Murray, after his retirement: "I don't mind not playing tennis anymore"

Mónica Barberán Munera | 3 Aug 2024 | 11.32

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It is still hard to believe that Andy Murray has hung up his racket just two days ago. The Briton played his final tournament of his career at the Paris Olympic Games. It wasn't in singles, but Murray bid farewell with honors alongside Daniel Evans. We will no longer see one of the greats of recent times on the courts, but he will remain closely linked to tennis, that's for sure. Thus, in an interview with Eurosport just a day after this defeat, Andy talked about what it feels like to be retired and his experience in Paris. He also assessed the words of Bjorn Borg about the magnitude of his career compared to the ' Big 3'.

- How does it feel to be a "retired tennis player" now?

"I knew this day was coming for a few months. Whether we lost a few days ago or made it to the final, I was prepared. Now I have some time to do what I want, and I'm really looking forward to that."

- You seemed a bit disappointed after your last loss

"The week has been amazing. Last night, I felt the same way after the match. I spoke a bit with Dan about it, but also about the week in general and how the Olympic Games have been for all of us. We've had a great time, and we'll have brilliant memories. We could have easily lost in the first round, but we managed to come back in a couple of them. We had a brilliant week. We would have liked to play better yesterday, but it was a great run."

- Were your tears on the court tears of joy?

"I think so because I don't feel unhappy. I don't mind not playing tennis anymore. When I thought that this moment would come in the last couple of years, I was sad about it. I was concerned about how I would feel and all that. So far, I know it's only been a day, but it's been much easier than I expected."

- A week of great tiredness

"This week I felt tired, probably emotionally. Last night before the last match, I slept terribly, only a couple of hours. I don't know why, if it was due to adrenaline or just thinking about everything. Now I'm just looking forward to what's coming soon."

- The most special message you've received

"This morning I received a message from Björn Borg, which is really cool. He is a legend in our sport, and I got to spend some time with him at the Laver Cup. He told me: congratulations to one of the greatest of all time, all the best for what's to come. I am fully aware that my rivals have had much better careers than mine, but for a while, in the middle of my career, I competed with them in the most important tournaments. I reached the world number one while they all played. That meant a lot to me. As I said yesterday, it hasn't been easy to win the big competitions while they were there, and for someone of his caliber to recognize that is really special."

- An enviable career in the time of the 'Big 3'

"I think the hardest thing for me in that sense is that what Rafa, Roger, and Novak have achieved is beyond the reach of anyone who plays tennis. What I have accomplished seems tiny in comparison to that. It's easy to forget about winning a few Grand Slams and Olympic Games. I am proud of what I have achieved in this period; I have worked very hard to achieve it, and that is what matters most. What others say about it doesn't matter as much. Obviously, I love tennis, and I have great respect for previous generations and what they have achieved; it has given us a platform to do what we have done. So hearing something like that from Bjorn is great."

💬 "I'm not upset that I'm not playing tennis anymore... it's only been a day but it's a lot easier than what I expected!"@Andy_Murray sits down with @LauraRobson5 to discuss his retirement from tennis 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/GcX5dJPhr2
— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 3, 2024