Love him or loathe him he was a brilliant talent who put British Tennis back on the map. He’s been playing in an era that has produced several tennis greats and to be able to compete with Fed, Nadal and Novak is some achievement. In a different era, he might have been able to have won as many Grand Slams as Federrer. Wishing him all the best for a happy and healthy retirement
Competing and training has been a way of life for him for probably 25 years and for probably over 50,000 hours has, effectively, ruined his body. I suspect that it is the fear of what he can and can't do, given that he says he struggles to even put his socks on at the age of just 31, is what upsets him even more than the fact that he will never potentially play again. We don't have that many champions in sport simply because very few have the skill but, more to the point, the commitment, day in day out, to become one. And when one thinks that he has had to compete against not one, not two but three of the greatest male players of all time it makes his achievements all the more commendable.
Good luck Andy.
You don't watch the Olympics then? Or Boxing, Snooker, Golf etc etc
No
But as you mentioned it compared to the number we have competing in those sports we don't. And if you just take tennis in isolation, how many Grand Slam winners, male or female, have we had in the last 40 years?
I'm sure a man of your undoubted sporting knowledge will be able to tell me.
Guy is an absolute legend and like others have said a lot of people don’t get his sense of humour / personality. I think he is great - I love sportsmen who wear their heart on their sleeve. Will never forget him breaking down on centre court after losing the final - and then to come back and win it the next year almost defies belief.
Pushed himself to the max since childhood as we can now see.
As sporting icons go in our generation - outside football - I have him and Hamilton at the top. The fact both split public opinion shows to me what you have to have in you to get to the very top
Not his greatest fan (would always want Federer to win over him) but anyone who thinks he is not one of Britain's greatest ever sportsmen need their heads examined.
In seriousness I never thought he would a win grand slam he was destined to be a nearly man but worked incredibly hard on his game and body to get him to that level.
Great counter punch player with a dry sense of humour which always made me laugh. It's a shame he never developed a world class second serve as it was his achilles heal in so many big matches. I hope he has a long and happy retirement.
Competing and training has been a way of life for him for probably 25 years and for probably over 50,000 hours has, effectively, ruined his body. I suspect that it is the fear of what he can and can't do, given that he says he struggles to even put his socks on at the age of just 31, is what upsets him even more than the fact that he will never potentially play again. We don't have that many champions in sport simply because very few have the skill but, more to the point, the commitment, day in day out, to become one. And when one thinks that he has had to compete against not one, not two but three of the greatest male players of all time it makes his achievements all the more commendable.
Good luck Andy.
You don't watch the Olympics then? Or Boxing, Snooker, Golf etc etc
No
But as you mentioned it compared to the number we have competing in those sports we don't. And if you just take tennis in isolation, how many Grand Slam winners, male or female, have we had in the last 40 years?
I'm sure a man of your undoubted sporting knowledge will be able to tell me.
Gutted about this news, and feel quite emotional watching him like that, but not surprised. I remember Pat Cash a couple of years ago saying that such hip injuries were largely incurable, so even then there were doubts in my mind whether he could come back
A glorious period for British Tennis comes to an end
I'm not much of a tennis fan, but it's undeniable that Andy has been one of the greatest sportsmen of my lifetime and easily the greatest *British* tennis player of my lifetime.
I hope he has a pain-free retirement. You spend a lot more time not playing than playing, and I hope he can relax a bit in the next few years.
He mentioned that by playing in the Australian Open, it may mean that he's not fit enough to play at Wimbledon.
If that's the case, I'd much rather he binned the Aussie Open so he can have his rightful swan song at Wimbledon.
A great sporting legend and I was lucky enough to watch him once at Wimbledon and once at the O2. Much more of a personality and character than people actually give him credit for as well.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
Comments
I'm sure a man of your undoubted sporting knowledge will be able to tell me.
Pushed himself to the max since childhood as we can now see.
As sporting icons go in our generation - outside football - I have him and Hamilton at the top. The fact both split public opinion shows to me what you have to have in you to get to the very top
However he's going to retire with less grand slam wins than his brother, I'm sure Jamie will keep reminding him of that over christmas dinner
Sad that he can't retire on his own terms.
In seriousness I never thought he would a win grand slam he was destined to be a nearly man but worked incredibly hard on his game and body to get him to that level.
Sir Andrew Murray (IMO) will be one of the greatest British sportsmen ever.
Real genuine guy, best of luck for the future Andy.
Gutted about this news, and feel quite emotional watching him like that, but not surprised. I remember Pat Cash a couple of years ago saying that such hip injuries were largely incurable, so even then there were doubts in my mind whether he could come back
A glorious period for British Tennis comes to an end
Thanks for the success, entertainment and passion Andy.
Well deserved retirement.
Interested to know his plan now tennis is gone.
I hope he has a pain-free retirement. You spend a lot more time not playing than playing, and I hope he can relax a bit in the next few years.
If that's the case, I'd much rather he binned the Aussie Open so he can have his rightful swan song at Wimbledon.
A great sporting legend and I was lucky enough to watch him once at Wimbledon and once at the O2. Much more of a personality and character than people actually give him credit for as well.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.