They left it all behind and gathered on Centre Court anyway, dressed in Wimbledon-coloured blankets and wrapping their bare necks in scarves as the sun set. They rose and held up their phones shortly after 7pm when he entered the court, and those with free hands began to applaud for the first time, all united in their desire to honour Andy Murray once more.
“Come on Andy!” one fan shouted in that familiar tone before the referee flipped the coin.
The screams continued throughout the night, from young and old, to cheer Murray and his older brother Jamie in their losses to Australians John Peers and Rinki Hijikata, as they did for generations to come.
Murray, the two-time Wimbledon champion who has restored British tennis to its former glory and carved out a legacy as perhaps the most relatable and serious member of the last golden age of men’s tennis, still has a chance to play tennis at the All England Club. He will partner compatriot Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles draw.
But Thursday was the official farewell to the tournament on home soil after a 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 defeat as it was clear the 37-year-old was still struggling with mobility issues after undergoing surgery on June 22 to remove a cyst from his back. The procedure was the latest in a marathon cycle of injuries and recovery that has dogged Murray since 2018, when he underwent the first of two major hip operations. He returned from the second in 2019 to play, improbably, with a metal hip – winning just one title since then but with each gruelling match reminding fans of his champion’s unyielding determination and passion.
But Thursday’s match itself was of little significance — except that it gave his mother, Judy, his father, Will, his wife, Kim, and their two older sons a chance to watch him play doubles with his older brother for the first time at a Grand Slam tournament.
“Our words don’t do it justice, how good it is,” Peers said in a quick acceptance speech before stepping down from the microphone to begin an evening of tributes.
Former tennis player and legendary BBC broadcaster Sue Barker briefly came out of retirement to conduct an on-court interview amidst shouts of “soooooo” as British tennis celebrated in full force. She began by asking Murray about his first Wimbledon final in 2012, which he lost to Roger Federer. The question gave the Scot a chance to remind the tennis world of what he will miss about his nature – equal parts dry, caustic and deeply honest.
“I wouldn’t say I’m the most outgoing or energetic person,” Murray said of that loss. “But I think people realized how much I care about the sport — maybe for the first time.”
Later that year, he won the US Open to claim his first Grand Slam title, and then beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets the following year to become the first British man to win a Wimbledon singles title in 77 years. His second Wimbledon title came in 2016.
Murray reminisced in front of a formidable lineup of players on Thursday. John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Conchita Martinez, Iga Swiatek, Djokovic and current British No. 1 Jack Draper were in attendance at the on-court trophy ceremony, with Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic taking turns to address Murray. Retrospective video Venus Williams was also part of the video, participating as a friend and colleague in advocating for gender equality in tennis. Murray was the rare male player to be an outspoken advocate for women’s tennis throughout his career, often Correspondents Correction Those who ignore the achievements of women’s football players.
He said he hopes fans will remember him for the dedication he showed.
“I think the thing I’ve done really well in my career is that no matter the ups and downs — whether it’s winning tournaments, having tough losses, having surgery or having a setback — … I’ve always gone to work with the same dedication and work ethic and passion as the day before,” Murray said. “… I’ve certainly not always been right. On match days, I’ve never been perfect, but I’ve always gone to work and had a good day. I’ve done my best.”
After all the hype, Murray admitted that even the doubles match was difficult. He had obvious mobility problems, would sometimes startle the crowd by stopping suddenly after a shot, and could not serve at anything close to his top speed.
Murray insisted he wasn’t retiring because his love for tennis had waned. It was his body that determined the end of his career, as it had for many of his peers. Murray said he had come to terms with that. He plans to spend a vacation with his family, compete in the Paris Olympics and then retire.
“I think it’s a little bit out of my control. If I know my body is going to be able to do it, I’m going to play — there’s nothing in the sport that I hate and… I don’t want to do it anymore for that reason. I love traveling. I love competing, training, trying to get better, all that stuff,” Murray said. “I know it’s time now. I’m ready for it.”
After the ceremony, Murray left Centre Court, stopped to hug every former player he saw, then made his way across the court until he emerged on a walkway above the court. The crowd, realizing they might see their local hero again, rushed to wave him goodbye.