Andy Murray’s participation in the 2024 Wimbledon Championships is still uncertain, with just 48 hours remaining before his scheduled opener. The British tennis player is set to face Tomas Machac in the first round on Tuesday but has not yet confirmed his fitness for the match.
Murray’s last appearance was at the Queen’s Club Championships, where he reached the second round. Unfortunately, a back injury during the tournament forced him to withdraw, and he subsequently underwent spinal cord surgery.
Subsequently, it was announced that the former World No. 1 would miss Wimbledon, but he defied those expectations. Demonstrating his trademark determination, Andy Murray is now at SW19, practicing and aiming to be fit for one final performance on the court where he secured the most significant titles of his career.
In the 2013 Wimbledon final, Murray defeated Novak Djokovic, becoming the first British man in 77 years to win a Grand Slam title. He triumphed again in 2016, overcoming Milos Raonic in the final. Additionally, in 2012, Murray won at Wimbledon during the London Olympics, where he beat Roger Federer in the final, securing Great Britain’s first tennis medal since 1908.
Given his storied history at the tournament, it’s no surprise that the three-time Grand Slam champion is doing everything possible to make one last appearance in front of his home fans. At his pre-tournament press conference, Andy Murray acknowledged that the back surgery has significantly impacted his body and that he is still not fully fit.
He emphasized that he is improving daily and mentioned that he will make a final decision about his participation after one last practice session on Monday.
“Since Queen’s, it’s been a tough ten days. I had a back operation which was by no means insignificant. I’ve tried to do everything I can to be able to play in this tournament. I don’t know if it will be enough: I’ve been training in the last few days, I played a set today and it went quite well, but I still don’t have that feeling of being 100%, especially with my leg,”
Andy Murray said.
“It’s getting better every day, though. Tomorrow I’ll play another set, I’ll do some tests in the morning and then I’ll see how far I am from an optimal perspective. After that, I’ll probably make a decision in the afternoon,” .
he added
The Brit admitted that he wants to avoid a repeat of the situation at Queen’s Club, where he appeared uncompetitive and in pain on the court—a sentiment shared by his family as well.
“I hope that with each passing day the possibility of me being able to play continues to grow. It’s impossible to confirm anything, because I would also like to go out there and play at a level that I am satisfied with,” Andy Murray said.
“I don’t want to be in a situation like Queen’s, I don’t want to go out on the court and feel strange, feel unable to be competitive. I already spoke with my brother about this, we are aware of the situation. It’s not easy for my family either, all the people close to me want to see me playing here again, we all went through this together,” he added.
“I want to have another opportunity to play on Center Court at Wimbledon, to feel that adrenaline” – Andy Murray
Andy Murray then discussed his retirement plans, stating that he intended to bid farewell at Wimbledon. While he acknowledged that he is likely to compete in the Paris Olympics later this month, he expressed his desire to conclude his career at SW19 in the coming days.
For that, the Brit hoped he could get the opportunity to walk out on the Center Court once again and feel again the adrenaline he has felt all these years.
“Everyone has an idea of how they want to end their career: my idea was probably for this to happen at Wimbledon. Obviously there is still the Olympics, but I would love to have the opportunity to play here one more time.”
“It’s not that there is one specific thing. Maybe, now that the end is coming, I’m looking for closure, to turn the page. I want to have another opportunity to play on Center Court, to feel that adrenaline,” Andy Murray said in the press conference.
Finally, Murray also made it exceedingly clear that this year will be his final appearance at Wimbledon, something he was not sure of until now.
“Last year, for example, I didn’t think that it would be my last year on tour. I wanted to come back here and play again, whereas this year I have no plans for that to happen. It’s coming to the end of my career and I want to have the opportunity to play here again,” he added.
In addition to singles, Andy Murray is in the men’s doubles draw at the Grass Major as well, partnering with his brother Jamie.