Novak Djokovic has branded Andy Murray a ‘legend of our sport’ in a classy message to the Brit ahead of his fifth and final Olympics. The two-time Wimbledon champion will officially retire from tennis after the Games, where he will represent Team GB in the men’s doubles.
Murray was initially set to play in the singles event but withdrew shortly before the draw was made on Thursday morning. He will take part in the men’s doubles competition alongside Dan Evans, with Japan duo Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel set to face them in the first round.
Djokovic, who has shared a respectful rivalry with Murray over the years, sent a classy message to him on Thursday as he offered his thoughts on the Scot’s impending retirement.
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I heard the news about Andy and I hope that he will have the best possible farewell in his last competitive match in the Olympics, for him and his country,” said Djokovic. “He is a legend of our sport and has been an incredibly important player for tennis globally.
Murray has faced Djokovic on no less than 36 occasions, winning 11 times with his Serbian rival having the upper hand in the majority of their matches. He is only a week younger than Murray, who has lost 14 of their last 17 encounters since winning Wimbledon in 2013.
The man from Dunblane was given a rousing reception in his final match at Wimbledon earlier this month but it seems he will be denied a farewell ceremony at the Olympics. There have been calls for Murray to be honoured at the end of his glittering 19-year career but it has been reported that the International Olympic Committee will not allow it.
David Haggerty, president of the International Tennis Federation, said earlier this year that Murray would need to play at the Davis Cup to get the farewell ceremony he deserves.
“I think we are in discussions with various players,” said Haggerty. “A lot comes down to what they want and what they may think about, and often times we find that players don’t want to talk about it at this moment and aren’t prepared. We have had conversations regarding some of our other competitions, like the Davis Cup.
“And you know, we’d like to work with the players and do something that they feel is appropriate and right, so I don’t have the final answer for you on that, but we certainly would like to celebrate some of the legends of our game. A lot will come down to, you know, what Andy himself would like to do.
