Andy Murray’s Wimbledon farewell tour begins with a loss in doubles with his brother

LONDON (AP) — There have been tears from Andy Murray. Standing ovations from the Centre Court docket crowd. A video tribute replete with messages from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams. And, sure, a doubles match Murray performed alongside his brother Thursday, all a part of the primary cease on the two-time Wimbledon singles champion’s farewell tour at a match that meant a lot to him.

The Murrays misplaced 7-6 (6), 6-4 within the first spherical of males’s doubles towards Rinky Hijikata and John Friends — however the end result was, really, irrelevant on this night.

“The match itself, it was robust, bodily. It was arduous for me. … I used to be lucky I used to be even in a position to get on the courtroom to play,” stated Murray, who had surgical procedure to take away a cyst from his backbone lower than two weeks in the past, forcing him to withdraw from singles.

“It was fairly emotional,” Murray stated concerning the postmatch tribute. “Watching the video was good, however arduous as effectively, for me. As a result of it’s coming to the tip of one thing that you simply completely beloved doing for such a very long time. In order that was troublesome.”

It was the primary time a males’s doubles first-round match was performed within the occasion’s important stadium in practically 30 years, a becoming method for him to start to say goodbye — and for his many followers to supply their thanks and effectively needs, too.

Murray, a 37-year-old from Scotland, has stated he’ll head into retirement after enjoying on the All England Membership, the place he’s additionally entered in blended doubles with 2021 U.S. Open winner Emma Raducanu, and the Paris Olympics, which start later this month.

“I’m prepared to complete enjoying,” Murray stated, “as a result of I can’t play to the extent I wish to anymore.”

Murray sometimes fidgeted along with his again and appeared a tad uncomfortable whereas enjoying, however he additionally let loose a celebratory scream after hitting a forehand return winner to go up a break at 2-0 within the second set, the kind of shot that helped him attain No. 1 within the rankings.

This was the primary time the Murray siblings had performed collectively on the All England Membership. They bumped fists earlier than the match started; they slapped palms between factors. Their mom, Judy, who taught each boys tennis, was in a visitor field, sitting with Andy’s spouse, Kim, and two of the couple’s 4 kids.

“It was a enjoyable expertise for me to be on the market and play with him,” Jamie stated. “It was type of unusual understanding what the background was.”

Jamie’s youthful brother turned a celebrity in these components by successful Wimbledon in 2013, making him the first British man to triumph in singles on the All England Membership in 77 years. He gained the title once more in 2016.

His different Grand Slam trophy got here on the U.S. Open in 2012, the identical yr he gained his first singles gold medal on the London Olympics at Centre Court docket — “One in every of my favourite days I’ve ever had, actually as an athlete,” he stated Thursday — and the subsequent, at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, made him the one participant with two in a row.

There have been a few of his normal mannerisms, whether or not it was tugging on the brim of his white hat or leaning over to tug on the tongues of his sneakers or clenching a fist whereas trying up on the stands. There wasn’t as a lot of the fireplace and brimstone he was well-known for, the cursing and muttering directed at his group or, simply as steadily, himself.

“Generally,” Djokovic stated throughout the four-minute video, “it appeared such as you towards the world.”

Then it was Federer’s flip to say: “However you have been by no means alone. As a result of whilst you you carried your individual desires, you additionally carried theirs,” referring to Murray’s many followers.

After the ceremony, Murray was greeted by a number of present and former gamers, together with Djokovic, Iga Swiatek, Lleyton Hewitt, Holger Rune, Cam Norrie, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe.

After which Murray walked over to his brother, they usually hugged.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis