Is it game, set and match for Andy Murray?

By Jamie Fairley

Is it time for one of tennis’ greats to wave goodbye to the sport? (Image: Getty Images)

An injury-plagued career has forced one of tennis’ biggest starts into the awkward question of retirement and whether the time is right to hang up the racquet for good.

Often touted as the greatest British sportsman of all time, Sir Andy Murray has seen massive success in the world of tennis. However, since sustaining a hip injury in 2017, he has struggled to maintain his previous form which earned him worldwide fame and huge success.

Since then, Murray has dropped in both form and ATP, currently sitting at 49th, a huge drop from the previous number-one ranking he held for an impressive 41 weeks. This is a combination of both dropping out of tournaments and poor form as results have fallen since 2018 with only two trophies in six years.

Murray’s peak was in 2016, with titles including Wimbledon and gold at the Rio Olympics earning him the world number one spot and making him the first British player to reach the top spot since computerised rankings were introduced in 1973.

Murray kisses the Wimbledon trophy following victory over Milos Raonic in 2016 (Image: Getty Images)

Since then, Injuries to his back, ankle and most notably his chronic hip problems have had a drastic impact on Murray’s career and forced him into hip resurfacing surgery which put a halt on tennis as he focused on making a full recovery.

Injuries have played a significant role in the Scot’s demise (Image: Getty Images)

He has said: "If I was to have a big injury, I probably wouldn't try to come back from that." This highlights the severity of his problems and just how much they have held his career back. Yet, to remain at the top level after these setbacks and to still be playing is seen as an impressive achievement and a motivation for all athletes out there who have had setbacks. Returning to the top 50 can be seen as an achievement for an ageing Murray, and one which is to be admired.

Over the past few years, tennis has seen an influx of young talent mixed with veterans of the game opting for retirement, with names such as Roger Federer, John Isner and Annet Kontaveit leading the way for young talents such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Emma Raducanu and Coco Gauff. Tennis is in good hands, however, with names such as Federer, Isner and potentially Murray bowing out it is the end of an era within the sport.

The sheer number of injuries he has picked up in his later years with constant niggles and setbacks have left many wondering if now is the time. With Wimbledon fast approaching, many speculate that this could be his last and the time is right for Murray to finally say goodbye to a career which has spanned over 19 years with 46 singles trophies to match, it is safe to say Sir Andy Murray is a name tennis won’t be forgetting any time soon.