Andy Murray’s retirement has ended the greatest career in the history of British sport, as the two-time Wimbledon champion and double gold Olympic medallist finally hung up his racket after the Games in Paris.
The Scottish tennis legend won the hearts of the English to become Great Britain’s best sportsman, even if his support in England took a substantial hit back in 2006.
The English truly love their football, a passion evident at the recent Euro 2024 tournament. Murray’s comment that he’d support ‘whoever England were playing’ 18 years ago hurt people. It was unfair on Murray, who only said it in jest after being goaded about Scotland. But his words were never forgotten by some.
Murray faced ‘a lot of abuse’ for around ‘seven years’ for his remark, but there was a huge shift in 2012 when he clinched his first of two Olympic golds for Great Britain. The UK is a unique country – we have multiple national identities – but the London Games united us and everyone threw their support behind him.
His alleged Anglophobia, which was never real in the first place, was shattered as he stood draped in the Union Jack, that powerful combination of red, blue and white, as Murray took his first steps towards sporting immortality in Great Britain.
It should be known that Murray is very, very proud to be British. He has competed and represented our island since he was a child. ‘It doesn’t get much bigger than the chance to lead out your country at an Olympic Games,’ Murray said when made the flag bearer at Rio 2016. ‘It’s bigger than winning at a tournament.’
It is quite fitting, then, that he decided to officially bring the curtain down at the 2024 Games in Paris, representing the country he loves for one final time. ‘I want to play forever,’ Murray said. ‘I love this sport… I’ve had amazing experiences and memories from Wimbledon, but also being part of British Olympics teams.’
The rise of a shy kid from Dunblane who worshiped Andre Agassi
Murray, who overcame childhood trauma on his path to greatness, first picked up a racket aged two. ‘He and (his brother) Jamie used to whack a sponge around in the living room and hall!’ Judy Murray, his mother and very first tennis coach, said.
‘In the back yard he used a ball, and he got pretty good pretty quickly. I was coaching at the local club, not 200 yards from where we lived. So they grew up around the tennis club area.
‘I played all sorts of ball games with them because I knew if you learned co-ordination skills, whatever you eventually take up, you perform better.
‘He was three when he went on court. He had mum, dad, brother, grandma and grandpa throwing balls at him but by five he was fed up and wanted proper tennis. So I invited some kids and coaches for a get-together and suddenly we had a cluster of tournaments.’
Andy Murray seals his status as British sporting icon
Murray’s status as a true sporting icon was sealed in 2013 as he remarkably ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a Wimbledon men’s singles champion. It was a seismic moment in the history of sport on this small island. More than 17 million people watched on screens up and down the country. Some even threw street parties.
‘It was the most important match of my career,’ Murray said, with the 2013 final occurring just one year after he broke down in tears at a heartbreaking runner-up finish to Roger Federer.
‘I just managed to get over the line. I didn’t really actually enjoy it as much as I should’ve done. I just found the whole thing very, very stressful!
‘It was an unbelievably tough match, so many long games. I didn’t know what to do with myself. The noise levels during the whole match were just incredible.’
There was complete and utter euphoria – and it was surely the best moment of Murray’s sensational career.
However, there is still so much more success to mention…
Great Britain’s first Grand Slam winner in 35 years and first Davis Cup triumph in 79 years
Winning the US Open in 2012, in-between his first Olympic gold and first Wimbledon title, saw Murray become Britain’s first Grand Slam winner in 35 years. ‘When I was serving for the match, there was a sense of how big a moment that is in British tennis history,’ Murray said. ‘It’s great to have finally done it.’
He also dragged Great Britain to Davis Cup glory in 2015, the nation’s first triumph in 79 years. ‘It is the most amazing achievement,’ GB coach John Lloyd said. ‘We are champions of the world. Andy Murray’s performance was absolutely staggering. We have to use this success to inspire people to play tennis.’
‘I play some of my best tennis when I’m playing for my country,’ Murray added.
Andy Murray becomes one of the best tennis players on the planet
Murray went on to win Wimbledon again in 2016, this time in dominant fashion to establish his status as one of the best players on the planet. It wasn’t anything like 2013, when he had us firmly on the edge of our seats and nervous for every point.
‘[It] was really different,’ Murray said. ‘I felt way less pressure and the enjoyment I got out of that win was totally different to 2013.
‘Of my Slams, 2016 was my favourite one. I don’t remember much of that night. I had a few drinks and I did unfortunately vomit in the cab on the way home!’
Andy Murray wins second Olympic gold medal and surpasses the Big Four
By now, Murray was firmly at the peak of his powers as he also became first man ever to retain an Olympic tennis title.
He ended 2016 at the world No.1 – remarkably above fellow ‘Big Four’ stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Federer – and he held that status for a total of 41 weeks in his career, in what was the greatest era of men’s tennis in history.
‘They were alright weren’t they?’ Murray said. ‘They weren’t the easiest guys to get past. I was obviously incredibly fortunate to play in this time. It’s been incredible to be a part of some of the matches in major championships with them over the years. I managed to get through them a couple of times in big moments.’
Novak Djokovic urges new era of tennis players to ‘study’ his old rival Andy Murray
Djokovic, Murray’s biggest rival, who went on to cement himself as the all-time best above Federer and Nadal, lauded the Briton at Wimbledon this year.
‘Incredible resilience throughout all his career,’ the Serbian said. ‘Multiple Grand Slam winner. Legend of the game. No.1 in the world. Going to play Challengers to build his ranking on clay, his least favourite surface, says a lot about his character. Just a huge inspiration to all the players. Doesn’t mind getting out on the court for hours every day.
‘Incredible professional. Just his approach is something to study. His will to push and see how far he can go, even with an artificial hip, is something that is just inspiring but also serves as a great example I think to a lot of the athletes, younger ones, that start to complain about this and that. He has left a great mark on and off the court, no doubt.’
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal hail ‘incredible champion’ Andy Murray
Federer also paid tribute to Murray and said: ‘He’s an incredible champion with everything he has achieved, but I also just love everything about this guy. I went to see him in France and it’s just so nice to see the passion he has for the game. The work effort he put in and the way he practices before the games.’
Nadal added: ‘He was an amazing player that played in a difficult moment of the history of tennis, because, he shared the Tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger and myself.
‘He was, in my feeling, the one that he was at the same level as us, in general terms.
‘Then, in terms of victories, it’s true that he achieved less, but in terms of level of tennis, in terms of holding mentally, the winning spirit week after week… He was the only one that was very close to, to be at the same level as us.’
Andy Murray’s story continues with extraordinary comeback
There is still so much more to Murray’s story. He bagged Olympic silver in mixed doubles, played a total of 11 major finals – including at all four Grand Slams – won 46 ATP Tour titles and also enjoyed an extraordinary comeback with a metal hip.
His list of achievements is miraculous. Now, this is not to take anything away from the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Ronnie O’Sullivan, who achieved unbelievable success in their sports. It’s just that Murray took things to another stratosphere.
There are other stars who achieved total sporting dominance, like Phil Taylor in darts, where no-one came close. But Murray’s story is so one-of-a-kind and so inspiring that he should really be ranked above them as Britain’s best sportsman.
Murray was told by a doctor that he’d never play professional tennis again because of his hip, at a time when he was already a three-time major champion and double Olympian. Any sane person would’ve hung up their racket. But this man is superhuman and his love of the sport meant quitting wasn’t an option.
It’s important to know just how crucial your hip is when it comes to tennis. The engagement of the hips, when hitting a forehand or a backhand, is the key to power and control of a tennis stroke. Making a comeback was no simple task.
Murray’s injury was so bad that he needed a metal hip replacement but he retuned to the ATP Tour and somehow won a title in Antwerp just months later.
He would go on to clinch the Queen’s Club doubles trophy, three more titles on the lower-level ATP Challenger Tour and work his way back inside the world top 40, all with a metal hip in the twilight years of his career. His story on the tennis court is nothing short of inspirational – and his story off the court is the same.
Andy Murray overcomes early childhood trauma
When Murray was nine, he was present at the deadliest mass shooting in modern UK history. At Dunblane Primary School in 1996, a gunman killed 16 students, a teacher and himself.
Murray was left unharmed – but it was obviously incredibly traumatic and stressful for him and his family.
‘Obviously I had the thing that happened at Dunblane when I was around nine,’ Murray said.
‘I am sure for all the kids there it would be difficult for different reasons. The fact we knew the guy, we went to his kids club, he had been in our car, we had driven and dropped him off at train stations and things.’
There was no way, though, that Murray was going to let it stop him from going on this path to true sporting greatness.
Andy Murray earns praise for gender equality activism
Murray has also earned widespread praise for his activism, particularly his push to help gender equality. He is an outspoken feminist, who has famously corrected journalists for ignoring or downplaying the achievements of female players. He even hired a female coach, Amelie Mauresmo, which went against the norm.
The legendary Serena Williams said: ‘I hold a special place in my heart to you because you always speak out so much for women and everything that women deserve. You were the leader in that and the things you have spoken up about.
‘The things you said about myself and Venus [Williams], so many things about how we were always so inspiring and what we meant to you – it really went such a long way in my heart and I will always be grateful for that.’
Andy Murray united Great Britain during political unrest
Murray’s career was even more special when you consider that he was hitting his heights at a time of political unrest – amid the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence – which threated the very existence of Great Britain as we knew it.
It was a turbulent time for Britain and Murray initially refused to pick a side of the debate, referencing the abuse he had suffered from 2006 to 2012 for what he said about the England football team, although he did later make a social media post that was considered by some in the media to be supportive of independence.
Regardless of how he truly feels about Scotland’s future, it is largely irrelevant to his status as a British legend. Every Scottish person is entitled to their own views on their own country. It doesn’t make him any less of a British legend and it would be wrong – and somewhat offensive – for English people to think any differently.
There is the old joke that Murray is British when he wins and Scottish when he loses. Having witnessed first-hand the adoring crowds in SW19 in the twilight years of his career, no matter the result of his matches, this myth simply isn’t true.
Murray is loved by the Scottish, the English and the Welsh. That’s what truly makes him Great Britain’s sporting GOAT.
What will Andy Murray do next following his retirement from tennis?
Speaking in the summer of 2023, Murray said: ‘I’ve heard stories from ex-players and other athletes who’ve made no plans for retiring, and they finish and all of a sudden, it’s, ‘What am I going to do with myself?’
‘I was chatting to them about things that I might want to get involved in or really don’t want to get involved in, just starting to get a few ideas together. I’m looking for something I’m really passionate about and that I want to work really hard at to achieve a specific goal.
‘One area that ticks that box is coaching, but not necessarily in tennis. I’ll definitely want to keep busy.’
Murray, in a exclusive interview in July 2024, was quizzed specifically if he wanted to enter tennis coaching and added: ‘It’s something that I will consider, for sure. I haven’t made any plans yet past this summer. Once I’ve finished my tennis, that’s when I’ll start to think about what comes next.’