The tennis community is about to lose one of its big modern-day stars.
Three days ahead of the year’s first tennis major, the Australian Open, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray has revealed his plans to retire from the sport after Wimbledon 2019 – although the 31-year-old fears his prolonged battle against a hip injury that has hampered him for the last two seasons may not allow him to continue beyond the season-opener in Melbourne.
A visibly distraught Murray revealed his retirement plans in an emotional press conference at Melbourne Park on Friday, 11 January. Within no time, the tennis community poured in with support for the former world number one.
While Murray doesn’t have an Australian Open title to his name, the Briton has been a five-time finalist at Melbourne Park – and lays claim to potentially the most astonishing winner in the recent history of the tournament.
Despite competing in the toughest era of the men’s game – with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the height of their powers – Murray more than held his own, and along with Stanislas Wawrinka is the only multiple major winner on the tour besides the trio since 2003.
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