Three’ have hoovered up 66 Grand Slam titles between them but time is catching up with the icons of the sport.

Federer won 20 majors before he retired in 2022.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, is 38 years old and has played just six tournaments all year as he battles injury.

Djokovic, 37, the holder of 24 majors, has been deposed as Australian Open and Roland Garros champion in 2024.

Jannik Sinner, the 22-year-old Italian, succeeded him as champion in Melbourne and took his world number one ranking.

Carlos Alcaraz, 21, won the French Open and successfully defended his Wimbledon title, sweeping Djokovic off court in a one-sided final earlier this month.

If Djokovic loses his US Open title in September, it will be the first time since 2002 that at least one of the three giants has failed to win a Slam title.

The tennis competition in Paris begins at Roland Garros on July 27 and ends on August 4.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2024