By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Andy Murray expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Wimbledon organizers for an "emotional" farewell ceremony following his final match, which ended in a doubles defeat alongside his older brother Jamie. The two time singles champion played at the All England Club for the last time before his impending retirement later this year.
After the match, a video montage showcasing Murray's illustrious career was displayed on the Centre Court big screen, moving the former world number one to tears as thousands of fans showered him with prolonged applause. Reflecting on the tribute, Murray said, "It feels like a good ending to me. Whether I deserve it or not, I don't know. But they did a really, really good job." He had previously won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016.
The Murray brothers received a standing ovation as they entered a packed Centre Court, and another followed moments after their 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 loss to Australian pair John Peers and Rinky Hijikata. Present in the audience were Murray's parents, Judy and Will, his wife Kim, and two of their daughters. During the ceremony, Murray thanked his family, team members, and fans for their unwavering support. "It is hard because I want to keep playing, but I can't," Murray said on court. "Physically it's too tough now. I want to play forever. I love the sport."
Fellow Grand Slam champions Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, and Iga Swiatek, along with Tim Henman and current British players Dan Evans, Jack Draper, and Cameron Norrie, applauded from the sidelines. Despite the emotional farewell, Murray will make one final appearance later this week, teaming up with fellow British Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu for the mixed doubles. "It was obviously very special to play with Jamie, we've not had the chance to do it before," said Murray, who won the first of his three major titles at the 2012 US Open. "It was a race against time to get out here and physically it wasn't easy, but I'm glad we were able to do it one time together."
Why Wimbledon Means So Much to Murray
Wimbledon holds a special place in Murray's heart, being the venue for many of his career defining moments. These emotional ties drove him to compete one final time, despite recent challenges. A back issue, causing a loss of power and feeling in his right leg during a match at Queen's three weeks ago, nearly dashed his hopes. An operation on June 22 to remove a cyst near his spine left him in a race against time to be fit. Realizing the night before his scheduled singles match that playing a five set match was impossible, Murray opted to play doubles with Jamie instead. The brothers' match was uniquely placed on Centre Court, marking the first men's doubles first round match there since 1995. This special occasion couldn't have been scheduled anywhere else.
Murray's first Wimbledon final in 2012 ended in a tearful loss to Roger Federer, shifting public perception about him. Redemption came when he won Olympic singles gold on the same court against the same opponent weeks later. A year on, Murray ended Britain's 77 year wait for a Wimbledon men's singles champion by defeating world number one Djokovic. He won another title at Wimbledon in 2016, which he enjoyed even more.
After both victories, Murray followed tradition by walking through Centre Court's marbled corridors and receiving a guard of honor before greeting fans from the balcony. On Thursday night, he made the same ceremonial walk, marking a fitting farewell for a player who has led British tennis with distinction.
How an Emotional Day Unfolded
Day four of this year's Championships was dominated by talk of the Super Murray Bros. The famous Wimbledon queue, where fans camp overnight for tickets, grew to a line of 11,000 hopefuls by mid morning. Among them were the Murraynators, a group of superfans who secured Centre Court tickets. Inside the All England Club, fans gathered on Henman Hill dubbed Murray Mound for the day with picnics and blankets. After women's top seed Swiatek's straight set win, the stage was set for the Murrays.
Andy's wife Kim, their daughters, and his parents watched from the stands. Despite claiming they had a good chance of winning, the match didn't go as hoped. Andy struggled with movement from the third game but showed his characteristic determination, though his body didn't cooperate. In 2019, Murray tearfully announced a potential retirement due to a hip injury, only to return and win an ATP Tour title later that year. Despite subsequent memorable moments, he couldn't regain his peak form.
"The injuries have been tough, quite significant injuries," he said. "We've worked extremely hard just to be on the court competing, probably not on the level that any of us wanted but we tried." The emotional day concluded with an acknowledgment of Murray's remarkable career and his significant contributions to British tennis, marking an end to an era for one of the sport's greats.
