Video: Serena Williams Honors Andy Murray's 'Incredible' Career After Wimbledon Loss
July 5, 2024
Even though Andy Murray is still playing in mixed doubles at Wimbledon, many of his peers used his loss in the men's doubles competition on Thursday to congratulate him on a storied career as he prepares to head off into retirement.
Serena Williams, who played mixed doubles with Murray at the All England Club in 2019, posted a video message on X saluting Murray's "incredible" career.
Murray played with his brother, Jamie, in the men's doubles competition. The pair lost to Rinky Hijikata and John Peers in the first round on Wednesday.
After the match, Wimbledon put together a video package of highlights from Murray's career that included appearances from Venus Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Murray told reporters last week he plans to retire from tennis after the Olympics. It wasn't initially clear if he would be able to play at Wimbledon after undergoing back surgery on June 22 to remove a spinal cyst.
The 37-year-old was in the men's singles field and was scheduled to face Tomas Machac in the first round, but he decided to withdraw from that match because he "didn't feel like" he was physically able to play at the level required.
Murray is going to play alongside 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the mixed doubles competition. Their first-round match against Zhang Shuai and Marcelo Arévalo will be played on Saturday at 6 a.m. ET.
After turning pro in 2005, Murray established himself as one of the best men's players of his generation. He reached the finals of all four grand slam tournaments a total of nine times, winning twice at Wimbledon (2013, 2016) and once at the U.S. Open (2012).
Murray's victory over Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final made him the first British men's singles winner of the tournament since Fred Perry in 1936. His 46 career singles titles rank 15th among all men's players during the Open Era.
He won two Olympic gold medals as a singles competitor in 2012 and 2016, as well as a silver medal in mixed doubles competition with Laura Robson in 2012.
Murray and Williams won their first two matches as a mixed doubles team at Wimbledon in 2019 before losing in the third round to Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. Williams retired from the sport after losing to Ajla Tomljanović in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open.