Andy Murray has bid farewell to tennis at the age of 37 after bowing out of the Paris 2024 Olympics in the men’s doubles tournament.
The legendary Scot, a three-time Grand Slam winner and the most successful male British player of the Open era, had vowed to play one final tournament before retiring from the game.
But after an extraordinary run to the quarter-finals – which included comebacks against Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniels and Belgian pair Jorgan Vliegen and Sander Gille – he and his partner Dan Evans were beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul from Team USA.
Despite managing to fight back to 5-4 in the second set from a double break down, Murray and Evans were second best on the night at Roland Garros to bring the curtain down on Murray’s phenomenal 18-year career.
The crowd chanted “Andy! Andy!” in unison while the American pair of Fritz and Paul applauded him as Murray walked off the court.
Evans looked visibily emotional standing by the side of the court, with tears in his eyes, as he watched his doubles partner wave goodbye to the fans.
Murray then struggled to hold back the tears himself as he headed towards the tunnel, before signing autographs for the fans.
The former world No. 1 won two gold medals in his career, beating Roger Federer at the 2012 Olympics in London before defending his title in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. He also won silver in the mixed doubles event at London 2012.
Unfortunately there would be no final hurrah for Murray on his fourth Olympics appearance, as he and Evans missed out on the medal places following their quarter-final exit.
Murray finishes his career with 46 singles’ titles, making him the most-decorated British men’s player of the Open era. Only Carlos Alcaraz (four) has bettered his tally of winning three Majors in the era of the ‘Big Three’ Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
