Read all about whether we’re nearing the end of Andy Murray’s professional tennis career, as well as reliving some of the key events from his 19 years in the sport.
In the world of tennis it feels like we’re nearing the end of an era. Perhaps the beginning of the end came with the retirement of Roger Federer in September 2022.
Now Rafael Nadal is more likely to pull out of a Grand Slam due to injury than he is to progress to the final. Even Novak Djokovic now looks beatable by members of the new generation coming through like Carlos Alcaraz, his nemesis at last summer’s Wimbledon.
But, for British tennis fans at least, most of the focus is on their home-grown hero, Andy Murray. He’s made comebacks in the past, but now it really does look like the end of the road is approaching. How the tennis world would love to see him just one more time showing his mastery of the grass court at Wimbledon this summer, but is this a real possibility?
A glittering career
Murray has achieved so much in his career to date – reaching levels undreamt of for generations of British players before him.
First and foremost, there’s his brace of wins at Wimbledon. In 2013 he overcame Djokovic in straight sets, becoming the first Briton to win the men’s championship since Fred Perry achieved it in 1936.
Then, in 2016, there was another straight sets victory. This time it was Milos Raonic who was on the receiving end of a masterful Murray performance. At this point in his career, he was always the clear favourite heading into tournaments, making him a safe bet for even those who were a little unsure on how to bet on sports.
But before both of these achievements he had also become a double Olympic medallist in the 2012 London games winning silver with Laura Robson in the mixed doubles and gold in the men’s singles defeating Switzerland’s Roger Federer.
The catalog of injuries
However, as is becoming more and more obvious, tennis is a sport that takes a terrible toll on the bodies of its players, as Britain’s young hopeful Emma Raducanu has already discovered.
Murray has had more than his fair share of issues over the years with back and hip problems. It’s the latter that have had the biggest effect.
At one point in 2018 it looked like it was a career-ending condition as he pulled out of the Australian Open. Following surgery, he was back in 2019 but withdraw from the tournament again. This time it seemed even more serious with Murray claiming the pain was so great that even putting on shoes and socks was a struggle.
Fortunately, he was persuaded to have an innovative hip resurfacing procedure and his consultant then gave him a 90% chance of being able to return to competitive tennis.
Recent results
Return he certainly did, and there were some very encouraging signs along the way. So many, in fact that he kindled an interest again for many people in how to bet on sports.
Frequently progressing to the third and fourth rounds of many tournaments his new hip seemed to be working out well.
Last summer he seemed to reaching, if not the form of his career, at least a very high standard. He won two tournaments on grass in the run-up to Wimbledon at Surbiton and Nottingham. So his second round defeats at Wimbledon by Stefanos Tsitsipas and in the US Open by Grigor Dimitrov came as major disappointments.
A straight sets defeat in the first round of the 2024 Australian Open by 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry even had Murray admitting this could have been his last ever appearance in Melbourne.
However, in February’s Dubai Tennis Championships Murray recorded his 500th professional win by beating Canadian Dennis Shapovalov in a hard-fought three set match.
The hunger to continue?
Results like this could be just the incentive Murray needs to press on for another couple of seasons – and to continue rewarding those fans who know how to bet on sports.
At 36, however, it’s hard to know just how long he’ll continue to have the hunger and the drive to continue on the punishing professional tennis circuit. Now a father of four, it must be ever-more challenging to be away from the family with diminishing returns in terms of victories on the court.
A life after tennis
It’s also not as if he would be left high and dry if he left tennis for good. His personal fortune is estimated to be worth around $100 million. He’s also owner of a 5-star luxury hotel in his native Scotland called Cromlix. While he’s unlikely to be found manning reception any time soon, he and his wife Kim are still very much involved in its running.
So only time will tell what the future holds for Murray – perhaps before very long he’ll also be commentating on the tournaments that he has been competing in ever since his professional debut back in 2005.
